Illegally parked cars on your own property — what you’re allowed to do

On your private property you have the right of domicile. That means: you may have other people’s vehicles removed if they are parked there without authorisation.

Important: you may not drive the vehicle away yourself or damage it. You have to hire a towing service, and that service must document that the vehicle is parked without authorisation.

On public roads only the police or the public order office may have vehicles removed. If someone parks in front of your driveway (but on the road), you have to call the police.

On your private property (underground car park, courtyard, parking space) you may hire a towing service yourself.

1. Check whether the vehicle really is parked without authorisation. Sometimes a neighbour has a visitor who parks in the wrong spot by mistake.

2. Document it: take photos of the vehicle, the number plate and the parking situation. Note the date and time.

3. Hire a towing service. We document the situation, inform the relevant authority and tow the vehicle away.

4. The person parked illegally bears the costs. You pay first but can claim it back.

You as the owner. Your manager. Your property management company. Anyone who holds the right of domicile or has been authorised.

For homeowners’ associations: the association’s rules usually govern who may hire towing services. Often it’s the manager.

If you regularly have problems with illegal parking, put up a sign: “Private parking — parking only for authorised users — unauthorised parked vehicles will be towed at the owner’s expense.”

The sign has to be clearly visible. If it’s there, illegal parkers have no more excuses.

We document the situation with photos and a record. We inform the relevant police station so that the vehicle is registered. We tow the vehicle to a secure holding location.

The person parked illegally gets a notice of where their vehicle is and must pay the costs before they get it back.