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Apply to rent a council garage

If you’re at least 18 years old you can apply to rent a council garage. Contact your council for an application form. They will add you to a waiting list and contact you when a garage becomes available.

Councils try and offer garages as close to a person’s home as possible. At a later date you may be able to swap your garage with another that is nearer your home.

Waiting lists

How long you have to wait depends on how many people are on the list. You could be offered a garage immediately or have to wait several years.

If you claim Disability Living Allowance or have a Blue Badge you may be given priority on the waiting list. This is because a garage may make your vehicle more accessible or give you somewhere secure to store a mobility scooter.

• Disability Living Allowance (disabled people section)

• About the Blue Badge Scheme (disabled people section)

• Mobility scooters for road use (disabled people section)

Costs

Most council garages in England and Wales cost between £5 and £10 per week to rent but can be more in areas of high demand. If you claim Disability Living Allowance or have a Blue Badge you may get a discount.

Rents for council tenants are normally cheaper than for non-council tenants.

Your responsibilities when renting a council garage

Before you rent the garage you sign a renting agreement. This should tell you what the rules are for renting the garage. For example:

• you must pay your rent on time
  
• you can’t rent it out
  
• you can’t use it for commercial activities like a workshop or storing products to sell in a shop
  
• you can’t use it to store inflammable material like petrol

When you no longer need the garage

You should clean and empty the garage and return the keys. Check your renting agreement to see how much notice you need to give (usually four weeks).

Rent

Most councils ask for garage rent to be paid in advance – you pay for the period that the rent covers at the beginning.

If you’re a council tenant, your council may include the cost of renting the garage in the rent for the property you live in.

If you’re not a council tenant you will get a regular bill, for example each month.

If you owe your council rent

You should keep up-to-date with rent payments. If you have problems paying your rent, contact the council to agree a plan to pay back what you owe.

If you repeatedly pay your rent late (or not at all) your council can ask that you give up the garage. Unlike houses and flats, the council doesn’t have to apply to a court for a possession order to get the garage back.

If you refuse to hand the keys back, the council can arrange to enter the garage and change the locks. If the council has to clear out the garage (including removing a vehicle) you will be charged for this.

If you refuse to pay, your council may make arrangements to recover the money you owe.

• Bailiffs and debt collectors (money, tax and benefits section)

• Find your local council Opens new window

More useful links

• Find out about parking on council estates Opens new window

• Owning a vehicle (motoring section)