Sharing Tandem Parking Spots with Your Roommate

Tandem parking spots are sometimes the only option you and your roommate will have for parking. Having to park your cars one behind the other can be tricky and requires planning, consideration and cooperation.

Devising a Plan

Sharing parking with your roommate requires a concerted effort to coordinate your schedules and plan ahead. You must consider what time you leave each day and how many times you will return home during the day.

If both of you work during typical 9 to 5 business hours, it may be easier to organize moving your cars to stay out of each other’s way. But if one or both of you are students or have jobs requiring you to return home multiple times during the day, sharing tandem spaces will require more effort.

Coordinating Your Schedules

To coordinate your schedules, sit down together and figure out which of you normally leaves first in the morning. Avoid inconveniencing the roommate who leaves earlier by leaving your cars in the order that you will leave. In other words, whoever leaves earlier should always have their car in the rear position before you head off to bed at night.

In cases where both of you come and go during the day, you’ll have to think about what times you generally return home and how long you stay before going out again. This information should be written down on a parking schedule so that each of you knows what to expect from the other.

Scheduling Changes

As part of your parking plan, decide how to handle scheduling changes. Arrange a method of notification, such as calling or emailing one another, when you’re out. Of course, if you’re at home, discuss the scheduling change or leave a note for your roommate. The key is regular communication, practiced with enough notice that you don’t inconvenience one another.

Rearranging Cars

No matter how well you plan, there will be times when one of you is parked in front and your roommate’s car is blocking you from getting out. If both of you are home, you can just move the rear car to let the front car out. However, when one of you goes out and leaves your car behind, you must have a plan for moving your roommate’s car.

Pick a place in your apartment where you can safely leave a spare set of car keys for both cars. For security reasons, it’s best not to leave keys out in the open when you live in an apartment. Your roommate’s visitors, your landlord or maintenance staff may have access to your apartment when you’re not home. You don’t want to encourage people to drive off with your car because keys were left lying around.

Although tandem parking may not be the most convenient way to park your car, in places where parking is at a premium, it certainly beats having to hunt for on-street parking. With proper planning, good communication and cooperation, you’ll be able to come and go freely, without getting into one another’s way.

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Lisa Bernstein: As a long-time apartment dweller and seasoned condominium trustee, I have dealt with numerous landlord-tenant, property management, and day-to-day apartment complex issues. My extensive, direct experience has led to invaluable insights into apartment life from both the tenant and management perspectives.