Leave the parking to them this season

Food? Check. Ice? Check. Drinks? Check. Parking valet? Check.

Parking valet?

For a growing number of hosts and hostesses in car-centric L.A., hiring a parking service is part of the pre-party checklist. And in terms of the holiday crunch, it’s not too late to reserve valets for key dates, including New Year’s Eve.

Valets can add a flash of glamour, not to mention convenience: Who hasn’t endured the hassle of parking a mile away on a crowded street?

“Valets for private residential parties are becoming increasingly popular,” says Martin Stein, executive director of the National Parking Assn., a trade group in Washington, D.C.

Besides giving guests a bit of the celebrity treatment and cutting down on the stress of circling the neighborhood for a spot, neighbors rest easy knowing that partygoers won’t block their driveways.

Parking services range from $20 to $35 per hour for each valet. Most companies have a four-hour minimum, and it costs more if you need a shuttle bus to ferry valets to and from the cars.

Some have a minimum requirement of 25 vehicles. Around the holidays -- specifically Christmas and New Year’s -- prices may be as much as 50% higher.

Some companies suggest staffing requirements for residential parties. For example, Brad Saltzman of West Coast Valets recommends that his clients plan on one valet for every 10 vehicles and one key attendant for every 100 cars. When looking for a company to contract, do your homework upfront. If you don’t check a company’s reputation, you risk being scammed by some of the shadowy companies operating in Southern California, Stein says. Hiring a reputable valet service with experienced drivers who have been properly trained and have adequate liability insurance can prevent parking chaos, Stein says.

Accidents do happen

But problems sometimes arise. When a motorist hands over the keys to a valet, the car is considered to be under the care of the valet company, Stein says. If the car is returned damaged, the valet company could be liable. “The burden of truth is on the company,” Stein says. “It boils down to whether there has been negligence.”

In such cases, Stein says, the car’s owner should notify the attendants immediately and fill out a report with the valet service’s insurance company.

And drivers beware: Most valets are not responsible for any personal items left behind in the vehicle, so be careful about leaving gifts or anything of value in the car.

In today’s world of valets, there’s an array of services to choose from. Go to www.partypop.com (click on “vendors” and search on “Los Angeles valets”) for a list of companies that operate in Southern California -- from the guys in classic black tuxedos or red jackets to all-female teams who hand out a red rose to each guest.

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Jeanne Wright can be reached at jeanrite@aol.com.

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Easy parking

Here are some tips on hiring valet services, provided by the National Parking Assn. and established valet companies.

* Check whether a valet company is a member of the association, at www.npapark.org.

* Ask the company how long it has been in business. Insist on a written contract that includes costs and references from customers.

* Make sure the company has at least $1 million of liability coverage, has a comprehensive training program for drivers and provides worker compensation.

* Ask if it does background and criminal checks on drivers.

* Ask how the company handles liability issues if a vehicle is damaged.

Also, determine if your city or neighborhood requires a permit for valet parking.

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-- Jeanne Wright