Clamping cars as a last resort

rhody

rhody

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At work, we have reluctantly signed up with a parking enforcement company to protect our parking spaces within an off road, private car park on private land.

All else has failed.

We have tried to reason with the people parking without permission on our land and have ended up being threatened and abused by car drivers of both sexes and all ages who seem to think they have a right to park anywhere they like. These motorists have abused anyone, male or female who dares to explain to them that they are parking on private land in constant use by others.

It is clearly private land and signs to that effect are simply ignored.

We have tried leaving notes on the windscreens - no effect whatsoever.

We have tried asking them politely not to park on private land - only to be abused and threatened.

We installed a barrier - it was snapped off three times.

It's at the stage now where because of people parking without permission, our tenants and staff cannot now park in their designated spaces when they return home at night and if our tenants say anything, they too are threatened.

So after much deliberation, we have signed up with an enforcement company to clamp the vehicles concerned - many of whom are repeat offenders.

The signs have been up for a week now to give the motorists plenty of advanced warning that a clamping scheme is about to be implemented.

It goes live at midnight tonight so we'll see what happens over the next few days.

I've not always been a fan of clamping companies - but in this case the actions of a few persistent, selfish motorists has not left us with any option and I can see now why landlords eventually go over to using their services.
 
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Why does these people think they can park there in the first place? Is there some reason they should be there? Why aren't the police called immediately they are being threatening?

Sticky notices on very clean windows are quite effective. As is blocking them in so they can't leave when they want. You can easily blame another selfish sods like themselves!

Just be careful with the parking enforcement lot as they could easily start harassing the tenants as they will do this if they don't make enough money. Also make sure they are members of the relevant bodies and have their identification on them and displayed.
 
Abusive and threatening behaviour in Hampshire, surely not :D

Seriously though, too bloody right clamp them.
I've never been clamped, and if I were then I'd go nuts.
BUT, sometimes there's only one way to deal with idiots.
 
A place i used to work had the same problem and barriers broken, clamping sorted it. If they didnt pay to remove the clamp by 7pm it was towed away. Annoyed a few "sod it ill leave it here" drivers.

The office car park was behind a high street and was used by "cash point runners" caused a lot of congestion
 
Only point to remember is that under the Freedom bill currently before Parliament, both clamping and blocking on private land (and by anyone other than Council/Police/Govt departments) is going to be made illegal in England and Wales. The Act will probably come into force next year some time.
 
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srichards said:
Why does these people think they can park there in the first place? Is there some reason they should be there? Why aren't the police called immediately they are being threatening?
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We have all reasons / excuses. The Council (fee paying) car park is full / I'll only be a few minutes (anything from 20 mins to 4 hours. One car was left there for 2 weeks whilst the owner went on holiday and didn't want to leave it outside his house / I didn't see the signs ( 3ft x 2ft)..... it goes on

We have called the police but as its a dispute on private land, it turns into actually proving who said what and usually after abusing our girls the motorists just drive off laughing.
 
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srichards said:
Just be careful with the parking enforcement lot as they could easily start harassing the tenants as they will do this if they don't make enough money. Also make sure they are members of the relevant bodies and have their identification on them and displayed.
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Good point thanks - we vetted them very carefully in case it goes pear shaped
 
Dave1 said:
Only point to remember is that under the Freedom bill currently before Parliament, both clamping and blocking on private land (and by anyone other than Council/Police/Govt departments) is going to be made illegal in England and Wales. The Act will probably come into force next year some time.
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Good point Dave - I think we've got a year before the law changes to outlaw clamping and I really hope it is postponed again as this type of motorist is a real nuisance to private landowners. If it changes, people are talking about October 2012 for it take effect I understand.

But for now, this will solve our problems with selfish motorists.
 
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Thanks for all the feedback and opinions everyone - much appreciated.

It has been a reluctant decision but I don't know how else private landowners can deal with such motorists.

If clamping is outlawed the courts need to fully support private ticketing by landowners.
 
Make sure you write an article for the local press as well. 'Exasperated owners finally forced ...'
Make sure you mention the abuse. I'd also have a camera ready the first week ;)
 
Landowners need to understand that if a place is in a town and looks like a car park then people are going to park on it! A barrier to entry is the only way. If you can't get on, you can't park on it. If your barrier is broken it was cheap and nasty and you need to get a decent one!

Private ticketing is a nonsense. There are plenty of places issuing illegal tickets threatening all sorts. The most you can claim for is loss of use of the parking place. If it is free then you can claim Zip. Nada. Nothing. If it isn't free you can claim for whatever someone else would have paid, which is nearly zip if there were plenty of free places.

A substantial barrier is a sensible solution if you don't want people to park in available places. Blame the stupid councils that have removed on road parking and car parks. If there were adequate parking in towns then people wouldn't be behaving so selfishly as they would be able to park near where they needed to go.
 
Byker28i said:
Make sure you write an article for the local press as well. 'Exasperated owners finally forced ...'
Make sure you mention the abuse. I'd also have a camera ready the first week ;)
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Brilliant point Byker - I was dreading the one sided, "poor harassed motorist clamped" story appearing in the local press.

I'll start that today. In our favour we do have requests from all the tenants to have parking enforcement in place for them and the tenants do record number plates of offending cars so we know who the repeat offenders are.

So if one of the aggrieved motorists gets clamped and does go to the press they could already find we have a list of dates and times when they were on our land anyway.

Great points from everyone - very many thanks
 
I don't always believe in clampers the irony is they don't want you to park there, yet they put a clamp on you so you can't leave. However in your case i think its a good cause
 
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srichards said:
Landowners need to understand that if a place is in a town and looks like a car park then people are going to park on it!
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Sorry Suz - it's the motorists that need to understand they cannot park on private land. It's not hard when you have to drive past big signs stating that very fact. These people know they are parking on private land - they just don't care.

We are taking about private home owners who are coming home to find they cannot park in their designated off road parking spaces. Parking spaces that they have paid for and are legally attached to their ownership, use and enjoyment of the property. Is it really any wonder the tenants are upset?

There was nothing wrong with the barriers - they all have to have a shear bolt for safety reasons - and they snap with enough pressure as these motorists have found out.

If Councils have removed on street parking and introduced parking charges elsewhere that does not give motorists the right to park on private land and ignore requests not to park there.

We've gone for clamping as the ticketing is very labour intensive.

Our enforcement company will be taking 5 digital photos of any vehicle clamped and if the clamp is cut off a criminal damage claim will be pursued.

Please note we have been driven to this by selfish motorists - not by desire, but because nothing else has worked.
 
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Just to add, the place that used clamping is ending the contract in november as they are having a rising bollard installed
 
Good point Meno - we did consider this but cost of installation was a killer in this financial year but if clamping is ever outlawed we may have to revisit this option.
 
Maybe you could install those poles that come out the ground, or lay flat on ground and can be erected with a key (hope you understand what I mean!!! Or if you look round a car dealers they will often have a series of barriers that are about a foot to 2 feet high and about 4 feet long that locks into ground. Bit of a faff for you to do all the time i suppose.
 
cambsno said:
Maybe you could install those poles that come out the ground, or lay flat on ground and can be erected with a key (hope you understand what I mean!!! Or if you look round a car dealers they will often have a series of barriers that are about a foot to 2 feet high and about 4 feet long that locks into ground. Bit of a faff for you to do all the time i suppose.
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Many thanks for the suggestion Simon - much appreciated. We did look at these but it's the cost of installing that's stopping us at the moment.

If the clamping does not work out - perhaps next year we may have to bite the bullet
 
Another answer is for the home owners to block so the illegal parkers cars are stranded there.

Realspeed
 
realspeed said:
Another answer is for the home owners to block so the illegal parkers cars are stranded there.

Realspeed
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Thanks Realspeed. Two of them did block in a car which had been left in the same place for 6 hours and it turned very nasty with the car driver making threats of physical violence against the two girls concerned.

This was one of the reasons we have gone over to immediate clamping and release fees.

The site will be constantly patrolled and the tenants have a 24 hour hotline number if their space is taken without permission.

But I know that there will be lots of angry calls next week
 
I'd say just be carefull - the ones that do get clamped, are going to get even more abusive .

Keep well clear & let the clamping company do the job, you've hired them for.

I really don't like the clamping compaines, far to many dodgy ones - but sounds like you've had no choice.
 
Viv. said:
I'd say just be carefull - the ones that do get clamped, are going to get even more abusive .

Keep well clear & let the clamping company do the job, you've hired them for.

I really don't like the clamping compaines, far to many dodgy ones - but sounds like you've had no choice.
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That is very true..... :clap:
 
Viv. said:
I'd say just be carefull - the ones that do get clamped, are going to get even more abusive .

Keep well clear & let the clamping company do the job, you've hired them for.

I really don't like the clamping compaines, far to many dodgy ones - but sounds like you've had no choice.
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Thanks Viv and andy for the considerate thoughts - this really is a last resort and a first for us, but sadly nothing else has worked.

I hand delivered letters and obtained signatures last week for letters to tenants instructing them not to get involved, just to ring the enforcement company and let them take it from there.

We chose an enforcement company for their professional approach and attitude. Some were clearly "less professional" than others and as we don't want any negative publicity for protecting our tenants interests, we awarded the contract accordingly.
 
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srichards said:
If your barrier is broken it was cheap and nasty and you need to get a decent one!

snip

A substantial barrier is a sensible solution if you don't want people to park in available places. Blame the stupid councils that have removed on road parking and car parks.
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This ^ if what others have said about English law changing is true then a solid barrier is your only option.

Failing that riveting some car doors shut might do the trick.
 
Very interesting to read of the other side of clamping zones.
Just for the hell of it, I hope you actually catch a few repeat offenders. Do let us know how it goes. :)
 
Or the other solution is to lift the car up and just pop it back in the street. It then becomes a police/council enforcement issue :) but you'd have to do it carefully so you didn't damage the vehicle.
 
srichards said:
Or the other solution is to lift the car up and just pop it back in the street. It then becomes a police/council enforcement issue :) but you'd have to do it carefully so you didn't damage the vehicle.
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That's the root of the problem Suz. There is no on-street parking any more. The Council have splashed double yellows everywhere and have introduced parking charges to a formerly free car park and on street parking zones.

Hence the migration to private land.

I'd love to lift and shift the offending vehicles but I'd cause an obstruction as there are simply too many cars in this area.

Our tenants legally own their off street parking places - in the streets immediately outside, it's first come first served and sometimes local residents have to drive around several streets to find a parking space. They end up parking a long way from their homes - it really is that bad.

It is a very difficult problem for everyone - but we really don't know what else to do other than "last resort" clamping.
 
I Wonder how long before the law here in Scotland, where clamping on private land is now illegal, will become the law South of the border?
 
Ziggy said:
I Wonder how long before the law here in Scotland, where clamping on private land is now illegal, will become the law South of the border?
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Hi Ziggy - How do you deal with the motorists who knowingly and repeatedly park on private land please?
 
Therein lies the solution. Harass the council and tell them they will be voted out at the next opportunity if they do not a) return that car park to be being free and b) remove unnecessary double yellow lines.

The council's short sighted action has caused your problem. I'd be billing them for dealing with your selfish parkers for a start off. Might move them into action.
 
No idea mate, just know that the law here changed a few years ago.
 
rhody said:
That's the root of the problem Suz. There is no on-street parking any more. The Council have splashed double yellows everywhere and have introduced parking charges to a formerly free car park and on street parking zones.

Hence the migration to private land.

I'd love to lift and shift the offending vehicles but I'd cause an obstruction as there are simply too many cars in this area.

Our tenants legally own their off street parking places - in the streets immediately outside, it's first come first served and sometimes local residents have to drive around several streets to find a parking space. They end up parking a long way from their homes - it really is that bad.

It is a very difficult problem for everyone - but we really don't know what else to do other than "last resort" clamping.
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who cares about off street parking, is just stick them in the middle of the road... would sort the problem pretty quickly...
 
Out of interest what would happen if one of your tennents had visitors? Have you arranges for badges to be displayed for them on their cars?

Realspeed
 
realspeed said:
Out of interest what would happen if one of your tennents had visitors? Have you arranges for badges to be displayed for them on their cars?Realspeed
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The tenants have one parking permit for each of their designated bays and one per plot for a visitors space. There aren't enough visitor spaces for every eventuality, so it is first come first served. Some unlucky visitors will have to pay to park on the street or in the Council car park or drive around until they find a space. Not ideal but no other options.

Any car not displaying a personalised valid holographic pass or a unique "Visitor" pass will be clamped. Each bay has its own sign and even the visitors bays are signed to provide warnings about not displaying a valid pass.

I'm actually dreading tomorrow but it has to happen in order to bring things back under control.
 
BandyQuill said:
who cares about off street parking, is just stick them in the middle of the road... would sort the problem pretty quickly...
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The irony is, the Council still clamp and tow away illegally parked cars that cause them a problem..............
 
Damn I'm gonna have to find a new parking place:nono:






Seriously though good on you Its a shame you can't do it yourselves though at least you can clamp as soon as they arrive. And save the cash for a nice shiny Auto bollard.
 
srichards said:
Landowners need to understand that if a place is in a town and looks like a car park then people are going to park on it! A barrier to entry is the only way. If you can't get on, you can't park on it. If your barrier is broken it was cheap and nasty and you need to get a decent one!
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Really?
Let me tell you a story about a friend I have who lives in bath who regularly used to return home and found someone had parked on his driveway. The persons concerned thought it fair game that they could ignore parking charges and park on private property "hey you weren't using it" attitude.
 
Start letting tyres down and when they complain, just say the neighbourhood is getting rough and it's no longer a safe place to leave a vehicle!.

Di
 
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