Parking on Private Property: What to Do?

Questioner

We regularly encounter problems with parked cars on our (own) garage property. This is a garage owners' association. The owners of the parked cars do not own the garages themselves. However, parking is prohibited there anyway. There's a "no parking" sign at the entrance (Article 461) and a "private property" sign. The entrance to the grounds is freely accessible. The police say it's a civil matter. Can we (the association's board) install a wheel clamp ourselves? We even had a carton of eggs thrown against our garage door twice after we had pointed out to the same person twice that he was not allowed to park there.

Questioner

The short answer is no; you're not allowed to place wheel clamps because you don't have enforcement powers. Similarly, you're not allowed to lock bicycles that have been placed in your front garden without permission. But of course, you want to know what you are allowed to do. From your description, I gather you've already posted a "No Entry" sign (Article 461 of the Dutch Criminal Code). This isn't a parking ban, but an absolute prohibition against unauthorized access to your property. You can theoretically report violations of this ban to the police, but the police are generally reluctant to process such reports, as you've experienced. What remains is fencing your property or restricting access with a gate or barrier. It's best to contact your municipality regarding any permits or other approval requirements.