Parked illegally? Woman charged $400 to have wheel clamp removed

After taking a pilates class in the vicinity, a woman returned to the car she had parked at a building in River Valley Road only to find that its wheel had been clamped.

The 29-year-old, who wanted to be known only as Ms Ong, received a shock, as she had only been gone for an hour and had gained access to the building's carpark after passing through a gantry.

To have the clamp removed from the wheel of her car, the 29-year-old was instructed through a slip issued by management corporation strata title (MCST) 325 - the Chiap Chuan Building’s management office - to pay $400.

Ms Ong said about the incident that took place on May 24 that she was told by the building’s management that her car’s wheel was clamped because she had parked illegally within the estate.

This was because the vehicle’s rear wheel had mounted the kerb next to the designated parking space.

Photos she shared with The Straits Times on June 24 showed her car - with a clamped wheel - parked within a parking space, albeit with its rear left wheel merely touching the line.

“It was so frustrating. There was no negotiation, and the building’s management refused to release my car until I made the payment.

“In the end, I called the police, who advised me to pay the fee first and then appeal, as the management was adamant not to let me off with a warning,” said the analyst.

On the day of the incident – and after paying the fee – she e-mailed the Chiap Chuan Building’s management office to lodge an appeal.

On June 7, a representative responded that the appeal would be discussed during a council meeting on June 11, and that she would be updated on the outcome.

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But when Ms Ong tried to contact him subsequently on three different days, there was no reply.

She said: “I’m upset at the lack of transparency and accountability. It’s not just a personal grievance... other vehicle owners might encounter the same thing.”

When contacted, the building’s management office did not give details of the incident. Meanwhile, the representative who communicated with Ms Ong did not respond when ST tried to contact him.

A check on the Building and Construction Authority’s (BCA) website shows a guide for strata management, which is intended to “help subsidiary proprietors, council members and managing agents better manage their estates”.

This includes a sample list of common additional by-laws set by MCSTs, including those that outline when wheel-clamping devices would be used.

Such devices are commonly employed if an unauthorised vehicle is found on the premises, if a vehicle is parked in a particular parking space that it is unauthorised to be in, or found to be parked indiscriminately.

In response to queries, a BCA spokesperson said these by-laws are made by MCSTs.

“Such by-laws may include where and how vehicles should be parked in the common areas of the development and the actions that would be taken by the MCST, including the administrative costs that may be recovered by the MCST, if vehicles are parked in breach of the by-laws,” the spokesperson added.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.