Not allocated parking

[Viewofhedges]

After having an offer accepted on a flat I found out today that the parking the estate agents promised is ‘first come, first served,’ rather than allocated. There is one less space than there are number of flats. I’m furious, and feel sick. I really wanted parking as there is very little on street round there and I often arrive home from work late and exhausted. Just posting to vent really and get any sage advice as to what to do. Lawyers are already instructed and otherwise I like the flat, but I don’t know if I would have made the offer - or certainly at that price - had I known that parking wasn’t guaranteed. God, I’m so cross. I only paid the legal deposit a few days ago as well. Seller is a landlord who doesn’t seem to have been aware of the issue. I’ve told EA I’m going to think. What do I do?

Have you got it in writing that they said it was allocated parking?

The EAs blurb will have a disclaimer. Either the vendor ensures there is an allocated space or you pull out.

Pull out now, explain about the parking.

We had an allocated parking space right next to our drive, didn't stop people parking in it all the time. It was a pain in the arse. Don't assume allocated means it is enforced.

I would pull out personally

paying the legal fees is cheaper than buying a flat with problems in my mind

The written wording says Parking (neither allocated nor first come first served). Verbally they said allocated, and I’ve been pushing for the written confirmation ever since. Now they obviously can’t provide it.

Just been in the phone to EA asking them to confirm other things that were verbally confirmed prior to offer. The EA has apologised for his colleague’s ‘flippant’ promises.

Don’t buy a flat with no parking. You will really regret it and even if by some miracle you don’t it will be hard to resell

Pull out. You’ll stew on it forever otherwise

Yer in that case I'd pull out too :-(

I'd pull out as well - presumably as the parking isn't allocated, any flat could have two (or more) cars/ visitors and then there would be even fewer spaces available.

Very annoying of the agents, presumably the legal deposit can be carried over to another property you offer on? Just think that at least you found out now, before survey or searches.

I would pull out. We lived in a flat with non allocated parking and it was a nightmare.

It sounds like a real deal-breaker. Pull out now before you spend any more time or money on it.

It’s never up to the EA to confirm anything. That’s what you do between solicitor and vendors.

Pull out if parking is a deal breaker (sounds like it is).

Pull out and speak to your solicitors asap as they will probably hold the money you’ve sent them so it can be used at a future date. Keep looking.

Lower your offer?

Pull out. Its a deal breaker. You would not have made this offer if you knew then what you know now.
If you continue you will regret it. Every time you drive home and can't park nearby you'll wish you had pulled out now.
You will have the same limited choice of buyers should you ever choose to move on or sell this flat too in future.
You may loose a small (in the big scheme of things) amount of money now for havibg instructed solicitors but save yourself years of regret instead.

The sooner you pull out the less £££ impact.

Can you drive there this evening after work and see what the parking is truly like? Then you will be able to make a final decision.

Pull out. First come first served and you working late is a recipe for stress

You only have to look at the number of parking threads in AIBU to see the problems that people have will clearly allocated parking; unallocated parking would be an absolute nightmare.

Thanks all. I’m working from home a lot at the moment which is 2 hours away from work / the new flat (hence me buying it) but will go tomorrow and have a look. I’ve looked again on right move but the market seems to have ground to a halt there and there is not currently anything else worth looking at in the area. It’s a shame because it’s a lovely flat otherwise and was quite an unusual find in the area, and timing wise this one worked well. But it looks like EA may have lied about another factor as well - awaiting confirmation on that. Your advice all sounds very unanimous though.

Might be worth researching the cost to rent a permanent parking space nearby if the flat is otherwise perfect.

And then drop your offer by 5yrs x that cost.

I've previously used justpark.com but there are lots of alternatives out there. You might just get lucky with a driveway very nearby!

(Our previous vendor / EA lies are costing us £1000 to fix, so I feel some of your pain!)

Thanks foobio, that’s a good idea and worth a try.

Presumably not everyone in the building will have a vehicle though? (1 in 4 households in the UK do not.) Have you checked the car park to see how busy it is?

I'd be fuming and very wary of continuing. Def look into renting a space and def lower your offer!

I lived in a block with unallocated parking. One neighbour had THREE cars. I think it is unlikely any of the flats will have no cars, unless they are OAPs or students. Much more likely that a number of the flats will have two cars, meaning constant problems. At the weekend we used to avoid using the car for fear of losing our space!