WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

Lets say you had 2 parking spots. You pay a few hundred for them through your rent, whether it be at home in your apartment building or at work in your office building.

You routinely find other people parking in them, especially when the weather is bad, because they're protected from the elements.

You know the management of the site is willing to put big orange stickers on the cars that are taking up reserved spots. But for them to do that, you have to complain about it.

You also know that at least one person has had their Mercedes keyed in the lot. The only piece of the car left unkeyed was the hood. The owner of that car is stumped about why that might have happened. They say it was not related to someone taking their spot.

If you kept finding your spot taken, what would you do, if anything?

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

I would actually try to see if I could personally find the people taking the spots and speak to them about how they are paid spots and that they shouldn't be parking in them. Or maybe try a letter on their car? That seems like a nice way of telling them not to park there.

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

Management has to have better control if this is an ongoing problem. Management has a contractual obligation to provide you with a designated parking spot in exchange for your rent. I'd document all the times that someone is parked in my spot. IF managment doesn't do anything about it, then they owe you a refund.
Is it the same cars all the time, or always different times ?

Unfortunately, the contracts usually state that management is not responsible for damage to cars.

In my co-op, all cars have hang tags identifying their designated parking spots. If someone parks in my spot, I can ask management to tow the car, at no charge to me.
There are warning signs at the entrance to the parking lot that illegally parked cars will be towed.

eta : if my spot was continuously taken, I'd block in the offending car with mine. Inconvenience them just as much as they inconvenienced me. I'd also leave a note on the windshield (maybe written in lipstick) explaining why. I'd never damage the car though.

Message edited 10/1/2010 9:32:23 AM.

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

I'd ask management to tow them away

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

I'd put a nice note on the car windshield. Explaining you understand the difficulty of parking in this lot and that's why you have invested money into reserving this spot. Let them know you just wanted to make sure they are aware that this is indeed a reserved spot and that you don't want to take further action regarding the situation.

Good Luck!

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

Message edited 10/1/2010 12:41:55 PM.

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

Maybe until it gets resolved get some cones and put them at the entrance to the parking spaces? Sometimes people can get deterred if they have to get out to move the cone...and if they park there anyway then you know they really are just a p rick!

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

Something like this kept happening to DH and I at our old apartment building so I'm seriously sympathetic!

If it's always the same person, they need to be towed! No question about that.



First I would try putting a note on their windshield explaining that you pay to park in that particular spot. Tell them if they keep doing it that you'll take them to court over some of the rental fee for that spot if it keeps happening.

It sounds like management doesn't want to take more responsibility on this issue, but they need to. Read through (if there is one) the contract/lease for the clause(s) regarding the rental of the spot and the management's obligations and such regarding it.

Secondly I feel that if the management keeps letting this happen then you might legally have a right to deduct some of the money you pay for that spot (you can ask a lawyer if you can do this). You're "renting" the spot and if someone is paying for it (in this case you) then you're not getting the serivces you're paying for imo.

Either way, they need to take some action it sounds like they are leting folks walk all over them and such with regards to the parking.

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

See, I'm with you guys. I would say or do something about it. My boss feels differently.

The situation is this... Our company has 2 parking spots. My boss takes one and there's no set person to take the other one so I use it at least twice a week, when I bring the dogs to work with me.

Yesterday I was in one of the spots because Safelite came to fix my windshield. I noticed later that there was an unknown car in the other spot and asked my boss about it. He said it happens a lot but he never says anything because he thinks they will retaliate.

He drives nice cars so he thinks he'll be a sitting duck and since someone already got keyed, he doesn't want to be next. He said he just picks his battles and this isn't one he wants to fight.

I was just curious what you thought. I'm not really paying for the spot so I don't have a big opinion about it. If I was paying for the spot, you better believe I'd be taking action.

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

I completely understand your boss' fears. My car was keyed all the way around (down both sides, over the trunk, and they left a nice message written on the hood) a few years back. It was parked on a side street in front of a friend's house for about an hour. Since then I have become super paranoid about where I park my car.

That being said, I do not agree with your boss for just letting these people park in spots that he pays for. I agree with previous posters that Management should take a more aggressive approach in monitoring who parks where. A few questions come to mind:

Is there a guard booth at the entrance or some kind of surveillance system (cameras or security cars) that monitor the parking lot?

My thought is that if there were a guard booth or at least some kind of security that the "offenders" would think that it was security that had them towed, not your boss.

Can the parking spots be seen from your boss' office?

If your boss can see the parking spaces from his office, can he set up a camera in case someone does retaliate? I know it sounds crazy, but I have had experience with threats of having my car keyed (separate incident from the previous one i mentioned) and when I reported the threats to the police, they told me the only way they could do anything was if they saw it happen.

Do you have parking permits?

Do the cars who park there have permits? Does everyone who parks in the lot have to be registered with security? Are there signs up that designate reserved parking spaces?

Are the spots numbered?

If you have permits, are the numbers of the spots written on them? Maybe that could help security identify cars that don't belong?

It seems like the Management isn't very organized or accommodating especially when they are collecting money for reserved parking. Your boss should have some rights if he's paying for those spots!

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

I would definitely complain and not be afraid of repurcussions...

take down the lic. plate number, and if anything happens to you or your stuff bring that up...

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

I would do the note first, and try to set up a hidden camera so IF there is retaliation, he will have a better chance of getting the person. It's a waste of hi money to not get what he is paying for, and it's sad (but understandable!) that he is so afraid to use what is legally his!

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

I think the management should step up to the plate. They are charging for those spots. They need to safeguard those who pay.

So there need to be an official notice put on cars. Not from your boss.

There should be "reserved" signs on the spot and "cars will be towed if parked in reserved spots".

The management company needs to do that. Your boss is paying.

Right now, they are collecting money and let people battle for themselves.

If it was an apartment complex, people would go to the super and the super would address the situation since the tenant is paying rent.

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

I would write a letter to:

Dear License Plate No. ABC123,

blah blah blah.

Thank you for your attention to this matter Mr/Mrs License Plate No. ABC123

This way they know you have their plate number. I doubt they would retaliate after that.

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

I would park like a moron so no one else could park in that spot. When you or your boss or who ever wants the other spot then move the vehicle that is there first.

Re: WWYD? Regarding reserved parking spots

I would talk to management and make sure they enforced the constriction. If they didn't enforce it, I would expect a refund of the money I paid for the spot.