Parking space issues are a common phenomenon in multifamily properties. Owners often receive complaints from tenants regarding insufficient space, unauthorized parking, unmarked spaces, and violation of parking rules.
The situation can become a source of serious conflict between owners and tenants or among tenants themselves. Although frequent parking issues are unavoidable while renting multifamily apartments, enforcing strong policies can considerably reduce the problems.
Here are some best practices for managing parking at your Norfolk multifamily apartments.
Outline a Detailed Parking Policy in the Lease Agreement
A comprehensive lease agreement with detailed rules for your multifamily property eliminates the scope for miscommunication to a great extent. You can draft an explicit lease policy by including the following:
- Process for registering vehicles
- Number of vehicles allowed per unit
- Penalties for violating parking policies
- Liability for vehicle damage and theft
- Who will be responsible for towing costs?
Rigorous enforcement of the agreed-upon policy will allow you to smoothly manage parking issues in your Norfolk multifamily property.
Have Designated Guest Parking Areas
Designated guest parking is preferred in multifamily apartments as there is limited space in multifamily properties and it is difficult to provide extra space for visitors' vehicles in the lot.
A good idea is to keep the guest parking separate from that of the residents. You can provide limited slots for short-term visitors, within the rental premises. Landlords can also charge for the guest parking facilities.
Also, consider having a check-in and check-out register for guest vehicles and providing a dated guest pass. This helps you keep track of any potential misuse of parking space and is good for security too. Also, set up display signs clearly showing allotted guest areas to avoid confusion.
Have Towing Policies
Illegally parked vehicles or vehicles that obstruct traffic are often towed away. Landlords should, therefore, add a clear outline of a towing policy within the lease agreement. It should include,
- Causes for towing vehicles
- Landlords' right for towing vehicles
- Who is responsible for towing costs
- How many times tenants will be warned before a vehicle gets towed away
- How tenants will be informed about towed vehicles
Landlords can send emails to every tenant or put a clear notice on the board in common areas to reduce persistent parking problems in Norfolk multifamily properties.
Use Proper Parking Signs
Putting up parking signs aids in better organization of vehicles. It also helps in keeping your area clean, safe, and orderly. Here are some important signs you should display in your Norfolk multifamily property.
- Parking Lot Property Signs
- Fire Lane Signs
- Parking Prohibited Signs
- Guest Parking Signs
- Directional Parking Signs
- Entrance and Exit Signs
- Stop Signs
Issue Parking Stickers and Hang Tags
Landlords can issue permit stickers and hang tags to regulate parking in their Norfolk property. They can be customized as per your requirements and are fairly durable. The stickers can be easily put on vehicles.
The hangtags, on the other hand, can be simply hung on the rearview mirror and are transferable from one vehicle to another. It can stop tenants from using guest parking spaces.
Parking-related issues vary in different locations. For example, suburban areas have more options when it comes to parking spaces and rules for tenants due to the availability of space as compared to cities. The concerns must, therefore, be dealt with accordingly.
At Doud Realty Services, our experienced property managers can help you take all the required measures to effectively manage parking in your Norfolk multifamily property. Connect with us at Doud Realty Services for more information.