No visitor parking spaces!

Porkpie

Hi guys,

I moved in to an apartment nearly 2 years ago. My apartment complex is joined on to a shopping centre, you could actually say it's part of it. I don't have a parking space, but one is available to rent if I wish. (I can't afford it at present, and I don't have a car anyway). Here's the problem - there are no spaces available for visitor parking. It's really annoying. The result is that my friends/family rarely come to see me because they would have to pay for parking in the multi-storey car park in the shopping centre. There is a small 'loading bay' area outside the shopping centre which is hardly ever used - my friend chanced parking there late last night (when the shops were closed) and got a 'clamping warning' notice.

I just find this really unfair. I think that the developer should have allocated some visitor parking spaces. I raised the problem with my management company but they can't do anything.

I'm just wondering is anyone else in a similar situation? Or is this a common feature in apartment complexes nowadays?

Paulw

That sounds very unusual. I thought you were supposed to have a ratio of parking spaces to visitor spaces (not sure on the ratio, but thought it was 3:1).

I know in our development we have about 40 visitor spaces, and 112 designated parking spaces for the 112 residential units.

I've never heard of having 0 visitor parking spaces before. Get on to the council or local authority about the planning situation. There should be something in the original plans about parking and visitor parking.

jackal

Did you not know about it from day one? Or did you know and not think it would be a problem?

If you did know then its hardly unfair. If you didnt then next time you buy something as big as... say... a house/apartment, you should find out whats included? Its highly unlikely they are going to build visitor car parking spaces now, they are under no obligation.

I have seen plenty of apartment blocks like this - i.e. little or no visitor parking - and you are right it is a pain trying to visit someone when there is no free parking at the place.

A friend bought an apartment near sexy belmaine in a development with loads of space - but visitor spaces dont make money for the developers - as many apartments as possible crammed into the development do. One designated car parking spot per apartment and NO proper visitor spaces (a handful outside the shops and they are only 2 hours max - and then you get clamped).

connundrum

Paulw wrote: »

That sounds very unusual. I thought you were supposed to have a ratio of parking spaces to visitor spaces (not sure on the ratio, but thought it was 3:1).

I know in our development we have about 40 visitor spaces, and 112 designated parking spaces for the 112 residential units.

I've never heard of having 0 visitor parking spaces before. Get on to the council or local authority about the planning situation. There should be something in the original plans about parking and visitor parking.

I know of one development in particular where there are designated spaces, some apartments have 1 and some have 2 spaces depending on what the bought initially. But, there are no visitor spaces. At all, zero.

There are set down areas, with a set down limit of 1 hour, and there is free parking across the road (in the grounds of a soccer club).

There literally is no space to create visitor slots, so what does one do. Perhaps the council should have intervened and insisted on visitor spaces being created, but then again, the council aren't renound for great planning decisions.

jackal wrote: »

Did you not know about it from day one? Or did you know and not think it would be a problem?

If you did know then its hardly unfair. If you didnt then next time you buy something as big as... say... a house/apartment, you should find out whats included? Its highly unlikely they are going to build visitor car parking spaces now, they are under no obligation.

Bingo! Where I live there is a maximum space for 1 car full time, with space for another one to visit for a couple of hours. I knew that as I moved in, and wouldn't consider buying another car as I know that I wouldn't be able to park it. People need to consider everything when buying a home.

Porkpie

Paulw wrote: »

That sounds very unusual. I thought you were supposed to have a ratio of parking spaces to visitor spaces (not sure on the ratio, but thought it was 3:1).

Thanks Paulw - I'll check this out, although I'm not too optimistic With the car park effectively being in a shopping centre I think it will be harder to push for this.

jackal wrote: »

Did you not know about it from day one? Or did you know and not think it would be a problem?

.

I never knew about this before I bought the apartment. Being a first time buyer - I just never thought about it.

connundrum wrote: »

People need to consider everything when buying a home.

Yes, very true. Now I know a lot more. I suppose I was very enthusiastic and probably a bit naive when buying initially. This was before the slump in the market too.

I think that all apartment complexes should have to have a certain amount of visitor parking spaces, it's only fair. But the reality is that developers only care about making money and think nothing of screwing residents for every last cent.

loyatemu

visitor spaces end up being used by residents anyway, particularly if they don't necessarily have their own spaces.

How Strange

I don't know of any requirement to provide visitor parking and I know of very few developments that have visitor parking spaces. The rule is something like 1.6 spaces per unit. In reality, spaces are always at a premium. Some units may have one space others may have two but one space per unit is the norm.

Where visitor parking is provided it is always abused and used by residents who have additional cars or prefer to park there so they aren't available to visitors at all.

BC

I know of quite a few developments that have little or no visitor parking.
Plus as loyatemu said, if they are there they usually get used by people who have bought one car space but have two cars.

godtabh

Paulw wrote: »

That sounds very unusual. I thought you were supposed to have a ratio of parking spaces to visitor spaces (not sure on the ratio, but thought it was 3:1).

I know in our development we have about 40 visitor spaces, and 112 designated parking spaces for the 112 residential units.

I've never heard of having 0 visitor parking spaces before. Get on to the council or local authority about the planning situation. There should be something in the original plans about parking and visitor parking.

Generally the amount of car parking required is dependent on the Local Area Plan.

Car parking spaces don't have to be designated.

The number of car parking spaces is usually dependent on the size of the development i.e. 1 space for apartments with 2 beds or less and 2 for apartments with 3 beds or more.

And the ratio of 3@
Generally the amount of car parking required is dependent on the Local Area Plan.

Car parking spaces don't have to be designated.

The number of car parking spaces is usually dependent on the size of the development i.e. 1 space for apartments with 2 beds or less and 2 for apartments with 3 beds or more

And the ratio of 3:1 sounds like you just pulled it out of the air

gamer

most apartments i know of cos of security gates, there no way visitors can get in ,unless you r going to give security codes to all your friends ,or stand at the gate 2 open it.ITS BUYER BEWARE, sell your apartment ,buy elsewhere, have your friends cycle over, i know apartments where half THE PARKING SPACES ARE EMPTY ,all the time, land in the city centre is incredibly expensive,sell up if you find it is affecting your social life.THERES house,s for sale 250k in the city centre 2beds,with parking space outside the house, if you look around abit.