Estate agents in leafy SW19, the Wimbledon area of London, have been accused of abusing a local council’s parking system after it was claimed that they had more permits than allowed.
But one agent picked out as an offender has denied the charges.
It said that in one area, six businesses owned more than two permits – one a private school, another a software solution and the remaining four were estate agents. Merton Council is only supposed to issue more than two permits if a company can prove they are essential for business.
The council meeting heard that the four agents were: Foxtons, Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward, Lauristons and Brinkleys.
The meeting was told that KFH has four members of staff but has 11 permits in one ward alone.
The council is planning to introduce new trade car parking permits at £900 a year, compared to the present charge of £752.
Councillors were told that there were residents unable to park anywhere near their homes, despite having a residents’ permit.
A spokesperson for KFH said: “We have 12 parking permits in total for members of staff from our Wimbledon sales and lettings branch situated on Wimbledon Hill Road and for members from head office which is based on Compton Road.
“We have over 150 staff based in Wimbledon and the permits are allocated to named drivers only.”
Comments
To all estate agents (useless middle men)
get green and use push bikes.
Yawn, it's the same everywhere where us poor agents with sign-written cars get accused of stealing all of the residents' spaces.
What people don't realise that storm into my office complaining is that there are 12 other agents on the high street with 5 members of staff each which park on their road as well, they jut didn't realise as the cars weren't branded.
Solution: no more branding and the complaints magically disappeared...
looks like a busy news day .........
How to justify a 20% hike in parking permit fees.