Private Property Parking Signage
Private Property Parking Signage
Author
Discussion

a2z

Original Poster:

1,080 posts

256 months

Friday 19th August 2005
quotequote all
We have a shop that has a car park attched (24 spaces) for use for the staff and customers of us and the shop next door) Normally everything is quiet but every friday the car park is jam packed with cars of worshipers at the nearby temple. This results in cars being blocked in and customers not being able to park hence a loss of trade. The car park has barriers but this happens during opening hours. We have put up signs at the gate and in the car park itself stating that it is a private car park for our customers only but they are ignored. We also have stickers to put on the cars stating that we have noted the cars details and we will clamp them if we see them again (an empty threat)

We don't really want to go down the route of clamping as we will be in murky legal area and also don't want rampant drivers spouting off in our shop.

Can anyone advise on suitable wording for a rather threatening sign? An ability to quote a heavy handed act of law would be helpful but being private land I can't think of one offhand.

randlemarcus

13,646 posts

261 months

Friday 19th August 2005
quotequote all
chain & posts, then chain them off before they get there....or afterwards, depending on mood.

Its not clamping, but its a subtle hint, and may get them into the shop spnding money

a2z

Original Poster:

1,080 posts

256 months

Friday 19th August 2005
quotequote all
randlemarcus said:
chain & posts, then chain them off before they get there....or afterwards, depending on mood.

Its not clamping, but its a subtle hint, and may get them into the shop spnding money


Yes, we had thought of closing the gate but the problem happens during trading hours and we don't want to turn custom away. But I suppose that they wouldn't be able to park their either way.

Don

28,378 posts

314 months

Friday 19th August 2005
quotequote all
OK. Here's what you do.

Put a chap on the entrance to your car park every friday for a few weeks. I know it will cost a few quid but do it anyway.

Charge a car park fee: Say £5.

State free £5 parking voucher available in store with every purchase and on special request.

State parking without a ticket/voucher will incur fees of £250. Put a sign up clearly visible at the car park entrance. Have your guy on the entrance explain the charges to customers coming in.

Its *your* car park. You can charge what you like.

You punters will be getting free parking - your bloke on the entrance will be explaining this to them to stop them getting pissed off.

People enjoying a freebie at your expense will park elsewhere - or at least you'll be making £5 a pop. Not so bad, then, is it!

jasandjules

72,611 posts

259 months

Friday 19th August 2005
quotequote all
Clamping isn't tooo murky a legal area IIRC.

Post a sign up saying private car park, for XXXX Shop staff and customers only. Unauthorised vehicles will be clamped. Release fee £250.

Go buy a few car clamps.... Hey presto.
You do have to put up a sign saying you will clamp unauthorised cars, and the fee... Apart from that, you own the land, you are entitled to charge people to park on it, and clamp them too..

a2z

Original Poster:

1,080 posts

256 months

Friday 19th August 2005
quotequote all
jasandjules said:
Clamping isn't tooo murky a legal area IIRC.

Post a sign up saying private car park, for XXXX Shop staff and customers only. Unauthorised vehicles will be clamped. Release fee £250.

Go buy a few car clamps.... Hey presto.
You do have to put up a sign saying you will clamp unauthorised cars, and the fee... Apart from that, you own the land, you are entitled to charge people to park on it, and clamp them too..


Thought that you need a licence nowadays?

puggit

49,813 posts

278 months

Friday 19th August 2005
quotequote all
Don said:
OK. Here's what you do.

Put a chap on the entrance to your car park every friday for a few weeks. I know it will cost a few quid but do it anyway.

Charge a car park fee: Say £5.

State free £5 parking voucher available in store with every purchase and on special request.

State parking without a ticket/voucher will incur fees of £250. Put a sign up clearly visible at the car park entrance. Have your guy on the entrance explain the charges to customers coming in.

Its *your* car park. You can charge what you like.

You punters will be getting free parking - your bloke on the entrance will be explaining this to them to stop them getting pissed off.

People enjoying a freebie at your expense will park elsewhere - or at least you'll be making £5 a pop. Not so bad, then, is it!
I'm with Don - get yourself a flourescent jacket and get charging!

jasandjules

72,611 posts

259 months

Friday 19th August 2005
quotequote all
a2z said:

Thought that you need a licence nowadays?


I am sure if you are a private company enforcing these regulations then you will need a license, but I think that clamping people parked on your land is perfectly legal.. I actually looked into it once, when my neighbour would quite often park on our drive, blocking the TVR in the garage..

Dwight VanDriver

6,583 posts

274 months

Friday 19th August 2005
quotequote all
Those who do and those who arrange for the immobilization of a motor vehicles on private land against a release fee have to be licensed.
[Sections 3 -6 Private Security Industry Act 2001.]

Best suggestion above to get the help of an active old gadgey part time for a couple of hours or so during peak times to turn people away.

Im not saying about renumeration as Tax man might be reading?????

dvd



>> Edited by Dwight VanDriver on Friday 19th August 20:37

Pies

13,116 posts

286 months

Friday 19th August 2005
quotequote all
Dwight VanDriver said:
Those who do and those who arrange for the immobilization of a motor vehicles on private land against a release fee have to be licensed.
[Sections 3 -6 Private Security Industry Act 2001.]



What if there is no release fee involved? just being clamped and released some hours later.The theory being is they have inconvienced you so you dont release the clamp for a couple of hours aftr they have requested its removal.people will soon learn

Dwight VanDriver

6,583 posts

274 months

Friday 19th August 2005
quotequote all
Good point Pies BUT

I would suggest that by clamping and later promising to release you are straying into an area of civil law in that you are wrongfully interfering and detaining property of another. Conceed there is the argument that property of another shouldn't be on private land without permission and as I say this in the realms of civil law of which I only have limited knowledge.

In the old days the clamper got away with the detaining of property by displaying signs prominently to the effect that clamping would take place and release fee to be paid. In doing so anyone parking was said to be consenting to being clamped.

dvd

puggit

49,813 posts

278 months

Friday 19th August 2005
quotequote all
How about shutting the gates to the carpark? Or parking a banger across the entrance?

Is there a law against trapping someone's car in a carpark?

parrot of doom

23,075 posts

264 months

Friday 19th August 2005
quotequote all
Print some of these off, and fix the back with stupidly strong glue:

Balmoral Green

42,561 posts

278 months

Friday 19th August 2005
quotequote all
How about parking a borrowed Fork Lift truck in one of the bays, with a prominent sign saying that offending vehicles will be removed to the public highway.

streaky

19,311 posts

279 months

Saturday 20th August 2005
quotequote all
Oh dear, if you apply the rules on Fridays only, you might be thought to be discriminating on the grounds of religion - Streaky

[Sad world, the UK - S]

Dwight VanDriver

6,583 posts

274 months

Saturday 20th August 2005
quotequote all
Many,many,many years ago BG at the Boltby stage of the RAC Rally a farmer opposite the entrance to the forest stage was plagued by spectators parking across his entrance so he used his tractor with hay lift to uplift and deposit elsewhere.

Fined at Court for criminal damage.......

dvd

jasandjules

72,611 posts

259 months

Saturday 20th August 2005
quotequote all
Yup, looks like even an individual needs a license IF they are charging a release fee. I was wrong there.

How strange that we cannot do as we will with our own land nowadays, though I do note we can, once we have paid the Fee for the license...........

I guess it still leaves open to sue for trespass though that is rather cr&p.

superlightr

12,920 posts

293 months

Monday 22nd August 2005
quotequote all
Free slice of bacon with every car parked - collect from windscreen on departure....

or

Free page out of girly mag for every car parked - collect on windscreen on departure.....

or

Free page of The Bible with every car parked.....


etc

Don

28,378 posts

314 months

Monday 22nd August 2005
quotequote all
You don't *need* to clamp anyone if you charge a parking fee and have someone collecting it. They simply won't come in to the car park in the first place unless they're willing to pay the £5!

The fact that the fee is refunded, or an equivalent discount given, in the store to bona fide customers should keep your customers happy.

Oh...and streaky has a point. Perhaps you should have your bloke on duty on Fridays and for an hour or two some other days as well. Randomly would do...