Mamoo

Hi Expats,
I am having a nagging issues with my apartment.
I recently bought an apartment which has car space on title.
I dont drive a car, but its a add-on and a facility to my friends and buddies who once in a while come to visit me.
Recently, I have someone parking car at my place.
I come at night and see car parked there, first time it was holden, next time Kia and now toyota car..
I informed this issue to my body corporate when it occurred second time; they say its a private property they can do little about it.
Second and Third time, I left a polite note on the wipers of the gentlemen stating thats it a private spot please ensure prior permission is acquired before parking on the private lot..
Nothing seem to work.
What are my rights and what am i suppose to do in such situation where i dont know whose parking on my spot?

Can you help guide me?
Thx
Mamoo

shorrock

Parking is tight in most appartment blocks. People living there will keep a close eye on spots that are not used regularly and they will start to park there if they see nobody else is regularly parking there.

My suggestion and it's the one I did when this happened to me, was put up a nice note stating, "I have recently bought the appartment that this space belongs to. Please do not park in this spot." If you can tape the note to a place the driver will see while they are driving in it will make it easy. Make it big enough with large letters+bold so it can be read from a distance.


However if this doesn't work, you can get a parking lock. It attaches to the middle of the parking spot and folds down when you want to park and folds up and locks when you are not there. You may need to get permission to install this by the Body Corp.

The note worked for me.

Don't bother leaving notes on the cars, because you won't get every car that parks in your spot.

Mamoo

Thanks shorrock for the reply.
Actually, the situation is its not a shed or covered park park.. its open space and the partiions of each car spots are marked with white lines and nos. to clearly identify the flat owners.. i am not sure how am i going to put a note on the ground, etc...
I am thinking to ask body corporate people to issue a note to every flat owner for this issue, i got another issue too so that can be included in the note ( the other issue is someone is using my bin down stairs to put their rubbish) and every week i got to drag tht mess out on wednesdays at my apartment so garbage can be picked and then i move the bins downstairs...
annoying...

shorrock

I would use a cardboard box with a brick in the bottom. Put the note on the box and place the box in the spot.

The rubbish is a pain for me also. I had this problem, and fixed it using a padlock and chain. Drill a hole on the lid and top lip of the bin and lock with chain and lock. This will only work with a wheelie bin.

RE: getting the body corp/strata sending out notes. This really won't work, because most ppl won't read them or see them. If they send the notes with the minutes of the strata meeting, then any tenants won't see these notes and continue to park in your spot.

sonlymewalter

Ask your body corporate to obtain the parking bylaw for your premises and to send a reminder to all owners. Also, ask if you can put up signage stating towing if car parking is done illegally. Be aware you might not be able to legally tow away but the threat might be enough to put anyone off parking there. Alternatively, ask if you can put no parking lines on the car park space.

Good luck mate

shorrock

The people parking in his spot may not be owners but tenants. Therefore they won't get the bylaws.

Problem is that if you don't use it daily, people will start to park in it. Also it could be people who don't live in his building. If the parking is open so anybody can access the parking, you may find people ho ork close by are parking in the spots. Like I said before, a sign in the spot or my suggestion on a parking lock may be the way to go. Check with Body corp that you can install one.

Swerv-o

This happened to a neighbour of my GF - somebody parked in her spot all weekend. She left a note, and the car wasn't moved at all, so the lot owner let all of the air out of the tyres of the offending car.

Personally i think that's a bit drastic, but an alternative that you could employ is to get a wheel lock and 'clamp' the offending car next time that it happens, and then charge a hefty release fee. Word will soon get around.


S

Mamoo

Thats a good idea but the situation my car park is really at a stupid spot i mean its like on the side of the entrance of the building.. looking at such kind of disrespect to others private property (i guess intentionally) they might just as well kick the box away... I am now about to conclude that its on purpose; because last time i left a note stating please call to discuss and bold letter my phone no. the person had no courtesy to call.

Mamoo

Sending reminders - this is exactly what she said for misusing the bins and i asked her to cover the parking as it might soon turn out a big issue (we can stop making it right now).. she concur with that idea but advise let go and see if this continues.
Actually, why should i not legally able to tow away a park vehicle on my premises..?
my friend said you are entitled to tow away the parked vehicle in your premises at the persons expense.. actually he asked me to put a note on the car (But the every time its different car, some might be repeat offenders in future) - how am i going to get tow people at night cause someone is using the parking after 7 while i am at work and then in the morning by 10am its gone...
No parking lines is good idea i might ask them.

asprilla

Mamoo, you need to do it properly.

You own the apartment and the carspace. Call your body corporate and ask them, what is the towing policy in your building, for incidents like this.

If there is none, then you need to tell them that you want to put up a sign saying that "unauthorised vehicles will be towed - fee e.g. $380, call this number...etc". The towing companies will help you with this.

Once you've put up the sign, you'll have the pleasure of phoning up the towing company and getting the offenders towed... Then miraculously, you'll start to notice that they stop using your space !! heh heh.

Mamoo

Actually, how can tenants get away, i guess its the owners responsibility to manage their tenants not neighbors...
There were some folks eating spitting gum, butts and tissues, esp young lads on the steps etc... on my request body corp have put a notice on each floor asking by law you could be punished for throwing things on the common property (That worked a bit)
I can ask about parking lock though if they agree (doubt)..

Mamoo

Should try this one... funny
What if the guy is like 6.6 tall and heavy rugby player...
Me think this sort of trick might work... people are scared of penalties and fines...

Mamoo

Yes, actually i have been couteous enough to put a note on the windscreen first time, second time with my mob no to discuss - notified BodyCorp and let it go but asked them to put the issue on their registry and record (so if this continues it can be taken as one action item).
That was soft approach.
I think you are precisely right, my approach should be now going to BCs and ask them what is the towing policy.
But last time when i raised this issue the response was they can to do little as its private property - I was thinking, "are you serious?"
I will ask them about the things you raised.
I still want the BCs to send a note to every flat and ask them to be careful.
May be once the notice is sent to each flat owners and after that it continues the next action can be drastic ones like towing..
I like your approach though - I dont want to mishandle it.

PS: about the bin, some some was filling up my bin.. i was really not sure what to do.. so i picked 3 plastic bags out of my bin put on ground and put my junk in my bins and moved my bins to other spot.. i wanna see if those pastic bags are picked by the person who is misusing if not someone will report to BC... whatever that was quick reaction out of frustration but still i hope the plastic bags stays on the ground for weeks so someone can complain...

Kelli28

After making sure he could'nt esscape in his car he would be chained by handcuffs to my bed! That'll teach him

spartacus

I think you need something sturdier than a note, or a box with a brick in it . . . Why don't you buy a cheap car, say for example an old Hyundai or even a Lada, and park it in the space? When your buddies come over, simply move your car into someone else's car parking space thereby leaving yours empty and available for your friend's Holden or Toyota . . . problem solved.