Parking Update | Bought two parking spaces for nearly 480,000 yuan—yet you have to tuck in your stomach just to get out of the car?

It took nearly Two parking spaces purchased for 480,000 yuan have extremely narrow spacing, making it impossible to open the car doors properly when entering or exiting. Owners are forced to squeeze their bodies, sidle sideways, and carefully get in and out at an angle. Meanwhile, the developer insists that the parking spaces meet the required dimensions.

Car owner: Am I supposed to trade in my car just for a parking space?

Recently, Mr. Lin, who lives in northern Hangzhou, reported that the apartment he purchased comes with two adjacent parking spaces in the underground garage, for which he paid nearly… 480,000 yuan. However, the two parking spaces are squeezed between two walls, so after each car is parked, the doors cannot be opened properly. He has made numerous attempts to resolve the issue, but it remains unresolved to this day.

Mr. Lin’s two adjacent parking spaces, this one… Both “double‑parking” spaces are flanked by walls on either side. Each space measures 6 meters long and 2.5 meters wide. Mr. Lin’s two cars—one a Cadillac SRX, 1.9 meters wide, and the other a Volkswagen Tiguan, 1.81 meters wide—can fit in only if one of them is parked centrally. If the Cadillac is positioned right in the middle of its spot, the passenger‑side door can barely open. If it’s shifted slightly to the right, the passenger door will open, but the driver’s door won’t. The same issue arises in the space on the right.

To make it easier for the driver to get out, cars parked on the right side against the curb usually pull over slightly to the left, ensuring the driver can exit safely. But in this case… It just won’t work in the “double‑parked” spot—when two cars are parked side by side, their doors end up bumping into each other.

Take Mr. Lin’s Tiguan, for example—the vehicle’s width… At 1.8 meters wide, with a parking space measuring 2.5 meters across, if the car is parked right in the center, there’s only a 0.35-meter clearance on either side for the doors to open. Mr. Lin took a deep breath, tucked in his stomach, and opened the door, then carefully squeezed into the driver’s seat, turning sideways. Next, he gently pushed the door closed again, extended his left foot, planted it firmly on the ground, and, drawing in his abdomen once more, slowly eased himself out.

Mr. Lin is at his wit’s end: Am I really supposed to trade in my car for two smaller ones just for these two parking spaces?

The lawyer recommends commissioning a specialized appraisal of the parking space.

Where lies the problem? Is Mr. Lin’s car simply too large? Several industry insiders note that the Tiguan is typically classified within the sector as… “Compact SUVs” in the same segment include models such as Dongfeng Honda’s XRV and Buick’s Envision. Meanwhile, the Cadillac SRX is generally classified as a “mid-size SUV.” Mid-to-large size SUVs typically refer to vehicles like the Land Rover Range Rover, BMW X5, and Porsche Cayenne.

A quick walk through the community’s underground parking garage reveals that many other parking spaces face similar issues, though these problems are often less obvious. One reason is that some spaces have no obstacles on either side, allowing drivers to park into adjacent spots on both sides. “Space‑saving parking”; in some cases, when a parking space is flanked by obstacles on both sides or has an obstacle on one side, there’s often an additional buffer zone beyond the space’s defined boundaries. Even if you park slightly closer to the curb, it won’t interfere with getting in or out of the vehicle. Third, the car itself is relatively compact.

Some lawyers have stated that whether a parking space design complies with relevant standards must be assessed against the applicable design codes. In China’s building codes, the provisions governing garages and parking lots are quite complex, and there is no single, unified standard. “Standard parking space dimensions.” However, regarding Mr. Lin’s parking space issue, reference may be made to the notice issued in September 2013 by the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Housing and Urban–Rural Development, which stipulated that, effective December 1 of that year, the “Rules for the Provision of Parking Facilities (Garages) in Urban Construction Projects and Related Allocation Standards” would come into force.

The Standard specifies the minimum clearances between vehicles and other objects—such as walls, columns, and guardrails (excluding spaces designated for mechanical parking)—as follows: for microcars and compact cars, the clearance between a vehicle and a column is… 0.3 meters; for large and medium-sized vehicles and articulated vehicles, the clearance from a column is 0.4 meters. The clearances between vehicles and walls, guardrails, and other structures are as follows: for microcars and small cars, 0.5 meters longitudinally and 0.6 meters laterally; for large and medium-sized vehicles and articulated vehicles, 0.5 meters longitudinally and 1 meter laterally.

That is, the lateral clearance between the compact car and the fence must be at least More than 0.6 meters. Meanwhile, after Mr. Lin parked his car in the space, the lateral clearance was only 0.35 meters.

The lawyer pointed out that if the horizontal distance between Mr. Lin’s vehicle and the wall is indeed… At 0.35 meters, the parking space sold to him by the developer indeed fails to meet the relevant standards. The lawyer advises Mr. Lin to request a specialized appraisal report from an accredited testing agency. If the appraisal confirms that the parking space’s design does not comply with mandatory regulations, Mr. Lin is entitled to demand a refund and hold the developer liable for breach of contract. Alternatively, the issue may be merely a minor defect that the developer concealed; in such a case, under the Contract Law, the purchase price should be reduced accordingly. According to the Urban Express.

Related News

It’s both laughable and tearful, A parking space bought for 200,000—access is only possible by climbing through the sunroof!

Moving into a new home is a joyful occasion, but one homeowner in Nanning, Guangxi, is rather frustrated. It turns out the homeowner spent… I paid over 200,000 yuan for a parking space, but after parking, the four doors are blocked by the wall and can’t be opened—my only way out is to climb through the sunroof!    The homeowner contacted the developer to request a refund or exchange for a parking space, but the developer replied that the process had already been completed, the taxes had been filed, and no refunds or exchanges were possible, suggesting instead that the homeowner sell the space. At present, the homeowner has stated that they will pursue legal action to resolve the issue.

Industry insiders explain that, according to the Code for Garage Building Design, a minimum clearance must be maintained between each side of a vehicle and walls, guardrails, or other structures. 60 centimeters. However, the edge of this homeowner’s parking space is very close to the wall—almost touching it—and no 60-centimeter clearance was provided. This clearly violates design standards and constitutes a non‑conforming “product.”

Meanwhile, industry insiders advise buyers to inspect parking spaces in person and to confirm the dimensions with the developer when signing the contract, thereby preventing post‑purchase disputes.