{"id":470721,"date":"2026-02-10T14:08:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T14:08:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/470721\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T14:08:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T14:08:11","slug":"polite-note-on-car-outside-aussie-home-exposes-entitled-parking-act-cost-me-100000","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/470721\/","title":{"rendered":"Polite note on car outside Aussie home exposes ‘entitled’ parking act: ‘Cost me $100,000’"},"content":{"rendered":"

An Australian resident’s frustrating discovery after returning home<\/a> has highlighted what she says is an “entitled and rude” act taking place in shared parking areas across the country<\/a>.<\/p>\n

With limited parking spaces across Australian cities, it’s something authorities admit there is no quick fix for, prompting a plea for drivers to be “more considerate”<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Riah Matthews, a Yahoo staff member, came home to her Sydney apartment to discover a car obstructing access to her private parking spot<\/a> outside the building with a note hanging out the back <\/a>of the boot.<\/p>\n

“Please call me if you need me to move my car,” the note read with a phone number attached.<\/p>\n

While Matthews said the note is “polite”, it remains “really inconvenient” to have to phone someone simply to access your own parking space.<\/p>\n

“I’m sick of having to ask people not to park somewhere that is clearly obstructing our spot \u2014 it’s entitled and rude, but I also can’t find a way to stop them,” she said.<\/p>\n

“Having a parking spot cost me more than $100,000 during our home purchase, so it’s no small investment.”<\/p>\n

\"Riah<\/p>\n

Riah Matthews came home to find the car obstructing her parking space. Source: Yahoo News Australia<\/p>\n

What can be done to stop ‘inconsiderate’ drivers?<\/p>\n

Randwick City Council told Yahoo News there’s nothing the council can do from an enforcement perspective.<\/p>\n

Because it’s on private land, Riah would be required to either speak to the car’s owner or the strata committee, a spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

Criminal lawyer Hayder Shkara echoed this, explaining that because it’s “entirely within a strata complex”, it’s not a council issue.<\/p>\n

However, he argues the act can still be seen as unlawful.<\/p>\n

“In most strata schemes, blocking or interfering with another lot owner\u2019s parking space is a breach of strata by-laws and may also amount to trespass or an unreasonable interference with another owner\u2019s property rights,” he said.<\/p>\n

“Even if the car isn\u2019t fully blocking the space, creating a situation where the resident cannot reasonably access her allocated parking spot is usually enough to constitute a breach,” he said.<\/p>\n

Shkara argues the resident “shouldn’t be expected to call someone and wait to use her own parking space”.<\/p>\n

From a legal standpoint, he says residents can:<\/p>\n

Formally notify the strata manager or owners corporation in writing, with photos and dates showing repeated obstruction.<\/p>\n

Ask the owners’ corporation to issue a Notice to Comply to the offending resident or vehicle owner under the strata legislation.<\/p>\n

If the behaviour continues, the matter can be escalated to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which has the power to impose penalties and orders.<\/p>\n

After hearing the options available to her, Matthews described the situation as “frustrating”.<\/p>\n

“I know that strata rules are often ignored and management can be slow to react, so it’s not really a solution,” Matthews said.<\/p>\n

She has called on people to “be more considerate”.<\/p>\n

“Aussie drivers should generally be less entitled about where they park because it causes genuine inconvenience for people when they’re blocked in or out of their own spaces,” she said.<\/p>\n

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