 The
homes in townhouse developments and other gated communities usually all
have their own garages or carports, but there is often also a demand for
additional permanent parking or storage areas for trailers, bikes, boats
and caravans.
And because there is usually not enough space to create an extra parking
bay or storage unit for each household and still have enough parking for
visitors, the issue can become quite thorny for the body corporate or
home owners' association (HOA).
However, the HOA can resolve the issue by passing a resolution that no-one
may have exclusive use of any limited common amenity (such as the spare
parking bays in the estate) unless they pay rent to the HOA, which will
then be used to help keep everyone's monthly assessments or levies down.
It is recommended that the rentals charged should be based on local parking
and storage rates, and that the spaces should be leased and paid for annually
to reduce bookkeeping and ensure a steady income stream for the HOA.
In addition, multiple rentals by one owner should not be allowed unless
supply should for some reason exceed demand, and then only if the HOA
reserves the right to review the situation annually.
The HOA should also be very wary of renting parking or storage space
to non-residents. Security could easily be compromised by doing so and
besides, the HOA would have little or no recourse against non-residents
who defaulted on rent or perhaps damaged common property.
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Newsletter:
25 May 2012 2012 to 1 June 2012 - Dullstroom, Mpumalanga, South Africa
