Abandoned car in private car park (behind locked door)
Discussion
My mother in law has an apartment with an allocated parking bay. This is accessed via a locked door. Astoria court if anyone in Purley....
She had a Tennant who has decided to park a car in ANOTHER Bay, allocated to someone else. He's done a runner now.
The management agent is kicking off at my mother in law (rightly so). She cannot move the car as she doesn't have a key. Abandoned cars at Croydon Council are as useful as 7its on a nun.
What do you think is the best way to make peace with the management agent? The car is parked ilin a space near a wall, and there is a slope to get into the road.
Was thinking of getting it dragged somehow onto the road, and then it is abandoned....
It doesn't have valid road tax or MOT. Its been in the same space for at least 6m....
Mother in law in timid, law abiding citizen that is shaken by all this. And suffering from not getting rent for 9 months... 😔
She had a Tennant who has decided to park a car in ANOTHER Bay, allocated to someone else. He's done a runner now.
The management agent is kicking off at my mother in law (rightly so). She cannot move the car as she doesn't have a key. Abandoned cars at Croydon Council are as useful as 7its on a nun.
What do you think is the best way to make peace with the management agent? The car is parked ilin a space near a wall, and there is a slope to get into the road.
Was thinking of getting it dragged somehow onto the road, and then it is abandoned....
It doesn't have valid road tax or MOT. Its been in the same space for at least 6m....
Mother in law in timid, law abiding citizen that is shaken by all this. And suffering from not getting rent for 9 months... 😔
I don't think your mother in law can do anything other than offer her parking space to the person who has lost theirs. The managing agent should deal with this.
Your mother in law presumably doesn't know whether her ex-tenant was the owner or registered keeper of the abandoned car.
It's on private land, but not her private space.
There is a management agent - they can request details from the dvla and decide how to handle it, and they're paid to sort things out.
Your mother in law presumably doesn't know whether her ex-tenant was the owner or registered keeper of the abandoned car.
It's on private land, but not her private space.
There is a management agent - they can request details from the dvla and decide how to handle it, and they're paid to sort things out.
The ex tenant, let’s call him ‘Grade A 
’ has said in previous correspondence that it is his car and he will ‘move it when I can, just leave me alone’.
I’m 500 miles away at the other end of the country (and don’t have a 4x4) so cant offer much in way of assistance. I think leaving a set of 11 will be frowned upon so would like to avoid if possible,
When the GAC was in correspondence he had been told that he has to move it, but clearly he doesn’t care now he has moved away. To my mind, he has been given notice to remove it.
If, and this bit I need to figure out, it can be moved away from the private parking space, and put onto a council defined parking bay (it’s all paid parking round there), will MiL get in trouble…? I don’t think the GAC wants the car back (think it is an old Accord or Volvo saloon). I’m assuming if it is on a public road, the righteous nuns at the council might take a different view??
Will there be any legal repercussions on MiL if the car were lifted from there? Would calling a scrap merchant be a possible solution…?
As for the management company, they seem to be of the same cloth as the council and are just saying to get it moved. MiL has said that the rightful owner of the space can use hers whilst this is sorted but that is only a temporary measure as she would like to see the apartment occupied, and most potential tenants would want a parking space,
’ has said in previous correspondence that it is his car and he will ‘move it when I can, just leave me alone’.I’m 500 miles away at the other end of the country (and don’t have a 4x4) so cant offer much in way of assistance. I think leaving a set of 11 will be frowned upon so would like to avoid if possible,
When the GAC was in correspondence he had been told that he has to move it, but clearly he doesn’t care now he has moved away. To my mind, he has been given notice to remove it.
If, and this bit I need to figure out, it can be moved away from the private parking space, and put onto a council defined parking bay (it’s all paid parking round there), will MiL get in trouble…? I don’t think the GAC wants the car back (think it is an old Accord or Volvo saloon). I’m assuming if it is on a public road, the righteous nuns at the council might take a different view??
Will there be any legal repercussions on MiL if the car were lifted from there? Would calling a scrap merchant be a possible solution…?
As for the management company, they seem to be of the same cloth as the council and are just saying to get it moved. MiL has said that the rightful owner of the space can use hers whilst this is sorted but that is only a temporary measure as she would like to see the apartment occupied, and most potential tenants would want a parking space,
I suggested telling the management agent to deal with it as something similar happened when I lived in a flat, and they dealt with it. Again, private car park (this one behind gates, how big is the door on your Mils car park 😂), car clearly abandoned, levels of mould etc inside were nauseating--steering wheel etc covered. Anyway a few of us complained to the firm who managed the flats (I'm in Scotland, they're not known for being helpful) and Iirc they could get details from dvla, contact the owner /keeper and eventually move it. I suggested trying whoever looks after MILs flat so that she's absolved of any possible comeback from moving the car. Anyway, hopefully you'll get some help here.
Is your mother owed money in rent? If so I would take proceedings in respect of non-payment of rent, take the car as part payment of rent, and get it taken by a scrap merchant. Dragging it out to a council bay is not going to help and playing devils advocate why should the council be responsible for sorting out and paying for your mothers problem?
InitialDave said:
Is her own parking bay empty?
Having the car moved to that using skates will get anyone else off her back, and she can then decide what to do with the car.
Indeed - car skates are widely used to move a locked car. No damage to transmission / etc. Any recovery company can do this.Having the car moved to that using skates will get anyone else off her back, and she can then decide what to do with the car.
Don’t get involved. Don’t attempt to move the vehicle yourself. If you move the vehicle you lay yourself open to accusations of criminal damage, which may be genuine or may be spurious, from the owner
The issue can be resolved only by the owner/leaseholder of the space in which the vehicle is parked. He/she will need to involve the management company. Any reasonably competent management company will know how to deal with this.
It matters not that the owner of the vehicle is an ex-tenant of another property nearby; the problem resides with the owner of the parking space currently occupied without permission.
Politely tell the the management company that you have done all you can but without success and unfortunately it’s actually their problem.
It was probably not a good idea to offer the owner of the other parking space the use of your space. I would rescind this permission as soon as possible.
The issue can be resolved only by the owner/leaseholder of the space in which the vehicle is parked. He/she will need to involve the management company. Any reasonably competent management company will know how to deal with this.
It matters not that the owner of the vehicle is an ex-tenant of another property nearby; the problem resides with the owner of the parking space currently occupied without permission.
Politely tell the the management company that you have done all you can but without success and unfortunately it’s actually their problem.
It was probably not a good idea to offer the owner of the other parking space the use of your space. I would rescind this permission as soon as possible.
Edited by johnao on Saturday 22 February 20:22
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