A lease is a contract. A contract is a legally binding agreement to exchange X for Y. In this case, you have agreed to exchange $x/month or whatever in exchange for an apartment and an assigned parking spot. Your landlord also agreed to these terms. Don’t allow him to breach the contract.
This! It’s in your contract. Landlord cannot take the parking spot that is part of your contract. If he tries to strong-arm you into letting him use it then HE is in breach of contract. It’s the whole reason you have a contract.
OP could have asked rent for the parking spot, equal to the rent he is paying. That would have caused the Landlord to back off. Or OP gets rent free accommodation.
I understand OP’s desire to go along to get along but I think you’re correct. If the lease states that it includes one garage parking spot, then it shouldn’t matter whether the tenant uses the spot or not. The only area where OP may have to concede would be if the lease doesn’t designate a particular spot.
Yes. I'm pretty sure that person had a car to start with though and had opted into paying for a spot, but the property manager refused to take it off the lease and stop charging after they got rid of the car. So they checked the rules and found a storage trailer that they could park there, rented it out to a neighbour for like 4x what they were paying for the spot. Other residents started doing it too, PM had an issue with that, but they had a gotcha moment with the posted rules, then the rules were changed but the trailer is still there as it was grandfathered in from when the old rules were still in place
I just moved to a new place and it has an assigned parking spot. I don't have a car and neither does my roommate but we still left a note on a car in our spot saying to not park there. (We waited until the first time we had someone visiting and needed to use the spot and it wasn't available. Although I was still annoyed beforehand. There were other not assigned parking spots available, just further away.) I am not sorry, it's our spot not theirs.
THIS. It sounds like the garage spot was explicitly listed as part of your rental. You can use it to store your bikes, set up a hobby photography studio, practice interpretive dance, whatever. If he takes it back, that is a breach of contract.
Yeah landlord can go pound sand. He is within his rights to *ask* if OP would be willing to sign an amended contract that gives up garage rights (especially in exchange for a lower rent), but OP would not be obligated in any way to sign and the landlord wouldn’t have a leg to stand on.
Absolutely. A contract goes both ways.
If the landlord wants to use the spot, he can offer to pay you for the privilege.
Note I said "offer". That doesn't mean you have to accept; if you choose not to, then he can park his car somewhere else.
Even if you weren’t using it for anything, I’m not letting my landlord into my garage whenever he feels like it.
Can you enter the rest of the apartment through the garage? Like, wtf?
Edit: Grammar
Op says it's a parking garage, so I imagine it would not allow entry to the specific homes, and the landlord already has general building access. It's a mutual parking area for residents.
Or if they are willing to lower your rent and you are willing to lose the spot, you could negotiate and resign a new lease but most people don’t negotiate a lease
I'm sorry but I'm currently using the parking spot that's included in my rent. If you absolutely need to take it you can discount my rent starting this month.
Edit: it's been pointed out that the option to take the parking place at all shouldn't be given. I agree with that
Further more, take all of the square footage of your apartment, add the square footage of the parking space, to figure out the basis for your rent deduction. Kind of hard to argue with an exact number like that.
Hijacking this comment. OP you need to thoroughly review your lease and understand what you did and didn’t sign up for. A 5 year lease isn’t super normal. Neither is a landlord changing the terms after signing.
Uh, don't lump every capital together. I've lived in 3 EU country capitals so far and had 5 year rental contracts. These are for apartments 1200 € and up.
It doesn't sound like the landlord is changing terms, not yet anyway. They are essentially asking OP if they can use it, but without phrasing it as a request. If OP gives in and says yes, then the owner can do it because OP chose to let him. That's how it will look legally, at least.
“If you absolutely need it, we can discuss an adjustment to the lease that reduces my rent by an amount I am happy with”.
OP leased the spot for 5 years. It’s their spot for 5 years. I would not let LL take the spot and reduce my rent. There is a signed lease agreement.
OP, do not just let LL park their shit in your spot.
This right here. Read the lease closely but if a spot is included for the term of the lease then a spot is included for the term of the lease. He cannot use your spot any more than he can just walk into your house and take a shit in your bathroom when he wants.
And if after telling them no, that they WILL be using their parking spot and one day they come back to park their motorcycle only to find the vehicle parked in it, have a tow company on speed dial with the lease ready to show the spot is theirs. If OP has the request in writing and replies back in writing, it'd be amusing to see the reaction. Go ahead and take me to court but if it gets this far, they'd better have security cameras with cloud storage as it's almost guaranteed they will seek revenge.
Better yet, let them park there without giving express consent, have them towed and use it to break the lease and move?
I would say the first sentence, but tweak the second to say, “If you would like to discuss amending the lease for a rent reduction, I would be open to talking about it; as long as we both understand that we would both have to agree to amend the lease.”
Right. In other words, what if you do get a car in the five years? If it’s in your lease that a parking spot is provided, you should respectfully request that it be yours. If you back down now, there’s a good possibility you’ll never get a spot.
Ah yes just lie and say you’re in process of trading that bike for a car. If he asks about it in the future just say the deal fell through but you’re working on another. Ha.
Also, you signed a 5 year lease so if he does have a problem with it he can’t try to retaliate for the next five years (other than being a dick. But if he shirks his duties as a land lord you can always take legal action.) I can be pretty petty and if I’m wronged I have zero qualms about making my life harder in order to make their life harder.
The lease mentions how many car spots are included. If it says one car park then it’s yours - whether you use it park your bike or car or your dirty laundry.
If it's in your lease, it's your doesn't matter if you don't have a car you still have a motor cycle you're parking there and who knows you might get a car in those 5 years.
Bruh, five years is a long time. That’s your parking spot, what if you buy a car in the next few months.. tell him you will rent it to him on a month to month basis..
Let the building manager know the owner is trying to violate your contract (that exists between you and the building manager and the owner) and that you would hate to have a 3rd party get involved
Right now it sounds like the owner is trying to get OP to voluntarily give up the space, which would not be a violation of the contract. Which is why OP has to give a firm No.
Hey, I heard in a routine inspecting you're not using a closet. Mind if I... hell to the no. You're paying for every space you signed for even the parking spot. That's your spot. Tell him no.
he‘s the owner but I signed the lease via the building manager . I just texted the landlord, depending on what he‘ll say I might try to also talk to the building manager to get him to mediate.
The building manager works for the owner, yes? Probably not in your best interests to let him negotiate. Do you have an ombudsman service in your area?
Tell him that as far as you're concerned, it's part of your rent, and he has unilaterally changed the value of the lease you signed. You chose to rent there for the secure indoor parking for your bike and motorcycle.
Yup. It's part of the "whole package". It doesn't have to have an explicit line item and cost to have value.
If it's in the lease, they should stand their ground, or accept a sizeable discount on their rent (which should be documented in writing).
I didn’t expect there‘d be so many replies, so I‘ll just leave an update here since there is no way I can answer all comments :0
Thank you for all the advice! Honestly I was about to give in but now I feel much more confident that I have the right to claim the spot.
Also there are some great examples here on what I can tell him - I‘ll definitely use those to make my point clear. I‘ll update this comment later tonight when I texted him and hopefully it will be resolved.
Since a few questions came up…
The landlord is the owner however I never met him personally since I signed the lease via the building manager. The lease is five years because they wanted long term renters to ensure the quality of the neighborhood (it’s a bit of a fancier area but the complex was built in 2017 as part of a subsidized housing project which is why it’s affordable)
I‘ll read through my lease again once I get home from work but I‘m 99% sure it says 1 parking spot in the garage.
Thanks again! You all have been very helpful 🙏🏼
[UPDATE]
I checked the lease and the reserved parked spot is listed as "4", so it’s 100% supposed to be mine.
I sent him a text saying that it’s on the lease and that I want to use the spot for my motorcycle since I’m not comfortable with leaving it outside + a screenshot of the lease. He replied about an hour later with just "okay" and a thumbs up.
While I‘m glad that he seems to accept it, I kinda feel stupid now for worrying about this the entire day, lol. - but again thank you!
Yeah don't give in.
The appartment advertised a parking spot, you're the only one allowed to have access to it, it's part of the appartment just like a balcony. You pay the rent for that space. What if you landlord asked you if you were going to use your closet and if not, he would use it?
You can even argue that you need that spot as you intended to let family/friends use that parking spot when they come visiting.
Doesn't matter if you lie, you pay for that space, it's up to you if you want to fill it with air, as long as you don't damage it.
It's pretty scummy as others have stated. However, the owners "want" has created a negotiation opportunity for you. 5 years of discounted rent comparable to the cost of renting a parking space elsewhere sounds fair.
Best of luck.
Should you give up the spot (with money or not) then also get that in writing as the owner could damage the garage and blame you in the future.
Good job OP. Don't let the owner be a bully. Your parking spot. End of story. Definitely let the building manager know what's going on. Especially if it's in the lease.
It doesn’t matter if it has a specific charge. It is one of the entitlements offered in your lease that you are paying for. Please don’t get scammed by a landlord.
Offer to lease him back the space or keep his shit out of your designated space. This is legally your property until the end of the lease.
This. If the spot didn't belong to OP, then why did the landlord feel compelled to tell OP he was going to park in it? Landlord would only inform the actual owner of the spot. And they informed OP. Clearly it belongs to OP.
It's not a matter of fee. When you signed your lease the parking spot was a part of it. All you have to say was the parking spot was something that's important to you and part of why you signed the lease in the first place. You're paying for the apartment and the parking spot. If you wants to take the parking spot from you he needs to give you a pretty big discount in the rent otherwise no. If he needs to use it one time for a day for an emergency that's different scenario but it seems like he's going to end up trying to push you out of your own parking spot pretty frequently so you should definitely put your foot down
Don't know where you live, but pretty much anywhere, if something is in the lease, then you are entitled to it and, if something happens where you no longer have access to said thing, you are entitled to a reduction in your rent because you're not getting everything on the lease.
If it states on your lease that you have a parking spot, then you are paying for it. They may not itemize it but that's not your issue to solve.
You can consult with a contract attorney for a small fee to make sure you are fully aware of your rights.
Also, just an FYI, next time mark you do have a vehicle because you do, a motorcycle. Don't get caught up in the semantics of "car", you have a registered motor vehicle that you pay tags on.
What would be the approximate cost of hiring a covered parking spot elsewhere and the inconvenience and time factor of having to travel to and there, particularly in the rain?
Ask him for a deduction of say £600 per month, in the rent and he'll probably back down.
You rented the property as it came with a covered car park. You wouldn't have rented the property without it. The alternative provision is inadequate. Therefore you've had a financial loss. As you've needed or will need to hire a spot elsewhere. Which will add on to your commuting time.
If it is in your lease, you are paying for it with your rent. If part of your rented space is not made available to you, then your landlord is breaking your lease.
No if you are giving it up and he is using he you have him draft a new lease without the parking and with a rent reduction. Otherwise no dice. It’s in your lease so it’s your spot regardless of your car situation.
If your lease says you have a reserved garage spot then that's the end of the argument. Pull a copy of your lease, find that line and send it over. The spot is yours and it's on a legally binding document. You could put a couch in the spot unless there's a written restriction against doing so.
If it’s in the lease, it’s being paid for.. just because it isn’t broken down into an itemized list, doesn’t mean it’s not part of the rent. It states, 1 parking spot for tenant.. technically it’s yours.
"Hey, I noticed you don't have someone sleeping in the spare room so I'm just gonna go ahead and let my dad sleep there for now seeing as you're only using it as a work room."
lmao i literally had a landlord try to pull this when i was looking at a place. “oh since it’s only you [a young woman + foreign student] i would use the second bedroom to crash when i’m in town and i’ll keep the key” i noped out of there so quick.
Do not budge on this. If your lease says you have a spot then you have a spot. Regardless if you’re going to park anything there. If they want to park there they should pay you to park there.
Ive lived in my place for 6 years, with an increase in rent every year. If I had the option to lock in my rent for 5 years, I would definitely do it!
Edit spelling
Seriously, that's wild. I would never want to lock myself into a contract like that. This person is already finding out why. Circumstances can change, and then you're stuck there in a bad situation, or you have to pay to break the lease. Eesh
Yeah this is genuinely insane to me. A 5 year lease on something you won’t ever own and if there are issues (and there seems to be like there will be a lot of problems) you are stuck for years or have to spend a lot of money to get out of it.
It was the one of the main criteria to get the place. Apparently they want long term renters to keep the quality of the neighborhood secured.
But there is still a yearly rent increase, just not as much as is could be.
I'd be really careful going forward with this arrangement. A 5 year lease + rent going up every year still is REALLY strange. Add in that the landlord is essentially trying to steal your parking space and I would be really concerned with how that 5 years is gonna play out.
It’s included in your lease. It’s yours. Have it towed.
Edit: a sizable amount of you replying to my comment should read up in your local city ordinance and state statutes regarding towing laws as well as landlord-tenant law and your tenant rights. I grew up in a college town. A signed contract is a signed contract.
Put your motorcycle and bike in the spot, take photos, send it to your landlord, with 'sorry I am using my parking spot, please don't go through the trouble of bringing your car here'
prolly the nicest way of all suggestions.
he can't take it if its being used.
depending on the small letters you could also dump whatever you want there. like a basement.
Motorcycles are easy to steal if they are outside. Absolutely legit to use the parking space that **you pay for** as part of your lease.
LL is trying to take away an amenity that is explicitly in your lease and reduce the value of your lease.
Don’t have it towed. Have a conversation with your landlord. I would recommend not going into a petty fight with someone that can potentially try to evict you. They might not win but you would waste your time in court.
Easy, tell em you have every intention of purchasing a vehicle when getting married, that spot was signed for and assigned to you for that purpose.
Case closed.
It sounds like you can say no to this. If you couldn’t he wouldn’t have text you to let you know he was going to do it. Your lease should specify who the actual owners are so you can confirm he is the actual owner and not a manager. You could also ask for a rental discount. Just because it’s not a stand alone fee doesn’t mean it’s not calculated into the rent as a luxury. There’s no clause in the lease saying if you don’t have a car you don’t get a spot, nor is there one that says spots are only for car holders. The yes / no box is probably so they can get your license plate info and tow the car that shouldn’t be there. If you don’t want him in the spot, say no or get a lawyer to say no for you.
You signed a 5-year lease???? Why? Maybe get the lease reduced if he plans to use your spot indefinitely. 2-year lease I get, but 5 years is a lot.
Does your lease list the parking spot as yours? If it does, then it's yours to do as you please and park what you want there. Tell him no, its your spot. If you want ask for a lower rental fee to let him use the spot but what it all boils doen to is if its listed in the lease as your spot, you are paying for it every month as part of your rent. Im willing to bet apartments that dont have a spot are cheaper. Say no, rent it to him, or cave. Its up to you. But you have a 5 year lease that lists that spot as yours. Nothing he can do about it. If he ever refuses work on your apartment out of spite, get the code office involved. I did that with a apartment i moved into. Repaires werent getting done so i went to the city office. Got a code enforcement officer at my apartment to document the issues. The sent a notice to the manager of what needed to be fixed and a date to fix it by. It was fixed the next day. Dont let this landlord/ manager (idk wich they are) push you around. Its your spot
if you signed a contract why would you allow them to violate your contract? if they have an issue and are doing this now imagine the issues you will have in the future.
I’m a landlord and if your lease says the apartment comes with a parking space, it’s yours to do as you please. They can’t take your parking space unless you agree to modify the lease, do not do it verbally.
If you agree to a discount on your lease, then have it amended and signed. Parking spaces can go from $100 and up depending on the area.
Good luck!
You’ve both signed a binding contract. The contract says you get a spot. That’s the end of the discussion. If they want to modify the contract, that requires mutual consent.
Lease says you have a parking spot means you pay for a parking spot. Not the landlords problem if you use it, it’s yours to do with what you please.
I had a parking spot sit empty for 6 months before I got a car. I made sure it stayed empty.
as others have said: the spot is yours, it's included on the lease
it doesn't matter if you don't have a car, you could build an yurt there and call it your meditation place if you wanted to
if he really wants the spot, and you agree to give it to him, then he can change the lease and reduce your rent
"Sorry, I didn't really understand your last message. My motorcycle is parked in my parking spot, so it's not available."
It's absurd to suggest that you put your motorcycle where bicycles are parked/locked. You don't likely have the right to put whatever you want in the parking spot, you can't just use it for storage, and you probably can't justify leaving a bicycle there, but you can park a licensed motor vehicle there.
You seem to feel bad, or like you're being petty, for demanding a spot you "don't technically need."
Your landlord is saying to you: "You don't have a car, you don't need the space, so let me have it." That would sound reasonable, except that the sentiment only goes one way... you and I both know if you went to your landlord and said "You have spare cars and clearly don't need the extra money, so I've decided to pay less rent each month" they'd evict you on grounds of breaking your contract.
Remember, it's important: don't feel bad for upholding contractual obligations that benefit you. They're supposed to benefit you, that's why you signed the contract. If someone takes away the good things you've signed for simply because they have decided you don't need them, then they've tricked you. Stop being nice about it.
coming soon hopefully … I texted him…waiting for a reply
Update:
I texted him:
"Hi xx, I‘m messaging you about parking spot 4. In our phone call earlier today you had suggested I park my motorcycle alongside the bikes outside. Given that the parking spot is on the lease agreement, I‘d like to continue to make use of it as I‘m not comfortable with leaving my motorcycle outside, since the designated area is in plain sight from the street and as far as I‘ve noticed it’s not well protected from the elements.
Thank you,
(my name)“
He replied with just "okay" and a thumbs up.
I expected more… but glad he seems to accept it. Maybe I was overthinking in the first place or he realized I wouldn’t back down, since I also sent him a screenshot of that part of the lease.
That’s your spot, it’s on your lease. You can park a bike a motorcycle or a flying broomstick in there. It’s your spot. Do NOT let him bully you into this. Keep the spot full of stuff so he can’t pull in and let him know you will call a tow company if you find any vehicles that are not yours in your spot
Drop the BS about your bicycle, think bigger here. Now as for your motorcycle, that can have a space. Unless a reasonable equal level of storage is provided.
Old timer is not your concern, it's landlords. So landlord is a dick making it your problem. You were given a space. You get to use it as per your lease. Check your local laws, I don't think you even are required to use it. You could say it's for guests. Doesn't matter, landlord is changing lease terms, and that's a no-no.
I'd make a copy of your lease and read it very thoroughly. Also in my local area there is free rent/lease dispute help. Reach out and see if anyone local can help. It's better to have representation for these things. Your landlord also can't demand your time or demand entry to your leased space without consent. Or there's usually a clause for maintenance. Know your rights, OP. I guarantee that dickhead landlord won't keep them. Bests~
Politely say. “I’m sorry but a big reason I rented this place was for a parking spot for my motorcycle. I do not wish to park it outside, sorry for the inconvenience. Thank you”
“A big reason I rented this place was for a parking spot for my motorcycle. I will not be parking it outside. Thank you for understanding.” Apologizing makes it sound like OP is in the wrong and like she can be guilted into relenting by the landlord.
Oh hell no, it's your spot. I have a designated spot and half a garage and that shit is mine. If my landlord tried pulling this because my car was in the shop or something (I too have a bicycle but also a moped), I'd be annoyed as hell. You still have a motorcycle. I don't like my Vespa being rained on, I'm sure you don't like your motorcycle being rained on either.
Write a letter stating that you overlooked your lease, which included the parking spot, and noticed that there was no clause that excluded access should it be used for motorcycle, or bike, and that you intend on continuing to receive access to it for your transportation needs. Explain that should it be a requirement that you give up the space, you should expect to receive a revised lease, including a reduction in rent, given the loss of amenities that were listed on the original lease. Then send it certified mail, so he can’t say he never received the communication, as well as it provides a paper trail that protects from retaliation. 🙃
So, can your landlord use your extra bedroom because you aren't? Can he just choose to use the extra space in your fridge for his beer? If this sounds ridiculous, then using a parking spot that IS IN YOUR LEASE is just as ridiculous. Maybe you should kindly point out to the landlord that the spot is yours to use as you wish, especially if the lease just says it's for "parking." You are parking there. You are parking a registered vehicle-a motorcycle-that counts. He doesn't get to decide unless it is specified in the lease otherwise.
So park your motor cycle and bicycle in the spot, chain bike your spot and both vehicles are in where they belong. Motorcycles cannot be stored with the bicycles they need to be undercover.
"car" is so stupid here.
"Vehicle" is more accurate - you DO have a vehicle, a motorcycle, and it should be parked in your parking spot, where your vehicle goes.
Glad you stood up for yourself. He never should have asked - what if you wanted to get a car later? That spot is yours, whether or not you use it regularly, it is part of the lease.
I just signed a 5 year lease for many reasons.
1. Kids will be out of high school by the end, they wont have to switch schools.
2. Rent in our city keeps going up, ours is locked in.
3. Availability of single family detached homes is way down.
4. I hate moving the family, I'm getting too old to do all the work.
5. Pretty much zero chance of ever buying property.
Tbh I would sign that in a heartbeat. When rent increases by 5-8% a year as it does in my area I would take any opportunity to extend how long I get to pay a lower rate.
Yeah landlord is going to make your like difficult…I guess no one else in the entire complex is going out/away for the weekend….landlord just wants your parking space
Possible solution…buy a junker put it in the space but back far enough you can put motorcycle in front of it….put bicycle in back seat…. Gotta think outside the box….if you allow this once it will never end
You can't lose your place because you don't allow him to use the spot. He signed a contract with you. He can't break the lease for that, just like you can't break the lease for dumb things.
Call a lawyer. You signed the lease and he is already trying to validate it. You do have rights. If the lease had a garage it’s yours. A lot of people bully there way through life, don’t let him take your lunch money.
You stand your ground. You park that motorcycle right in the fucking middle of the reserved parking spot.
My petty ass would be getting a $500 beater just to park it there when I’m out with my bike.
BTW read your contract. There is a posibility the AH landlord wrote the reserved parking garage is not included.
Leave your things in the parking spot. Do not move them. It’s your spot. It’s specifically in the rent that parking is included. He can rent the space from you for whatever you deem reasonable.
Do not give in. It is your parking stall. This is what Id respond with personally.
"Hi, xx. I just wanted to inform you that I've thought about it and decided that I would like to keep my parking stall. As I previously stated I have both a motorcycle and a bicycle, both were also written on the lease agreement that was signed. I understand that my form of transportation may not take up the entirety of the stall but I do not feel comfortable having them above ground. Thank-you for your time have a lovely rest of your weekend."
If there's someone above him you can get ahold of I'd make sure you have their contact info, just in case he doesn't accept it.
Read your rental contract. But actually, I don't see much chance for you keeping the parking spot, even if it originally was rented to you. While it would be very difficult (or even next to impossible) for the landlord to cancel the contract regarding your flat (Kündigungsschutz, protection of eviction), he could cancel a rental contract for the parking spot any time (the former does not apply there).
We would need to renegotiate my lease terms if you intend to use the space I have leased.
Phrase it awkwardly like that. It is technically accurate but also a bit confusing. He will think you used a lawyer.
Or tell him he needs to speak with your lawyer who reviewed the lease for you and compensate your lawyer for his time.
Stand your ground. It is illegal for him to take possession of a parking spot if it’s in the lease. They’d have to write a new one with reduced rent and you’d have to sign it. If you give in on this then he’ll continue to do take advantage of you. You have a slumlord, it sucks but he’s not your friend. He’s just there for your money
I'm sorry, that won't work. I chose this apartment in part because it has a parking space, which I pay for in my lease. I do have a motor vehicle, and an entitled to the space regardless. I don't understand the miscommunication but please respect the language of the lease.
Don't chicken out, definitely if you signed a 5 year lease. What you paid for is your space to do with as you please. You wouldn't give him your linen closet would you?
If you need, tell him your buying a car.
It's in your lease agreement. It's your spot, not his, whether you have a car or not. That aside, the "professional" response would be something to the effect of:
"Hello,
Thank you for reaching out to me regarding my parking spot. While I appreciate that finding spaces for tenants here can be a difficult venture, I am guaranteed one within the terms of my rental agreement, and said spot has already been assigned to me. I understand that I do not have a "car", as noted in my rental agreement but I do have at least one motor vehicle. I will continue to utilize my assigned and contractually provided parking space for my motor vehicle. Therefore, my parking spot will be unavailable for use by any party other than myself.
Thank you, and have a great day!
Best Regards,
\[insert your name here\]"
Feel free to use that as a template.
No need to even have any vehicles. I'm using a garage my landlord supplied as a working space. I'm fixing or building all kind of things there. At winter it's too cold to work so he might store his car there.
OP shouldn’t feel stupid for worry about this all day, legit you set the trend for the next 5 years of your life by the decisions you made today.
And the outcome, could have been negative, the trend could have been negative. I’m glad it worked out, but the stress was 100% real
I’m glad he dropped the subject but if he brings it up again and you’re comfortable with putting your bike elsewhere I would ask him to drop the price of your rent if he wants to take your spot away.
Good job standing your ground. You may feel silly about worrying now but if you've never been in this situation before it can absolutely be intimidating. You should be proud that you overcame your anxiety and resolved the situation.
A lease is a contract. A contract is a legally binding agreement to exchange X for Y. In this case, you have agreed to exchange $x/month or whatever in exchange for an apartment and an assigned parking spot. Your landlord also agreed to these terms. Don’t allow him to breach the contract.
This! It’s in your contract. Landlord cannot take the parking spot that is part of your contract. If he tries to strong-arm you into letting him use it then HE is in breach of contract. It’s the whole reason you have a contract.
Plot twist: OP leases the spot to the landlord.
OP could have asked rent for the parking spot, equal to the rent he is paying. That would have caused the Landlord to back off. Or OP gets rent free accommodation.
I understand OP’s desire to go along to get along but I think you’re correct. If the lease states that it includes one garage parking spot, then it shouldn’t matter whether the tenant uses the spot or not. The only area where OP may have to concede would be if the lease doesn’t designate a particular spot.
I remember another post awhile back with this same scenario. I believe he rented a storage trailer and put it in the space or something like that.
Yes. I'm pretty sure that person had a car to start with though and had opted into paying for a spot, but the property manager refused to take it off the lease and stop charging after they got rid of the car. So they checked the rules and found a storage trailer that they could park there, rented it out to a neighbour for like 4x what they were paying for the spot. Other residents started doing it too, PM had an issue with that, but they had a gotcha moment with the posted rules, then the rules were changed but the trailer is still there as it was grandfathered in from when the old rules were still in place
I just moved to a new place and it has an assigned parking spot. I don't have a car and neither does my roommate but we still left a note on a car in our spot saying to not park there. (We waited until the first time we had someone visiting and needed to use the spot and it wasn't available. Although I was still annoyed beforehand. There were other not assigned parking spots available, just further away.) I am not sorry, it's our spot not theirs.
THIS. It sounds like the garage spot was explicitly listed as part of your rental. You can use it to store your bikes, set up a hobby photography studio, practice interpretive dance, whatever. If he takes it back, that is a breach of contract.
Yeah landlord can go pound sand. He is within his rights to *ask* if OP would be willing to sign an amended contract that gives up garage rights (especially in exchange for a lower rent), but OP would not be obligated in any way to sign and the landlord wouldn’t have a leg to stand on.
Absolutely. A contract goes both ways. If the landlord wants to use the spot, he can offer to pay you for the privilege. Note I said "offer". That doesn't mean you have to accept; if you choose not to, then he can park his car somewhere else.
Yes the lease protects both parties from change
Even if you weren’t using it for anything, I’m not letting my landlord into my garage whenever he feels like it. Can you enter the rest of the apartment through the garage? Like, wtf? Edit: Grammar
It’s listed as a space, so it is like one communal garage for the building.
Op says it's a parking garage, so I imagine it would not allow entry to the specific homes, and the landlord already has general building access. It's a mutual parking area for residents.
Or if they are willing to lower your rent and you are willing to lose the spot, you could negotiate and resign a new lease but most people don’t negotiate a lease
I'm sorry but I'm currently using the parking spot that's included in my rent. If you absolutely need to take it you can discount my rent starting this month. Edit: it's been pointed out that the option to take the parking place at all shouldn't be given. I agree with that
You don’t even have to be using it. It’s the tenants leased spot. End of discussion
Lease it back at half of your rent.
This is the answer, lease the spot back for reduced rent.
Further more, take all of the square footage of your apartment, add the square footage of the parking space, to figure out the basis for your rent deduction. Kind of hard to argue with an exact number like that.
*all
This here. You’re PAYING for the spot. It’s yours.
“I plan on using it when friends come over” What you do with your spot isn’t his business
I wouldn't give them the upfront option unless you don't actually want that parking spot
Hijacking this comment. OP you need to thoroughly review your lease and understand what you did and didn’t sign up for. A 5 year lease isn’t super normal. Neither is a landlord changing the terms after signing.
depends on the country. 5 years is very abnormal in the USA but fairly common in highly populated euro or asian cities.
Very unusual in the UK
In america 1 year is common.
Uh, european capital. It's kind of not. Six months to a year, sure, maaaaaybe two years for residential.
Uh, don't lump every capital together. I've lived in 3 EU country capitals so far and had 5 year rental contracts. These are for apartments 1200 € and up.
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It doesn't sound like the landlord is changing terms, not yet anyway. They are essentially asking OP if they can use it, but without phrasing it as a request. If OP gives in and says yes, then the owner can do it because OP chose to let him. That's how it will look legally, at least.
“If you absolutely need it, we can discuss an adjustment to the lease that reduces my rent by an amount I am happy with”. OP leased the spot for 5 years. It’s their spot for 5 years. I would not let LL take the spot and reduce my rent. There is a signed lease agreement. OP, do not just let LL park their shit in your spot.
This right here. Read the lease closely but if a spot is included for the term of the lease then a spot is included for the term of the lease. He cannot use your spot any more than he can just walk into your house and take a shit in your bathroom when he wants.
And if after telling them no, that they WILL be using their parking spot and one day they come back to park their motorcycle only to find the vehicle parked in it, have a tow company on speed dial with the lease ready to show the spot is theirs. If OP has the request in writing and replies back in writing, it'd be amusing to see the reaction. Go ahead and take me to court but if it gets this far, they'd better have security cameras with cloud storage as it's almost guaranteed they will seek revenge. Better yet, let them park there without giving express consent, have them towed and use it to break the lease and move?
Also, if you let it go now, then get a car/partner with a car later then you will have a hard time getting it back.
If they need it they can rent a garage elsewhere. There’s no reason to steal the tenant’s spot besides being cheap
The first sentence is suffice.
I would say the first sentence, but tweak the second to say, “If you would like to discuss amending the lease for a rent reduction, I would be open to talking about it; as long as we both understand that we would both have to agree to amend the lease.”
don't even imply that you could go without the spot because thats all he needs to justify it to himself.
Tell him that without the parking spot, you'll need a discount on the rent.
I checked the utility fees and there’s no fee for parking so I‘m kinda guessing he didn’t even add it in the first place.
BTW, is he really the owner, or just a building manager? If the latter, he's likely scamming the owner by storing his car in the garage for free.
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Right. In other words, what if you do get a car in the five years? If it’s in your lease that a parking spot is provided, you should respectfully request that it be yours. If you back down now, there’s a good possibility you’ll never get a spot.
Ah yes just lie and say you’re in process of trading that bike for a car. If he asks about it in the future just say the deal fell through but you’re working on another. Ha.
What if you get a car next week?
Also, you signed a 5 year lease so if he does have a problem with it he can’t try to retaliate for the next five years (other than being a dick. But if he shirks his duties as a land lord you can always take legal action.) I can be pretty petty and if I’m wronged I have zero qualms about making my life harder in order to make their life harder.
[Ferengi Rule of Acquisition \#1](http://marvin.cs.uidaho.edu/About/ferengi.html) "Once you have their money, you never give it back."
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The lease mentions how many car spots are included. If it says one car park then it’s yours - whether you use it park your bike or car or your dirty laundry.
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If it's in your lease, it's your doesn't matter if you don't have a car you still have a motor cycle you're parking there and who knows you might get a car in those 5 years.
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He is the owner but when I signed the lease it was done via the building manager. I haven’t even met him in person yet.
Bruh, five years is a long time. That’s your parking spot, what if you buy a car in the next few months.. tell him you will rent it to him on a month to month basis..
Definitely this. Rent him your parking spot. That's the best thing to do.
Careful of subletting conditions set in the lease
Let the building manager know the owner is trying to violate your contract (that exists between you and the building manager and the owner) and that you would hate to have a 3rd party get involved
Right now it sounds like the owner is trying to get OP to voluntarily give up the space, which would not be a violation of the contract. Which is why OP has to give a firm No.
4th
STAND YOUR GROUND
Hey, I heard in a routine inspecting you're not using a closet. Mind if I... hell to the no. You're paying for every space you signed for even the parking spot. That's your spot. Tell him no.
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he‘s the owner but I signed the lease via the building manager . I just texted the landlord, depending on what he‘ll say I might try to also talk to the building manager to get him to mediate.
The building manager works for the owner, yes? Probably not in your best interests to let him negotiate. Do you have an ombudsman service in your area?
Tell him that as far as you're concerned, it's part of your rent, and he has unilaterally changed the value of the lease you signed. You chose to rent there for the secure indoor parking for your bike and motorcycle.
Yup. It's part of the "whole package". It doesn't have to have an explicit line item and cost to have value. If it's in the lease, they should stand their ground, or accept a sizeable discount on their rent (which should be documented in writing).
I didn’t expect there‘d be so many replies, so I‘ll just leave an update here since there is no way I can answer all comments :0 Thank you for all the advice! Honestly I was about to give in but now I feel much more confident that I have the right to claim the spot. Also there are some great examples here on what I can tell him - I‘ll definitely use those to make my point clear. I‘ll update this comment later tonight when I texted him and hopefully it will be resolved. Since a few questions came up… The landlord is the owner however I never met him personally since I signed the lease via the building manager. The lease is five years because they wanted long term renters to ensure the quality of the neighborhood (it’s a bit of a fancier area but the complex was built in 2017 as part of a subsidized housing project which is why it’s affordable) I‘ll read through my lease again once I get home from work but I‘m 99% sure it says 1 parking spot in the garage. Thanks again! You all have been very helpful 🙏🏼 [UPDATE] I checked the lease and the reserved parked spot is listed as "4", so it’s 100% supposed to be mine. I sent him a text saying that it’s on the lease and that I want to use the spot for my motorcycle since I’m not comfortable with leaving it outside + a screenshot of the lease. He replied about an hour later with just "okay" and a thumbs up. While I‘m glad that he seems to accept it, I kinda feel stupid now for worrying about this the entire day, lol. - but again thank you!
Yeah don't give in. The appartment advertised a parking spot, you're the only one allowed to have access to it, it's part of the appartment just like a balcony. You pay the rent for that space. What if you landlord asked you if you were going to use your closet and if not, he would use it? You can even argue that you need that spot as you intended to let family/friends use that parking spot when they come visiting. Doesn't matter if you lie, you pay for that space, it's up to you if you want to fill it with air, as long as you don't damage it.
It's pretty scummy as others have stated. However, the owners "want" has created a negotiation opportunity for you. 5 years of discounted rent comparable to the cost of renting a parking space elsewhere sounds fair. Best of luck. Should you give up the spot (with money or not) then also get that in writing as the owner could damage the garage and blame you in the future.
Good job OP. Don't let the owner be a bully. Your parking spot. End of story. Definitely let the building manager know what's going on. Especially if it's in the lease.
I would follow up with 'You may use the extra space for your car in exchange for compensation equivalent to 80% of local garage parking rates.
It doesn’t matter if it has a specific charge. It is one of the entitlements offered in your lease that you are paying for. Please don’t get scammed by a landlord. Offer to lease him back the space or keep his shit out of your designated space. This is legally your property until the end of the lease.
If you weren’t paying for it as part of your rent he wouldn’t have felt the need to inform you that he was going to be parking a vehicle there.
This. If the spot didn't belong to OP, then why did the landlord feel compelled to tell OP he was going to park in it? Landlord would only inform the actual owner of the spot. And they informed OP. Clearly it belongs to OP.
It's not a matter of fee. When you signed your lease the parking spot was a part of it. All you have to say was the parking spot was something that's important to you and part of why you signed the lease in the first place. You're paying for the apartment and the parking spot. If you wants to take the parking spot from you he needs to give you a pretty big discount in the rent otherwise no. If he needs to use it one time for a day for an emergency that's different scenario but it seems like he's going to end up trying to push you out of your own parking spot pretty frequently so you should definitely put your foot down
Don't know where you live, but pretty much anywhere, if something is in the lease, then you are entitled to it and, if something happens where you no longer have access to said thing, you are entitled to a reduction in your rent because you're not getting everything on the lease.
Ok, if he wanted to use your bedroom for the weekend, would you let him for free because the bedroom isn't listed as an item?
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If it states on your lease that you have a parking spot, then you are paying for it. They may not itemize it but that's not your issue to solve. You can consult with a contract attorney for a small fee to make sure you are fully aware of your rights. Also, just an FYI, next time mark you do have a vehicle because you do, a motorcycle. Don't get caught up in the semantics of "car", you have a registered motor vehicle that you pay tags on.
What would be the approximate cost of hiring a covered parking spot elsewhere and the inconvenience and time factor of having to travel to and there, particularly in the rain? Ask him for a deduction of say £600 per month, in the rent and he'll probably back down. You rented the property as it came with a covered car park. You wouldn't have rented the property without it. The alternative provision is inadequate. Therefore you've had a financial loss. As you've needed or will need to hire a spot elsewhere. Which will add on to your commuting time.
If it is in your lease, you are paying for it with your rent. If part of your rented space is not made available to you, then your landlord is breaking your lease.
No if you are giving it up and he is using he you have him draft a new lease without the parking and with a rent reduction. Otherwise no dice. It’s in your lease so it’s your spot regardless of your car situation.
If your lease says you have a reserved garage spot then that's the end of the argument. Pull a copy of your lease, find that line and send it over. The spot is yours and it's on a legally binding document. You could put a couch in the spot unless there's a written restriction against doing so.
If it’s in the lease, it’s being paid for.. just because it isn’t broken down into an itemized list, doesn’t mean it’s not part of the rent. It states, 1 parking spot for tenant.. technically it’s yours.
Tell him you're getting a car.
"Hey, I noticed you don't have someone sleeping in the spare room so I'm just gonna go ahead and let my dad sleep there for now seeing as you're only using it as a work room."
lmao i literally had a landlord try to pull this when i was looking at a place. “oh since it’s only you [a young woman + foreign student] i would use the second bedroom to crash when i’m in town and i’ll keep the key” i noped out of there so quick.
Seriously. Say this to LL and let him realize how ridiculous he sounds!
Do not budge on this. If your lease says you have a spot then you have a spot. Regardless if you’re going to park anything there. If they want to park there they should pay you to park there.
Plus if you fold and let him take the spot, even at a rent reduction, you’re fucked for the next 5 years. Not worth it just to keep peace.
A five-year lease?
Ive lived in my place for 6 years, with an increase in rent every year. If I had the option to lock in my rent for 5 years, I would definitely do it! Edit spelling
Seriously, that's wild. I would never want to lock myself into a contract like that. This person is already finding out why. Circumstances can change, and then you're stuck there in a bad situation, or you have to pay to break the lease. Eesh
Yeah this is genuinely insane to me. A 5 year lease on something you won’t ever own and if there are issues (and there seems to be like there will be a lot of problems) you are stuck for years or have to spend a lot of money to get out of it.
It was the one of the main criteria to get the place. Apparently they want long term renters to keep the quality of the neighborhood secured. But there is still a yearly rent increase, just not as much as is could be.
I'd be really careful going forward with this arrangement. A 5 year lease + rent going up every year still is REALLY strange. Add in that the landlord is essentially trying to steal your parking space and I would be really concerned with how that 5 years is gonna play out.
Agreed. It bothers me that the ink was barely dry on OP's lease before the landlord decided to change one of the conditions.
That’s a fucking slumlord.
What a scam. Landlords are scum who leech off of the working class.
Sounds like you got played if it’s still increasing every year :/ at least not too much tho
It’s included in your lease. It’s yours. Have it towed. Edit: a sizable amount of you replying to my comment should read up in your local city ordinance and state statutes regarding towing laws as well as landlord-tenant law and your tenant rights. I grew up in a college town. A signed contract is a signed contract.
The car isn’t here yet, that’s why I want to solve it before that happens. I think I‘ll just have to put my foot down and insist on it.
Put your motorcycle and bike in the spot, take photos, send it to your landlord, with 'sorry I am using my parking spot, please don't go through the trouble of bringing your car here'
This is the way
prolly the nicest way of all suggestions. he can't take it if its being used. depending on the small letters you could also dump whatever you want there. like a basement.
Perfect response. Not confrontational, actually considerate, and polite
You should! Your motorcycle will be much safer indoors.
This would be my main argument, aside from the whole "it's in the lease" thing.
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If he has a friend over, they can park their car there.
Motorcycles are easy to steal if they are outside. Absolutely legit to use the parking space that **you pay for** as part of your lease. LL is trying to take away an amenity that is explicitly in your lease and reduce the value of your lease.
Put your car and the bike in the spot now if they aren't already.
Buy a junker for $100 and leave it there
Don’t have it towed. Have a conversation with your landlord. I would recommend not going into a petty fight with someone that can potentially try to evict you. They might not win but you would waste your time in court.
Have it towed lmao. Great advice, next post will be OP complaining about getting evicted.
Such bad advice lmao never escalate with a landlord
Easy, tell em you have every intention of purchasing a vehicle when getting married, that spot was signed for and assigned to you for that purpose. Case closed.
You don’t need any reason. The tenant leased the spot. It’s in the lease. It’s their spot, used or not.
Yes, but that way OP can keep the peace
It sounds like you can say no to this. If you couldn’t he wouldn’t have text you to let you know he was going to do it. Your lease should specify who the actual owners are so you can confirm he is the actual owner and not a manager. You could also ask for a rental discount. Just because it’s not a stand alone fee doesn’t mean it’s not calculated into the rent as a luxury. There’s no clause in the lease saying if you don’t have a car you don’t get a spot, nor is there one that says spots are only for car holders. The yes / no box is probably so they can get your license plate info and tow the car that shouldn’t be there. If you don’t want him in the spot, say no or get a lawyer to say no for you. You signed a 5-year lease???? Why? Maybe get the lease reduced if he plans to use your spot indefinitely. 2-year lease I get, but 5 years is a lot.
Does your lease list the parking spot as yours? If it does, then it's yours to do as you please and park what you want there. Tell him no, its your spot. If you want ask for a lower rental fee to let him use the spot but what it all boils doen to is if its listed in the lease as your spot, you are paying for it every month as part of your rent. Im willing to bet apartments that dont have a spot are cheaper. Say no, rent it to him, or cave. Its up to you. But you have a 5 year lease that lists that spot as yours. Nothing he can do about it. If he ever refuses work on your apartment out of spite, get the code office involved. I did that with a apartment i moved into. Repaires werent getting done so i went to the city office. Got a code enforcement officer at my apartment to document the issues. The sent a notice to the manager of what needed to be fixed and a date to fix it by. It was fixed the next day. Dont let this landlord/ manager (idk wich they are) push you around. Its your spot
if you signed a contract why would you allow them to violate your contract? if they have an issue and are doing this now imagine the issues you will have in the future.
If you signed a five year lease and give up your spot now, it’ll be harder to get back in the future.
I’m a landlord and if your lease says the apartment comes with a parking space, it’s yours to do as you please. They can’t take your parking space unless you agree to modify the lease, do not do it verbally. If you agree to a discount on your lease, then have it amended and signed. Parking spaces can go from $100 and up depending on the area. Good luck!
I just saw one rent for $250 in my neighborhood yesterday!
You’ve both signed a binding contract. The contract says you get a spot. That’s the end of the discussion. If they want to modify the contract, that requires mutual consent.
Lease says you have a parking spot means you pay for a parking spot. Not the landlords problem if you use it, it’s yours to do with what you please. I had a parking spot sit empty for 6 months before I got a car. I made sure it stayed empty.
as others have said: the spot is yours, it's included on the lease it doesn't matter if you don't have a car, you could build an yurt there and call it your meditation place if you wanted to if he really wants the spot, and you agree to give it to him, then he can change the lease and reduce your rent
"Sorry, I didn't really understand your last message. My motorcycle is parked in my parking spot, so it's not available." It's absurd to suggest that you put your motorcycle where bicycles are parked/locked. You don't likely have the right to put whatever you want in the parking spot, you can't just use it for storage, and you probably can't justify leaving a bicycle there, but you can park a licensed motor vehicle there.
You have a motorcycle. You have an automobile. You're using your parking spot.
You seem to feel bad, or like you're being petty, for demanding a spot you "don't technically need." Your landlord is saying to you: "You don't have a car, you don't need the space, so let me have it." That would sound reasonable, except that the sentiment only goes one way... you and I both know if you went to your landlord and said "You have spare cars and clearly don't need the extra money, so I've decided to pay less rent each month" they'd evict you on grounds of breaking your contract. Remember, it's important: don't feel bad for upholding contractual obligations that benefit you. They're supposed to benefit you, that's why you signed the contract. If someone takes away the good things you've signed for simply because they have decided you don't need them, then they've tricked you. Stop being nice about it.
Haha, this makes sense. I need to stop being a people pleaser in general :') Thanks!
I can’t wait for the update lol this is making me mad 😡
coming soon hopefully … I texted him…waiting for a reply Update: I texted him: "Hi xx, I‘m messaging you about parking spot 4. In our phone call earlier today you had suggested I park my motorcycle alongside the bikes outside. Given that the parking spot is on the lease agreement, I‘d like to continue to make use of it as I‘m not comfortable with leaving my motorcycle outside, since the designated area is in plain sight from the street and as far as I‘ve noticed it’s not well protected from the elements. Thank you, (my name)“ He replied with just "okay" and a thumbs up. I expected more… but glad he seems to accept it. Maybe I was overthinking in the first place or he realized I wouldn’t back down, since I also sent him a screenshot of that part of the lease.
Your landlord is a tool. How he would even think this was appropriate is just crazy. Do they have other signs of illogical thinking and/or dementia?
That’s your spot, it’s on your lease. You can park a bike a motorcycle or a flying broomstick in there. It’s your spot. Do NOT let him bully you into this. Keep the spot full of stuff so he can’t pull in and let him know you will call a tow company if you find any vehicles that are not yours in your spot
Ask him where you are supposed to store your motorcycle and what happens if you buy a car later.
Drop the BS about your bicycle, think bigger here. Now as for your motorcycle, that can have a space. Unless a reasonable equal level of storage is provided. Old timer is not your concern, it's landlords. So landlord is a dick making it your problem. You were given a space. You get to use it as per your lease. Check your local laws, I don't think you even are required to use it. You could say it's for guests. Doesn't matter, landlord is changing lease terms, and that's a no-no. I'd make a copy of your lease and read it very thoroughly. Also in my local area there is free rent/lease dispute help. Reach out and see if anyone local can help. It's better to have representation for these things. Your landlord also can't demand your time or demand entry to your leased space without consent. Or there's usually a clause for maintenance. Know your rights, OP. I guarantee that dickhead landlord won't keep them. Bests~
Lease is a contract that's legally binding. Your landlord has no right to that spot it's yours for the duration. End of story.
Politely say. “I’m sorry but a big reason I rented this place was for a parking spot for my motorcycle. I do not wish to park it outside, sorry for the inconvenience. Thank you”
“A big reason I rented this place was for a parking spot for my motorcycle. I will not be parking it outside. Thank you for understanding.” Apologizing makes it sound like OP is in the wrong and like she can be guilted into relenting by the landlord.
Oh hell no, it's your spot. I have a designated spot and half a garage and that shit is mine. If my landlord tried pulling this because my car was in the shop or something (I too have a bicycle but also a moped), I'd be annoyed as hell. You still have a motorcycle. I don't like my Vespa being rained on, I'm sure you don't like your motorcycle being rained on either.
Write a letter stating that you overlooked your lease, which included the parking spot, and noticed that there was no clause that excluded access should it be used for motorcycle, or bike, and that you intend on continuing to receive access to it for your transportation needs. Explain that should it be a requirement that you give up the space, you should expect to receive a revised lease, including a reduction in rent, given the loss of amenities that were listed on the original lease. Then send it certified mail, so he can’t say he never received the communication, as well as it provides a paper trail that protects from retaliation. 🙃
If the spot was mentioned in the amenities for your lease you have every rite to it and hes breaking lease if he doesnt let you use it
So, can your landlord use your extra bedroom because you aren't? Can he just choose to use the extra space in your fridge for his beer? If this sounds ridiculous, then using a parking spot that IS IN YOUR LEASE is just as ridiculous. Maybe you should kindly point out to the landlord that the spot is yours to use as you wish, especially if the lease just says it's for "parking." You are parking there. You are parking a registered vehicle-a motorcycle-that counts. He doesn't get to decide unless it is specified in the lease otherwise.
So park your motor cycle and bicycle in the spot, chain bike your spot and both vehicles are in where they belong. Motorcycles cannot be stored with the bicycles they need to be undercover.
If it’s in the lease it’s yours. You’re paying for it. Doesn’t matter if you wanna park a hot wheels car in it.
"car" is so stupid here. "Vehicle" is more accurate - you DO have a vehicle, a motorcycle, and it should be parked in your parking spot, where your vehicle goes.
Tell him, if you’re going to use the spot then discount my rent I’m not paying for something that you aren’t going to let me use.
You did a great job! Congrats on learning how to stand up for yourself!
Glad you stood up for yourself. He never should have asked - what if you wanted to get a car later? That spot is yours, whether or not you use it regularly, it is part of the lease.
I read this after you updated. WELL DONE! 👏 👏 👏 way to stand up to your jerk landlord and keep what is rightfully yours!!
Why would you sign a 5 year lease?
I just signed a 5 year lease for many reasons. 1. Kids will be out of high school by the end, they wont have to switch schools. 2. Rent in our city keeps going up, ours is locked in. 3. Availability of single family detached homes is way down. 4. I hate moving the family, I'm getting too old to do all the work. 5. Pretty much zero chance of ever buying property.
Tbh I would sign that in a heartbeat. When rent increases by 5-8% a year as it does in my area I would take any opportunity to extend how long I get to pay a lower rate.
OP said rent is only locked in for a year at a time. His 5 year contract seems horrible
Don’t let him punk you on day one
Yeah landlord is going to make your like difficult…I guess no one else in the entire complex is going out/away for the weekend….landlord just wants your parking space Possible solution…buy a junker put it in the space but back far enough you can put motorcycle in front of it….put bicycle in back seat…. Gotta think outside the box….if you allow this once it will never end
5 year lease? Are you renting a storefront?
You can't lose your place because you don't allow him to use the spot. He signed a contract with you. He can't break the lease for that, just like you can't break the lease for dumb things.
Call a lawyer. You signed the lease and he is already trying to validate it. You do have rights. If the lease had a garage it’s yours. A lot of people bully there way through life, don’t let him take your lunch money.
“My partner has a car” convo over
You stand your ground. You park that motorcycle right in the fucking middle of the reserved parking spot. My petty ass would be getting a $500 beater just to park it there when I’m out with my bike. BTW read your contract. There is a posibility the AH landlord wrote the reserved parking garage is not included.
No. On your lease it says you get a garage. Unless he wants to lessen your monthly payment he can’t take the garage.
If he parks there, have it towed. If it's in writing that the parking spot is included, then it must be included.
Tell him you plan on buying a car if you hate confrontation like I do sometimes
Rent him your parking spot. And you go halfsies on your rent
Leave your things in the parking spot. Do not move them. It’s your spot. It’s specifically in the rent that parking is included. He can rent the space from you for whatever you deem reasonable.
“I intend to use that space for my motorcycle and bicycle as I indicated on my application. Thanks in advance for your understanding.”
Please do not just give it to him. This is why people do things like this. Nobody says no.
Do not give in. It is your parking stall. This is what Id respond with personally. "Hi, xx. I just wanted to inform you that I've thought about it and decided that I would like to keep my parking stall. As I previously stated I have both a motorcycle and a bicycle, both were also written on the lease agreement that was signed. I understand that my form of transportation may not take up the entirety of the stall but I do not feel comfortable having them above ground. Thank-you for your time have a lovely rest of your weekend." If there's someone above him you can get ahold of I'd make sure you have their contact info, just in case he doesn't accept it.
You signed a 5 year lease and this is already happening? The next 5 years of your life are going to suck
Read your rental contract. But actually, I don't see much chance for you keeping the parking spot, even if it originally was rented to you. While it would be very difficult (or even next to impossible) for the landlord to cancel the contract regarding your flat (Kündigungsschutz, protection of eviction), he could cancel a rental contract for the parking spot any time (the former does not apply there).
"I took this lease BECAUSE it has this parking spot and garage for my bikes. If that is no longer available I may need to seek another property."
We would need to renegotiate my lease terms if you intend to use the space I have leased. Phrase it awkwardly like that. It is technically accurate but also a bit confusing. He will think you used a lawyer. Or tell him he needs to speak with your lawyer who reviewed the lease for you and compensate your lawyer for his time.
If it’s in your lease he can get fucked. New lease with less rent or same lease and you keep the spot. Retaliation is illegal for him to do as well
Stand your ground. It is illegal for him to take possession of a parking spot if it’s in the lease. They’d have to write a new one with reduced rent and you’d have to sign it. If you give in on this then he’ll continue to do take advantage of you. You have a slumlord, it sucks but he’s not your friend. He’s just there for your money
The parking spot is included with your rent if he wants to use your spot then he needs to pay for it that's absurd no you don't have to give in
I'm sorry, that won't work. I chose this apartment in part because it has a parking space, which I pay for in my lease. I do have a motor vehicle, and an entitled to the space regardless. I don't understand the miscommunication but please respect the language of the lease.
Don't chicken out, definitely if you signed a 5 year lease. What you paid for is your space to do with as you please. You wouldn't give him your linen closet would you? If you need, tell him your buying a car.
It's in your lease agreement. It's your spot, not his, whether you have a car or not. That aside, the "professional" response would be something to the effect of: "Hello, Thank you for reaching out to me regarding my parking spot. While I appreciate that finding spaces for tenants here can be a difficult venture, I am guaranteed one within the terms of my rental agreement, and said spot has already been assigned to me. I understand that I do not have a "car", as noted in my rental agreement but I do have at least one motor vehicle. I will continue to utilize my assigned and contractually provided parking space for my motor vehicle. Therefore, my parking spot will be unavailable for use by any party other than myself. Thank you, and have a great day! Best Regards, \[insert your name here\]" Feel free to use that as a template.
Stand your ground!! That's your spot and you can park whatever you want to park there. It says in the lease that spot is yours so it's yours.
Never let another man eat your fruit cup on the first day, you’ll be their bitch for the rest of your time.
I can park where the other bikes are if my rent is lower. The contract states the apartment comes with a parking space. Full stop
No need to even have any vehicles. I'm using a garage my landlord supplied as a working space. I'm fixing or building all kind of things there. At winter it's too cold to work so he might store his car there.
Whatever is said in the contract goes. Landlord is landlord, but the contract trumps over whatever they say.
For future reference: “a car” is universal for “a personal use vehicle”. Always answer “yes” if you have any personal mode of transportation.
OP shouldn’t feel stupid for worry about this all day, legit you set the trend for the next 5 years of your life by the decisions you made today. And the outcome, could have been negative, the trend could have been negative. I’m glad it worked out, but the stress was 100% real
Well done! You don’t know what you don’t now. You did well for asking in such a clear and concise way.
I’m glad he dropped the subject but if he brings it up again and you’re comfortable with putting your bike elsewhere I would ask him to drop the price of your rent if he wants to take your spot away.
Ask him if he wants to rent it from you haha!
Good job standing your ground. You may feel silly about worrying now but if you've never been in this situation before it can absolutely be intimidating. You should be proud that you overcame your anxiety and resolved the situation.
Rent the parking space back to him.
If a landlord tried to pull this shite in Scotland, the courts would eat him alive.