My bike is "abandoned" apparently?

Player 2

I've been living in the same (rented) place since August of last year.
My bike, of course, has been there since the day I moved in.

From November of last year, up until now, I'd say I've probably only sat on it and taken it out twice, the rest of the time it's been sitting under it's rainproof cover, chained / alarmed / disklocked.

There's no "assigned parking spaces" where I live, so, it's in a parking space, with an empty space to it's right, and 4 empty spaces to it's left, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. (Plenty of other free spaces all around - around 20 regularly free in total I'd say).


This morning, I got a letter in the post from my letting agent, saying:

"We are in receipt of complaints about a motorcycle parked in xxxxxxxx that seem to be abandoned.
The motorcycle is:

xxxx, with a registration of xxxxxx

We would appreciate if the owner of this vehicle could contact our office without delay.
Unused vehicles are not to be stored in the development, parking is limited and all spaces are needed.
The above vehicle will be removed from the property by the 17th of March if unclaimed.

Yours Sincerely,
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"

I just called the letting agent to give them an earful; but I've just gotten voicemail so far.

Now that I've calmed down a little - should I just revert to a polite "sorry about that - it's my bike, so please leave it alone"?
Or, do I have any right whatsoever to launch into a rage-filled phonecall to Joe Duffy?

Sorry - I get protective if anyone was lifting the raincover and looking at my bike underneath!

Wonda-Boy

If you live there you are well within your right to claim a space like all the other tenants unless you rental agreement states different. I would move the bike a space to the left or right just to piss off the anal retentive that complained in the 1st place. And then make sure you warm her up at 11pm at night and 6am every 2nd day and twice on saturdays!!!!

Pat Mustard

Player 2 wrote: »

This morning, I got a letter in the post from my letting agent, saying:

"We are in receipt of complaints about a motorcycle parked in xxxxxxxx that seem to be abandoned.
The motorcycle is:

xxxx, with a registration of xxxxxx

We would appreciate if the owner of this vehicle could contact our office without delay.
Unused vehicles are not to be stored in the development, parking is limited and all spaces are needed.
The above vehicle will be removed from the property by the 17th of March if unclaimed.

Yours Sincerely,
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"

Send them a registered letter saying that the bike is yours and that it is not abandoned or unused. Ask them to refrain from removing the bike or interfering with it in any way.

Also ask them about the source of the complaint.

If it was the management company that made the complaint, I would check it out and attempt to speak to whoever made that complaint.

Cuddlesworth

Why angry, consider it from their side. Your bike does seem like it's abandoned, I'm sure it's covered in dust.

On a side note, is that not really bad for the tyres?

biko

Think of it from someone else's point of view.
They might walk past it twice a day for months and it's always there. Of course they will start to think it's abandoned or maybe stolen and left there.

Just get in touch with management and say it's your bike, no need to make a big deal out of it.
Maybe move it a little bit so neighbours can see it's in a new position?

MarkR

Do you have another vehicle in your household, that you also use a space for?

Yawns

Yeah make sure to take it on a run as it will wreck tyres left sitting there and don't forget to change oil. It's got a shelf life that's not limited to how much mileage you do.

As another poster said, see it from their side. Bike is there 2 years and most likely noone has seen anyone go near it. They won't remove it but saying they will might make the owner come forward. It's worked already.

Be calm about it. Tell them it's yours, you live there and are entitled to park your bike there. They don't need to know you only drove it twice. You can park there, it's your vehicle and any interference with it, you will call the gardai. You understand their concern but the bike is not abandoned and owner lives in the complex.

Job done, they know the owner is around and not to touch the bike.

It's most likely a neighbour with nothing better to do than complain about it. I used to live next to a guy who would park in the box markings outside the front door cos his partner parked in the one spot assigned to each apartment. He loved to give out stink to other people parking in visitor spots when not living there, (they were visiting) but it was ok for him to park where he liked. He would ring and make complaints to the agent all day long about anything.

Arbiter of Good Taste

Why be so precious about it? If you are saying that it's hardly been moved for months, then, yes, it is reasonable for people to think it's abandoned - it happens.

You say that there are plenty of parking spaces around - are you there 24/7 to confirm that.

No one is complaining about your bike per se. People are complaining because there appears to be an abandoned bike taking up a parking space.

Ring up the management company, explain nicely that it is your bike and that you just don't use it that often. Don't demand to know who made the complaint. That's just needlessly confrontational

JackHeuston

I'd leave a polite voice message to your letting agent saying the bike is yours and you have every right to park it there. Assuming you actually do... but in letting contracts I've never seen anything stating how frequently you must use your vehicle to be eligible to park in the property.

They probably sent the letter to see if the owner of the vehicle is still living there. If no one replies they'd remove it.

After that, I'd make sure to move it to another spot every month or two maybe? It seems stupid but for example as a resident I'd notice if a vehicle looks abandoned or not, and if it looks like it it'd annoy me a bit. The first reaction is letting the management company know so they can take proper action, no one wants abandoned vehicles around.

Player 2

Player 2 wrote: »

rage-filled phonecall

Rage about what?

Pat Mustard

Arbiter of Good Taste wrote: »

Don't demand to know who made the complaint. That's just needlessly confrontational

If the management company made the complaint, then he needs to get on to the management company to sort it out.

If it was some punter, probably little point in talking to them.

I would ask who made the complaint if it was me, not to cause a fuss but to sort it out if appropriate to do so.

bladespin

Why get so angry??? Abandoned vehiclec happen from time to time, at least someone's doing their job, just let them know it'snot , the registered letter route might be a good idea though an email with yourself cc'd is just as good.

ScouseMouse

If its not assigned parking, take it out for a run, then park it in a different bay so they can see it has been moved.

Carlos Orange

Pat Mustard wrote: »

I would ask who made the complaint if it was me, not to cause a fuss but to sort it out if appropriate to do so.

If a bike (which sounds fairly indistinguishable from an abandoned bike) being treated as an abandoned bike causes rage or rage like symptoms it is probably best not to know who complained. I wouldn't even call it a complaint really. Someone was just notified about what appeared to be an abandoned bike.

Pat Mustard

I'm guessing that somebody contacted the management co and that the management company made a complaint to the letting agent.

If that is the case, I would have thought that it would make good sense to explain matters to the management company so that the situation does not arise again.

I agree that contacting some punter would be of little value.

Player 2

psinno wrote: »

I wouldn't even call it a complaint really.

"Complaint" was their word in their formal letter to me; not mine.

Yawns wrote: »

As another poster said, see it from their side. Bike is there 2 years and most likely noone has seen anyone go near it.

It's been parked in the same space for 6 months (which is how long I've lived there), but, only the past 2 months have been mostly unused. Before that I was on it the whole time; and I would have assumed I'd been seen out and about on it - clearly not by whoever complained!

Arbiter of Good Taste wrote: »

You say that there are plenty of parking spaces around - are you there 24/7 to confirm that.

I've always just put it back in the same space every time since there's always been a free row of 6 empty spaces there as long as I've lived there.
(I know that because of days off / weekends / evenings, etc. It's outside my front door, so I see it every time I'm home).


All in all though lads you're right. I'm just being over-protective, so no need to be getting grumpy with them.

I gave them another call and again only got through to voicemail, so, as someone noted above, I'll just send them an e-mail for record for now.
I've quenched my flaming torch and put the pitchfork back in the shed!

seamus

Once you've claimed it, they can't touch it.

Legally they may only remove property for which the owner cannot be traced. If they know who owns it and the person who owns it confirms that they still want it, then it's not abandoned and they can't touch it.

If the vehicle is not being moved though, they can declare that it's being "stored" on the estate and depending on the terms of your lease can issue penalties for your own failure to remove it.

See if there's somewhere else close to your property that you can put the bike that's not in a parking space and not causing an obstruction. If you're in a house, see if the landlord will let you sink an anchor into the ground or even a side wall so you can store the bike at the house?

BlackWizard

Booby trap the bike!?

TeaBagMania

Is it taxed? If it’s taxed it’s not abandoned

Overzealous real-estate agents will call code enforcement if an old (abandon looking) vehicle is parked in a driveway or rear garden of a house next to one they are trying to sell, however, if the vehicle is registered and taxed there is nothing code enforcement can do.

I drive my old rusted out Nissan everyday during the winter months and people still think it’s abandoned

TeaBagMania

double post.... again

Del2005

I've reported abandoned cars in my development. A week or two later there'll be a letter in the post about the abandoned car been lifted. A few weeks later it's gone.

OP you need to get your landlord to contact the management agent for the development to say that the bike is used by x unit in the development, the management agent has no contract with you so could ignore any messages from you. No harm in ringing the management agent just to be safe though.

Yawns

Del2005 wrote: »

OP you need to get your landlord to contact the management agent for the development to say that the bike is used by x unit in the development, the management agent has no contract with you so could ignore any messages from you. No harm in ringing the management agent just to be safe though.

No he can't. Send a registered letter if absolutely needs be. If his letter is ignored and the bike is lifted, then call guards for theft of vehicle.

harney

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Rage about what?

The Machine?

mansize

Was this a case of rage against the (answering) machine???

Del2005

Yawns wrote: »

No he can't. Send a registered letter if absolutely needs be. If his letter is ignored and the bike is lifted, then call guards for theft of vehicle.

Civil matter Gardai won't get involved. OPs bike is technically trespassing and the company which owns the land has carried out the necessary paperwork to remove it. The management company have no reason to deal with someone who isn't a shareholder in the development.

Wonda-Boy

Charge all the "little uns" a yura for a shot!!!!