Dispute RE: public parking / Foreign cars & road tax

[rjk]

Evening all.

Mrs rjk lives in the city centre. Her house has a drive and to the rear of the property, there is a large car park which is nearly always 40% empty.

This car park services a large block of apartments to the rear of her house, all on the same housing estate, all goverened by the same housing agency.

As the car park is nearly always free, I tend to park the CTR at the rear of the property when I stay over, this means that the kids playing in the street don't kick footballs at my car.

I have been parking my current car. And the megane before that, and my fiesta st, on the car park for over a year before this. There are no signs saying that this area is for residents or permit holders.

Last night I was approached by a resident of the apartments who abruptly informed me that I was forbidden to park my vehicle on this car park.

He is reporting me apparently.

My question to OcUK motors is this:
If there is no sign or permit requirement, am I able to park my car on this car park?

My second point is; this gentleman is clearly not of British origin. His car was on foreign plates and he has admitted to me that he is a tenant. This would imply permanent UK residancy.

His car is displaying NO road tax.

What is the law regarding immigrants running a foreign vehicle in this country on a permanent basis whilst maintaining UK residency?


Anyone able to shine light on this one as I feel like getting pedantic about things.

 

[rjk]

so on the basis that this individual lives at the property in the UK

his car is illegal.

this is superb news.

how would one go about informing the correct authorities about this?

also

If there is no sign or permit requirement, am I able to park my car on this car park?

anyone able to shed any light on the rules around this?

 

[rjk]

But on a serious note, make sure your aware this dude could take it into his own hands and key your car or something

this would be the only issue sadly.

its not like I don't know where he lives though is it.
I made Mrs rjk park on the car park last night and I made a point of parking in the drive.

 

[rjk]

I think this answers your question. No signs = do one.

excellent.

I assumed as much as logic would dictate that residents permits would have to be displayed in order to park on there if that was an issue.

having checked all of the cars that I know are owned by residents, there are no permits. So I am fully aware that it is not enforced.

 

[rjk]

It might be worth phoning the police on the non emergency number to let them know that you have been threatened and are worried for your car. You might also mention that the person drives a foreign registered car and has been resident for a long time.

just done that.

Staffordshire police have advised me that it is the responsibility of the land owner to enforce any parking policies on their land.

they have advised me to contact the housing agency responsible for the properties so I will do that now.

I have been asked to submit the case to the DVLA so that their database can be updated.

the police say that they are unable to act unless the car has been here 6 months regardless of residency.

 

[rjk]

as I mentioned in the op, the car park is always 40% empty. that's why I park on there.

the only time I have ever seen it full was new years eve, presumably because it is near the city centre and residents + their friends wanted to avoid astronomical taxi fares

I wouldn't park there if it was full all of the time. I speak to other residents often if only to be friendly. The only person who has ever taken issue is this individual.

nobody else parks on the street.

there is a guy who lives in the apartments with a lovely Clio 182 who I speak to every now and again, I may ask him what the deal is with parking.

 

[rjk]

all the properties are part of the same development run by the same people?

this is correct

i have tried contacting them to obtain clarification on the matter to no avail

 

[rjk]

I'm not bringing race into this, that wasn't the point of the thread.
What I do take an issue with is people not paying road tax and playing the system.
My recent telephone conversation with Staffordshire police filled me with confidence that absolutely nothing will be done about this.

@EvilDreams - if there were numbers on the spaces then I would never dream of occupying them. The point of the op was to highlight that the carpark is half empty, just now out of the window I can count more than 20 empty spaces.

This cannot be inconveniencing anyone.

Going to try and contact the company who own the car park again tomorrow.