Residents car park- items stolen

[Lettuceleaf37]

Hello,

I wonder if anyone could offer advice.

I live in an apartment, and make use of the secure residents car park below, where a space is provided as part of my tenancy. Access to the car park is regulated by the use of a fob, which must be used to enter/exit the car park.

However, in recent months, the main building doors- which also make use of this fob security often haven’t been working correctly. Mail has been stolen from the postboxes (not adequately covered by cameras!) and meaning that anyone can access the building itself- as well as enter the car park on foot using the stairs from the foyer. Other residents have advised that people have been sleeping rough in the underground car park itself as a result.

Yesterday, my car was opened and several items were taken; gym kit, sunglasses and my car park fob.

The management company are now requesting that I pay a £40 replacement fob charge in order to be able to use the car park again. I don’t feel that this is fair- as their inability to maintain secure entryways throughout the main building has meant that someone has been able to gain access to steal these items in the first place. The fob is effectively only useful to lift the vehicle barrier going in or out of the car park- it provides no real security like they try to claim.

Could anyone please offer any advice on how to proceed? After already losing personal items, I don’t think any to pay out anymore if I can avoid doing so. Thanks.

Is it in your t and c'a about replacing the fob?

Could be a resident who took the items.... no way of knowing

I’m a bit confused. You say “my car was opened”. Was you car broken into - window, lock smashed etc - or the unlocked door simply opened and your stuff taken? It’s theft either way, and not a nice thing to happen, but it seems rather lax if you to have left your car unlocked with important items in it when you had concerns about security.

To find out your best course of action, you’ll have to go back to the exact terms in your lease and/or the management agreement you have with the management company for your building. Check the services they provide and exact wording for standards of service. I’d also report the theft to the police and get a crime reference number you can use. Is there are residents’ committee? I’d contact them too to find out what pressure can be brought to bear.

If the car park only has a simple bar barrier across it, surely ner do wellers can just come under it regardless of the main door fault?

Was your car unlocked?

I assume there is CCTV in the garage, because you mention that there are security cameras in your building because cameras failed to pick up on stolen post. You should ask to check it. Take screen shots of anything captured to the police as evidence.

Also, whether it was a locked/unlocked car break in matters. If your fob was taken from your unlocked car, you are arguably negligent and I have some sympathy for the management company in asking you to pay for a replacement.

Car unlocked then?