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Old 12-21-2014, 07:31 AM
 
2 posts, read 2,969 times
Reputation: 10

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So, I have been a resident in my complex for a little over four years now. We have had assigned parking, but the paint wore out and it eventually just became a situation where people who were new parked in open spots and those of us who had been there for some time parked where we always did (which was, initially, where we had numbers matching our unit). About three months ago, it became an issue with people parking in my spot so I contacted the landlord and had him repaint the numbers. Up until now, things have been fine.

I work on the weekends, two 20 hour shifts at the local hospital. So I am not at home on these days / nights. Lately, one of my neighbors has her boyfriend parking in my spot. I have spoken to her about this and she says if I am not there he should be able to park there. I do not disagree with her sentiment, but the thing is, if I come home and his car is there, or if, for whatever reason I do not work my full shift, say I get sick (which has not happened in over four years of employment) then I would need my space. Finally, yesterday morning when I arrived home at 0800 I had had enough. There was his car in my spot. I called to have his car towed as per the signs on the walls around the complex, but the company would not tow without management approval. I knew this going in, as I have read many posts about this issue and I do not have written authorization to have a vehicle towed (parking is guaranteed in my lease but not the ability to tow a vehicle). I called my management company and they said they could not contact management unless it was an in-unit emergency, to be expected on the weekends. I then called the police hoping to either have them tell me they could write a ticket or do nothing. Because it is private property they stated they could do nothing about the issue so I told them, "great, I will park behind him and box him in." That is what I did. The guy knocked on my door about an hour later and asked me to move my truck. I told him I would...in six hours when I needed to return to work. He was pissed, but the more I watched him try to figure out a remedy, the more it made me glad he had parked there.

My plan / questions are thus: I plan to go to the management on Monday to get written authorization to have a car towed, and I assume they will not give it to me. So, that being the case, is there anything you guys would do differently? My plan next time is to park behind him, God willing on a day when I do not work, and leave my truck there for days on end...at least until management calls me to move my vehicle, at which point I can bring up the irony of the situation. My only worry is I would have to closely monitor things so if, for some reason, no call was made to me and management had me towed instead, I would certainly be liable for that expense.

Thank you!
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Old 12-21-2014, 08:06 AM
 
Location: St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
24,665 posts, read 69,495,863 times
Reputation: 26727
Let management deal with it. You can certainly approach them verbally about the problem but should also put it in writing - an email today would be fine. Leave out the emotional aspect and stick simply to the facts - that your neighbor's guest parks in your assigned space when you're out, that you've spoken to said neighbor who says that he can park there and that you would very much appreciate management clarifying the parking rules to this neighbor in order to avoid escalation of the problem.
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Old 12-21-2014, 08:18 AM
 
Location: The Triad
34,090 posts, read 82,575,378 times
Reputation: 43650
Quote:
Originally Posted by mark617 View Post
So, I have been a resident in my complex for a little over four years now.
We have had assigned parking, but the paint wore out...
Fix the paint.
Or at the least have the paint fixed.
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Old 12-21-2014, 08:31 AM
 
Location: St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
24,665 posts, read 69,495,863 times
Reputation: 26727
^^ That was already done:

Quote:
Originally Posted by mark617 View Post
About three months ago, it became an issue with people parking in my spot so I contacted the landlord and had him repaint the numbers.
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Old 12-21-2014, 08:34 AM
 
Location: Central Texas
20,958 posts, read 45,231,296 times
Reputation: 24738
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational View Post
Fix the paint.
Or at the least have the paint fixed.
First paragraph of the OP:

Quote:
Originally Posted by mark617 View Post
So, I have been a resident in my complex for a little over four years now. We have had assigned parking, but the paint wore out and it eventually just became a situation where people who were new parked in open spots and those of us who had been there for some time parked where we always did (which was, initially, where we had numbers matching our unit). About three months ago, it became an issue with people parking in my spot so I contacted the landlord and had him repaint the numbers. Up until now, things have been fine.

I work on the weekends, two 20 hour shifts at the local hospital. So I am not at home on these days / nights. Lately, one of my neighbors has her boyfriend parking in my spot. I have spoken to her about this and she says if I am not there he should be able to park there. I do not disagree with her sentiment, but the thing is, if I come home and his car is there, or if, for whatever reason I do not work my full shift, say I get sick (which has not happened in over four years of employment) then I would need my space. Finally, yesterday morning when I arrived home at 0800 I had had enough. There was his car in my spot. I called to have his car towed as per the signs on the walls around the complex, but the company would not tow without management approval. I knew this going in, as I have read many posts about this issue and I do not have written authorization to have a vehicle towed (parking is guaranteed in my lease but not the ability to tow a vehicle). I called my management company and they said they could not contact management unless it was an in-unit emergency, to be expected on the weekends. I then called the police hoping to either have them tell me they could write a ticket or do nothing. Because it is private property they stated they could do nothing about the issue so I told them, "great, I will park behind him and box him in." That is what I did. The guy knocked on my door about an hour later and asked me to move my truck. I told him I would...in six hours when I needed to return to work. He was pissed, but the more I watched him try to figure out a remedy, the more it made me glad he had parked there.

My plan / questions are thus: I plan to go to the management on Monday to get written authorization to have a car towed, and I assume they will not give it to me. So, that being the case, is there anything you guys would do differently? My plan next time is to park behind him, God willing on a day when I do not work, and leave my truck there for days on end...at least until management calls me to move my vehicle, at which point I can bring up the irony of the situation. My only worry is I would have to closely monitor things so if, for some reason, no call was made to me and management had me towed instead, I would certainly be liable for that expense.

Thank you!
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Old 12-21-2014, 03:45 PM
 
Location: Silicon Valley
18,813 posts, read 32,314,714 times
Reputation: 38565
I bet the guy won't park there anymore, since you boxed him in for 6 hours LOL!

I'd make a formal complaint to the office in writing (email?) that the tenant in unit ___________ is having her guests park in your spot, regardless of being asked not to. That you tried to remedy the situation and list everything you did, and that you are asking management to please enforce the parking rules.

If I got this complaint, and I was your manager, I'd give that tenant a formal written warning. If it persisted, I'd kick her out.

But, your manager can't fix the problem, if he/she doesn't know about it. Write an email every single time this happens.

And, yes, I'd box him in again. Maybe for just a few hours again. And if the cops show up knocking on your door to get you to move your car, don't answer the door. If they couldn't tow his car, they won't be able to tow yours.

You need to make it less appealing to park in your spot, than to park somewhere else.
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Old 12-21-2014, 03:49 PM
 
587 posts, read 912,030 times
Reputation: 812
Good for you!

I would be worried about him pulling the same trick.
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Old 12-21-2014, 04:24 PM
 
Location: West Virginia
13,914 posts, read 39,136,155 times
Reputation: 10242
I too have had this problem ... This last time was someone visiting from FLA! I left a note but they didn't get it til the next morning I no clue who they were visiting. My neighbors feel since I use the Handicap parking I no rights to the space BUT my company uses it My Home Health Aides use it! Its mine! & IF I go out & come home I may need it if some one Legally able to use the handicap space is parked there. Heaven for bid I come home & my space & the handicap space are taken... any ideas on this situation folks??
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Old 12-21-2014, 08:19 PM
 
Location: Tennessee at last!
1,884 posts, read 3,015,331 times
Reputation: 3861
I'd expect him to block you in when you next need to go to work, if he is the revenge type.
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Old 12-21-2014, 08:31 PM
 
3,320 posts, read 5,533,921 times
Reputation: 9681
I would NOT block the car. If the parking space is assigned to you then the management company should agree to allow you to tow a car parked in your assigned space. You need to demand their assistance.

Blocking someones car is good way to get your car keyed - or worse. Much worse.
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