Parking Enforcement

Notoriously a very problematic subject on private residential land and it isn’t getting any easier with the proposed law changes by government. Here is my guide on the steps to take before implementing parking enforcement and if you have to, the options available to you.

Let’s be honest, parking is 9 times out of 10 an absolute nightmare on private residential land. If you do live on a development without parking problems, then be thankful, you are in a very small minority. For those of you that aren’t so fortunate there is a very real need to be pragmatic in the approach to combatting parking issues.

It is very important to understand two facts when it comes to parking problems.

1. You will not have sufficient parking for all the residents on your development.
2. Even if residents only have 1 parking space, some will still own 2 or more cars.

Nothing you can do will change these facts, but what you can do is educate residents and landlords and try to effectively manage the parking on the development.

Your first step should be to highlight exactly what is causing the parking issues. Is it residents or visitors? Is your development close to a town centre or train station? Or perhaps it is purely insufficient parking spaces? Without identifying what the problem is you will not be able to effectively and efficiently resolve the problem. Our advice would always be to hire an enforcement company as a last resort. Therefore we need to look at what other options you have available.

If you identify residents as the problem, then I suggest you call meetings, send letters, educate your audience. It is likely that they are not aware of the problems they are causing and with any luck will quickly step in line. If you find one or two particular properties causing an issue then, if possible (if they are tenants), involve their landlord. The landlord is ultimately responsible for the tenant and should take action to resolve the problem.



In the event that non-residents are causing the issue then I would recommend erecting signage that may deter them. You can also issue residents with permits to give the illusion of a parking scheme. Some developments look at the options of securing the parking areas with gates or barriers, this would be a great solution however it may prove costly; It certainly won’t hurt to get some quotes in to see how much it might cost.

Hopefully the above steps in either scenario bring some or complete success to your parking issues. If not then your only worthwhile option is looking at parking enforcement. The most important thing to remember, when dealing with enforcement companies, is that it is an unregulated sector. Only speak to companies with a registered office, not a PO Box and if possible go on the recommendations from people you know. Look for approved operators of the British Parking Association (BPA) this would be ideal as they will have to follow set guidelines and processes to be approved.

When you find some reputable companies discuss possible options with them. At this point in time I would recommend that for maximum effect you stick with clamping. Although it has a bad reputation it is the biggest deterrent and at present ticketing can not be legally enforced on private land. What this means is that enforcement companies can not legally collect the money owed to them when they issue tickets.

Depending on the layout of your car park (designated bays or a free for all) enforcement companies will be able to tailor their permit systems to your needs. You will find that most enforcement companies will not charge for their services and will be happy to just make their income from the clamps or tickets. However depending on your needs they may ask for a fee in return for their services, this will usually be where you have asked them to carry out more administration tasks. I would always recommend that you allow the enforcement company to manage the issuing and management of the permits.  This takes up a lot of time and the last thing you want when a resident gets clamped is to be responsible for the enforcement system in anyway, this could make things very awkward.

I wish you the best of luck if you do have parking issues. If you have any specific parking queries then please do get in touch. I have a wealth of experience with parking problems and may be able to provide some good advice to help you out.