# Problem with neighbour



## Soapybubbles (Feb 10, 2014)

Got a bit of an issue with my next door neighbour just now.

He has his own business and has a few people working for him driving his vans.
The problem is they are quite often parked outside my house and can't even get my car parked outside my own house sometimes.

I realise if a vehicle is road legal etc it can be parked anywhere as I don't own the road but I just wondered if there was a law about running a business from your home? Is there a law about causing disruption in a housing estate with vans constantly parked outside my house?


----------



## brinks (Jun 21, 2006)

Sounds like he may need planning permission (maybe already has it).

https://www.planningni.gov.uk/index/advice/advice_apply/advice_apply_homes/advice_home_work.htm


----------



## ollienoclue (Jan 30, 2017)

It is certainly NOT legal to obstruct someone else's property.

I would suggest first of all to have a polite word and explain the difficulty that it is causing you, and how you are afraid of damaging his vans trying to park.


----------



## wayne451 (Aug 15, 2016)

As Brinks has put.

What sort of business is it? All sorts of cans of worms that could be opened; tax avoidance, employment laws, notification (again tax etc) to utility suppliers, insurance issues, mortgage issues/business rates etc. 

You could make their life utter HELL unless everything is above board.


----------



## wayne451 (Aug 15, 2016)

ollienoclue said:


> It is certainly NOT legal to obstruct someone else's property.
> 
> I would suggest first of all to have a polite word and explain the difficulty that it is causing you, and how you are afraid of damaging his vans trying to park.


Actually I will correct you on that as I previously had issues with a neighbours visitors who regularly parked over my drive. I also saw them hit my car twice before driving off.

I left various ****ty notes, spoke to the people they were visiting etc. I was largely brushed off. It isn't an offence to stop you entering your driveway so they couldn't be towed away. It is however an offence to stop you leaving your driveway and it is an offence that can get you towed.

I got sick of telling the daft ***** in question so in the end when she blocked the driveway for the umpteenth time I rolled my non-running Corsa Turbo out of the garage, on to the drive and made the call. Car got taken away.

About 30 mins later they are knocking at my door asking if I knew where the car was. 'Yes, its on the back of a truck, as I told you it would be but you ****ing ignored me!' :lol:


----------



## Soapybubbles (Feb 10, 2014)

Not parked over my driveway but in front of my house,there's 2 cars in my family,one on driveway and one on street directly outside my front window,his gardens constantly a mess with work stuff lying about,total **** hole if I'm honest.

We've had words before about the mess he leaves etc and his excuse was he's trying to run a business with 3 vans on the road.

Getting fairly ****ed off tbh.


----------



## millns84 (Jul 5, 2009)

I'd have a quick nosey at your deeds - Chances are your neighbours will be similar/identical and many contain caveats stating that commercial vehicles cannot be kept at the property.


----------



## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

millns84 said:


> I'd have a quick nosey at your deeds - Chances are your neighbours will be similar/identical and many contain caveats stating that commercial vehicles cannot be kept at the property.


How enforceable is this though and who enforces it?

We've got in ours no Sign Written Vans, No Boats or Caravans to be kept etc. Yet people obviously have work vans etc.

I'm not complaining at all, I couldn't care less if someone has a work van, or wanted to keep their caravan outside their house for a few nights before taking off on holiday etc.

I'd be annoyed if someone was however parking on my drive or blocking us in/out.


----------



## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

end of the day if theyre taxed and insured they can park in the street , same as i could or you can , like you say you dont own the street outside your house 

well mannered considerate folk might no be so selfish , but they dont exist anymore its just a case of im alright jack


----------



## PaulaJayne (Feb 17, 2012)

Soapybubbles said:


> .
> The problem is they are quite often parked outside my house and can't even get my car parked outside my own house sometimes.


Parking outside ones own property is not an entitlement unless you have a dropped kerb.


----------



## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

PaulaJayne said:


> Parking outside ones own property is not an entitlement unless you have a dropped kerb.


Where mum lives we fell out with neighbours years and years ago as they thought they owned the street. No driveways etc, it's an old 1912 terraced street, just parking on the road...a couple of households (friends with one another) bully each and every other house into where they can and can't park.

When I turned 17 years old and passed my test, I wouldn't take it.

every day different vehicle park in front of mums house (as the property is in the central town) and we just know it's how things are and that's it.


----------



## millns84 (Jul 5, 2009)

Starbuck88 said:


> How enforceable is this though and who enforces it?


It depends. It's not my area of law but I understand it's known as a "restrictive covenant". There's different types, sometimes limited (i.e. an amount of time; say five years from completion etc) and some are absolute.

It would be up to a neighbour (or neighbours) to enforce it via court action, preferably through a decent solicitor.

Assuming the restrictive covenant is absolute, then they'd be in a very difficult position.


----------



## MagpieRH (May 27, 2014)

You can't do much about the parking sadly, aside from talking to him and asking him if there's anywhere else he could park them (which would likely just move the problem elsewhere).

If he's obstructive, you could try the council, but they may be unwilling to do anything. In terms of running the business, again you'd need to speak to the council; one of our neighbours had permission from the council to rent out a room (airbnb type deal I think), on the proviso that it didn't significantly impact on the rest of the street. We found this out when someone complained because we were getting several cars/vans parking in the small hours and causing a bit of a nuisance. Quiet word from the council and that was soon sorted.

You can but try.


----------



## ardandy (Aug 18, 2006)

CCTV would be a start. Especially if they've hit your car or anything.


----------



## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

All you can do is have a word with him and see if he can tell his workers to stop it.


----------



## Fish (Nov 16, 2011)

I've received a parking ticket in the past for parking across a dropped kurb. So I would think that if they are parking across your drive that has a dropped kurb, you might have a chance of getting something sorted.

Fish


----------



## Soapybubbles (Feb 10, 2014)

We are semi detached to one an other he has vans parked both sides of his house,on outside my window the other one is the other side of his house,

He has his business machinery constantly out on his driveway repairing them as they break down. 

He has virtually taken over the outside of the 2 houses with his business.


----------



## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

Does the council know he's using a residential property for business purposes?

I bet his home insurance provider would like to know too.

I'd wager neither are aware.

Wouldn't it be a shame if one of these pieces of machinery caused damage to your property...


----------



## Keir (Aug 31, 2010)

My friend is a councilor and recently told me that a guy in a similar situation is getting some white lines painted outside his out.
Not sure if it would help given there "respect" for parking outside your house already. But might be worth contacting your local council.


----------



## Rayaan (Jun 1, 2014)

Have you tried speaking to him at all?

Might actually help.....


----------



## Soapybubbles (Feb 10, 2014)

Rayaan said:


> Have you tried speaking to him at all?
> 
> Might actually help.....


Read earlier in thread


----------



## Rayaan (Jun 1, 2014)

Soapybubbles said:


> Read earlier in thread


_"We've had words before about the mess he leaves etc and his excuse was he's trying to run a business with 3 vans on the road."_

So have you actually told him to move his vans? or park them somewhere else?


----------



## K777mk2 (Jun 30, 2016)

wayne451 said:


> Actually I will correct you on that as I previously had issues with a neighbours visitors who regularly parked over my drive. I also saw them hit my car twice before driving off.
> 
> I left various ****ty notes, spoke to the people they were visiting etc. I was largely brushed off. It isn't an offence to stop you entering your driveway so they couldn't be towed away. It is however an offence to stop you leaving your driveway and it is an offence that can get you towed.
> 
> ...


brilliant :thumb:

Had a similar issue with a neighbour when they were having work done to their house, half a dozen vans rolled up ten mins before we both set off.
20 mornings in 3 months we had to ask them to move so we could get out. 
How can you not figure it out we leave 10 mins after you get here.

the other mornings they were so aligned with either side of our drive we came out of the drive onto a main (B) road totally blind.
They could have parked on the street opposite, without blocking any drive as there wasnt any. and only had to cross the road. So easy.

during the building works the neighbours went on holiday, taking one of their cars away. Unbelievably their mother came and parked her car infront of mine at about 7.00 am and moved it when the builders arrived. Astonishing.

There were absolutely no issues with any parking on this road. Its wide, its long, all houses have drives. It beggared believe.

One day the neighbours family were round, a car parked half across drive, yet could have actually parked it infront of my house and not blocked. i went and knocked, didnt even have to say a word, they already knew and said would come and move it. 
Then as i am parking up had 4 drunk women absolutely berating me at me.
I said nothing, except - I just wanted to get into my drive.

reply was " its not even your house you just rent it"

Two weeks later had put deposit on a house and moved asap.

Revenge is a dish best served cold, and one day they will have a big green and mouldy motor home taxed up and parked infront of there house.


----------



## Soapybubbles (Feb 10, 2014)

Rayaan said:


> _"We've had words before about the mess he leaves etc and his excuse was he's trying to run a business with 3 vans on the road."_
> 
> So have you actually told him to move his vans? or park them somewhere else?


I think you need to read the whole thread.

He's not parking over my drive so I can't ask him to move them


----------

