Tenant Parking on Property Lot

[Arion D.]

Hello All, 

It is now 5 months that I own an 8 family rental in New Haven, CT.  My property layout is; each apartment gets a garage long enough for a storage room, and a car.  The property has a parking lot, where tenants park on, and there are junk vehicles parked on my lot. 2 tenants account for 5 junk vehicles. CT law does not allow cars that are junk to sit in a property lot. 

I have verbally told these 2 tenants to remove their cars a few months ago, and multiple times after that. However, nothing is happening. One tenant I have a signed lease clearly states, the apartment comes with one parking spot (being the garage). The other is a section 8 tenant, and he refuses to sign. I am dealing with HUD on this, separately.

My next step is to send a certified letter giving them a couple of weeks to remove the vehicles, or they will be towed at vehicle owners expense. In addition, I intend to make the parking lot by permit only (for a charge), and only those who have a permit can park, without it, you get towed. Keep in mind - they all have a one car garage. 

I am looking for some advice on how to form this letter, and the best ways to deliver it - Certified Mail is what I was considering. 

Any insight would be helpful. 

Thank you, 

Ari

[Michael Noto]

@Arion D. One way to handle this is to hire a tow company to monitor your property. 

Give all of the authorized vehicles that the tenants have a sticker to be put on their car, the tow company will provide these. 

Then instruct the tow company to tow any vehicle without a sticker on it because those vehicles are not authorized to be on the property. Put up a sign somewhere in the yard with a phone number so unauthorized vehicles can be reported and taken away. 

Doing it this way will drastically reduce your stress level and tow companies would be more than happy to do this for you. 

Someone’s car gets towed you just say “Someone must have reported you. I have nothing to do with it, call the tow company number on the sign to see where your car is.”

We do this for multiple apartment buildings that we own/manage in CT and we hardly get any calls about parking anymore because everything is very clear cut, they either have a sticker or they don’t.