Chinese woman buys 196 parking spaces for ₹20 crore, doubles rent and wins court battle

A Chinese woman who bought 196 parking spaces in a Changsha residential complex for about 14 million yuan, or roughly ₹20 crore, has won a court battle against residents who accused her of monopolising parking and sharply raising rents. The case has sparked debate over private ownership of essential residential facilities.

The woman, identified only by her surname Wu, purchased all 196 spaces in a single transaction in 2018. The deal covered nearly 40 per cent of the project’s total parking inventory, giving her control over a major share of the complex’s parking supply.

According to the South China Morning Post, Wu installed locks on the spaces to prevent unauthorised use after acquiring them. She later began renting out some of the spots as demand for parking grew in the developing area.

Rent Doubled For Residents

Wu reportedly charged 500 yuan—about ₹7,258 or USD 75—per space per month. That was roughly double the monthly rate originally set by the developer in 2018.

Residents asked her to reduce the rent to 300 yuan, or around ₹4,334, per month, but she refused. Some parking spaces were also listed for sale at about 100,000 yuan (approximately ₹1,420,108) each, with certain listings priced up to 80 per cent above their original value.

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Residents Move Court

Angered by the rent hike and the reduced availability of parking, an undisclosed number of residents formed a group and filed a joint lawsuit. They sought cancellation of the purchase agreement between Wu and the developer, arguing that parking facilities were essential community infrastructure and should not be controlled for private profit.

Residents also claimed that concentrating such a large share of parking under one owner had worsened shortages and made it harder for other homeowners to find spaces. A government-mediated attempt to resolve the dispute reportedly failed before the matter reached court.

Court Rules In Her Favour

In February 2024, a local court in Changsha ruled in Wu’s favour and upheld the legality of her purchase. The court noted that the developer had first offered the spaces to residents, who chose not to buy them at the time.

It also found that no law barred an individual from owning multiple parking spaces and said Wu had arranged the funds, made the investment and accepted the financial risk. The ruling has recently reignited discussion on Chinese social media about whether bulk ownership of residential parking should be restricted.