Garage access blocked

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Mon 14 Dec 2020 11:31
Garage access blocked - Calmore

I have a garage in a block. In front of the garages is a concrete area, the area in front of each garage is owned by the respective garage owners.

There's an agreement in the deeds that each owner grants the right to other owners to pass over each others areas by vehicle or by foot for the purposes of accessing their own garage. This I think is perfectly reasonable and fair.

However, myself and a few other owners have no garages opposite ours, so people see fit to park on the ends of our concreted areas. This prevents up getting cars into our garages as there's insufficient space to swing the cars round or reverse out.

What can I/we do? I have tried signs - they get ripped down. Polite notices get screwed up and thrown on the ground. Solicitors letters would be pointless because as soon as one car gets moved on another would take its place.

Any thoughts?

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Mon 14 Dec 2020 11:37
Garage access blocked - Calmore

Hopefully these links will take you to some photos. The distance between the parked cars and the garage can be as low as 14'; my car is just over 13' long and the garage very narrow, so access is nigh on impossible.

ibb.co/xgCKGDJ

ibb.co/MPXYKBH

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Mon 14 Dec 2020 12:26
Garage access blocked - Gibbo_Wirral

Surely you can just reverse into the garages with the space available? It looks no worse than the spaces in a supermarket car park.

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Mon 14 Dec 2020 14:34
Garage access blocked - Dag Hammar

If collectively you could muster support from some of the other garage owners you might be able to install one or more of those lockable bollards. There are some that fold down and also there are the telescopic type. This suggestion would only work by having sufficient number of additional keys cut so that every garage owner could have a key ( or two ).

Just do a google search ‘Parking Posts’ and you’ll see plenty on offer.

I sympathise with you, selfish acts such as you are having to put up with niggle away and become more and more irritating as time goes on. If I were in your situation I’d be so angry I’d be inclined to put up a lockable bollard even if it meant me having to bear the cost alone.

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Mon 14 Dec 2020 15:11
Garage access blocked - Gerry Sanderson

Who owns the land on which they park. They do not seem to be on the frontage immediately in front of owned garage?

Very tricky one this me thinks and legal advice on civil law me thinks

dvd

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Mon 14 Dec 2020 15:35
Garage access blocked - Calmore

Each garage owner owns the entire bit of concrete I'm front of their garage, from garage door to fence.

Each owner has the right to drive over each others bits but not to "obstruct access". Many of those parking are not even garage owners but from surrounding properties (with garages full of junk!)

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Mon 14 Dec 2020 15:29
Garage access blocked - Calmore

If someone with a small car parked slap bang against the fence it would be just about doable. Problem is, people with bigger cars park there and as you can see sometimes park four or five foot away from the fence.

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Mon 14 Dec 2020 21:32
Garage access blocked - daveyjp

Do you know any scaffolders!?

https://youtu.be/_I6_l1L3K4E

alternatively build some more garages to fill the gap, rent them out.

Edited by daveyjp on 14/12/2020 at 21:33

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Tue 15 Dec 2020 23:48
Garage access blocked - Calmore

That's absolutely brilliant!!

Past couple of days I have lent some bits of scrap wood up against the fence,in the hope that it'd send a message, but I'm just finding them thrown at my garage door and a massive range rover thing parked four foot from the fence.

I'm thinking of stapling a document to the fence which reads:

"To whom this may concern:

This land (see plan) is privately owned by the garage owners opposite. Whilst the right is granted to other garage owners to cross this land to access their garages, there is no automatic right of parking. Access to garages must not be obstructed at any time.

(Copy of plan)"

Does that sound reasonable?

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Tue 15 Dec 2020 23:52
Garage access blocked - Calmore

That's absolutely brilliant!!

Past couple of days I have lent some bits of scrap wood up against the fence,in the hope that it'd send a message, but I'm just finding them thrown at my garage door and a massive range rover thing parked four foot from the fence.

I'm thinking of stapling a document to the fence which reads:

"To whom this may concern:

This land (see plan) is privately owned by the garage owners opposite. Whilst the right is granted to other garage owners to cross this land to access their garages, there is no automatic right of parking. Access to garages must not be obstructed at any time.

(Copy of plan)"

Does that sound reasonable?

In all honesty what has brought this to a head is the massive 4x4 thing, parking so very far away from the fence.

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Wed 16 Dec 2020 05:52
Garage access blocked - Lee Power

Be a real shame if a delivery / large lorry drove down there, smacked all the parked vehicles then disappeared.

Joking aside - do the fire brigade need access down there & would there fire appliances fit?

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Wed 16 Dec 2020 09:51
Garage access blocked - Calmore

That's a very interesting point. Fire access would be needed if one of the garages caught fire. Most of the time I think a fire appliance would fit, but not when Mr 4x4 parks four foot away from the fence.

I worked at a local school and there is a minimum width specified for access - the school gates were a smidgen too small legally, but a fire appliance could still squeeze through.

I think what I'll do is find out what the current minimum specified by the local fire brigade is and if it's in the right ballpark have a think about what can be done.

In the meantime I'll still staple something to the fence to assert ownership; I'm a bit annoyed that someone moved items of MY property on MY land just so they could park THEIR car.

Another alternative would be to find a small scrap car, sorn it and park it right up against the fence, leaving enough space for me to get in, and hope no one double parks.

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Wed 16 Dec 2020 10:00
Garage access blocked - Calmore

Just checked and there is a minimum carriageway with of 3.7m and a minimum gateway width of 3.1m. (that's a different brigade, but guess they are the same)

But it goes on to say 2.75m is acceptable over short distances, so long as a fire appliance can get to within 45 metres of a property

I guess I need to find a tape measure but think it's compliant :(

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Wed 16 Dec 2020 13:52
Garage access blocked - Dag Hammar

“Another alternative would be to find a small scrap car, sorn it and park it right up against the fence, leaving enough space for me to get in, and hope no one double parks.”

That idea sounds like a very low-cost and effective option. An old car similar in size to a Hyundai Amica would be perfect as they are very narrow. In fact, if you got two and lined them up one in front of the other that might prevent two of the culprits from obstructing your access.

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Sat 19 Dec 2020 21:43
Garage access blocked - kerbed enthusiasm

If it's definitely yours and your neighbours are in accord: a yellow box junction painted onto the concrete; a decently made sign stating 'no parking, access required at all times - wheel clamping in operation - fee for release £100'; an old wheel clamp; most importantly, someone who's prepared to use it.

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Sat 19 Dec 2020 22:54
Garage access blocked - bathtub tom

If it's definitely yours and your neighbours are in accord: a yellow box junction painted onto the concrete; a decently made sign stating 'no parking, access required at all times - wheel clamping in operation - fee for release £100'; an old wheel clamp; most importantly, someone who's prepared to use it.

It is illegal to clamp, block or tow away a vehicle parked on private land or property unless you have lawful authority. Lawful authorities are only considered to be organisations such as the police, DVLA and local authorities.

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Sun 20 Dec 2020 08:15
Garage access blocked - kerbed enthusiasm

Hmm. That's a shame in this instance. I would suggest CCTV and a system of fines but then you'd have to involve small claims court. It looks like lockable bollards might be the easiest solution unless the council is wiling to lend its support.

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Sun 20 Dec 2020 10:58
Garage access blocked - Brit_in_Germany

Suitably position a couple of pallets of concrete blocks opposite your garage.

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