Can I buy this parking space?

[user1489844432]

Hello

There is issue with parking spaces on my street, which annoys me but there is not much I can do about it Having said that a block of flats was built at the end of my street few years ago and it looks like some parking spaces (they have separate car park) are unused and that makes me think perhaps they were never sold? How do I go about finding out if I could buy one if there are any unsold? Does it make sense at all to do it? Flats are leasehold if it makes difference.

Not wholly sure but if it were me -
I’d keep pretty quiet about the plan as neighbours may pop you to the post of it is possible.
Land registry search would point you in direction if registered owner of freehold/leaseholds.
Does the block have a management comm?
Speak to a leaseholder - possibly saying you are interested in flat/waiting list etc to find out who freehold co is. although this would (depending on what you say) disclose your plan.
There’s bound to be a more obvious step which I’ve spectacularly missed.

It's unlikely anyone will sell you a parking space as the marriage value of a flat plus parking space means it isn't sensible/viable to separate the two.

The best you could hope for would be a licence to use a space in return for a monthly payment. That way the owners keep control and you are permitted to park there. A leaseholder would probably need the freeholder's permission for this kind of arrangement. If there is a management company, I'd contact them in the first instance.

When I lived in a block of flats, people put up notes in the lobby asking if anyone was interested in renting their parking space with a number to call. Doubtful anyone with a mortgage would be able to sell you one, more likely there are no car flats than the freeholder kept some back.

It's either going to be that the person who owns that space doesn't have a car, or it's been allocated as a visitors space.

Speak to one of the leaseholders, or find the planning documents on your council's planning portal.

Car parking spaces in leasehold property are really variable - you need to see a copy of one of the leases really. There are three normal ways car parks are managed; either the flat and the parking space are on the same lease (in which case it would be extremely complicated to sell you one), the flat and the space are on separate leases (in which case it might be possible to buy it separately but bear in mind that you will have to contribute to the upkeep of the car park) or the car park is enshrined in the lease as a shared amenity with none of the spaces demised (in which case you can't use it at all without buying a flat there).

It's very unlikely that they were never sold, far more chance that they're demised and the owners don't have cars - in which case you may be able to come to a private agreement about renting one from someone.

If you download an app called JustPark, you may find a space on there that you can rent out! I rent out one of my parking bays and it works well for both of us.