The humble car park is usually one of the last things you worry about when purchasing a property, but you might be surprised to know that it is one of the more common causes of friction between neighbours. Taking a closer look at the car park can help to avoid confusion and difficulties in the long term.
Have a clear set of rules.
The best way to keep parking issues to a minimum is to make sure that the rules are clear and that they are enforced fairly for everyone. New neighbours should be made aware of the rules early on, and understand what is expected of them.
Apply the rules evenly.
It may seem easier to have some leeway, especially if there are circumstances that might make things less clear-cut, such as weather, visitors or an obstruction, but be cautious when making exceptions. If there is too much room for interpretation, tenants will feel victimised when they are given a breach notice while others did not, or they may feel that they can ignore the rules on occasion. This makes it much more difficult to run an effective owners corporation, and leads to members becoming hostile to each other.
Allocate the spaces.
To keep things civil, car parks should always be titled. This includes visitor car parks, and reserved spaces for maintenance workers or other employees. This avoids confusion regarding what space is reserved for which unit, especially if the car park is not directly adjacent to the dwelling.
Another common complaint is that a neighbour is parking on common property, or in a space that is not a designated car park. This can be tricky to navigate, as often a dwelling with multiple adults may have multiple cars, however, parking in non-designated car parking areas can obstruct access for others, as well as hamper maintenance schedules.
Follow through.
Likewise, if a tenant is parking in the visitors space regularly, it must be addressed. Even if the space is rarely used, it will not always be that way, so when the visitors space is needed at a later date, trying to enforce the regulations after having let them go for so long will be difficult, and can get quite intense.
As you can see, a simple car park can cause a lot of friction if not kept in order. Mayfield can help keep your Owner’s Corporation running smoothly by ensuring that the regulations are clear and concise, breaches are addressed in a professional and fair manner, and that the rules are updated as circumstances change, without bias or favour.
