Parking Space is Not For Sale

A number of citizens addressed the Provincial Protector of Citizens - Ombudsman (PPCO) with complaints pointing to the problem of purchase and selling of parking space, aka parking places in the yards or surrounding plots of apartment buildings. The complainants state that some of the flat owners claim their exclusive right to use the common parking space based on a purchase/sales contract for their flats which includes this space as well under the name of 'parking place'. Since there is always limited parking space in these buildings and far less 'parking places' than flats, most of the residents cannot park their vehicles in their yards even when there is free space to do it because it brings about conflicts with alleged 'owners' of the 'parking places'.

After a thorough insight into the regulations in force, the PPCO concluded that they regulate ownership only over garage space, which is specially designed and designated for vehicle parking. Other land, open, roofed or semi-covered space which is not a designated garage space could not be a subject of ownership and/or a contract relying on such basis.

Considering the fact that a parking space/place is not a special part of a building over which one can claim ownership or property rights, such space, in the sense of the Property Purchase Law, cannot be subject of sale or purchase. Therefore, the PPCO, according to its authority, would hereby like to inform the public that such contracts have no legal grounds and are invalid since they are contrary to the regulations in force.