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Original poster

Neighbours enormous caravan parked on the road (not drive) for months

145 replies

AchillesLastStand · 16/08/2024 11:28

My neighbours have an enormous caravan that has been parked outside their house on the road for over three months or longer that they have up for sale. It’s directly opposite my house and impacts DH’s ability to reverse out of our drive. He has to reverse out at angle going across our front garden rather than straight. Also no one can park outside our house. Tradesmen have had to park up the road and carry heavy equipment with them.

One of our neighbours is having building work done and we had a cement lorry reversing down the road yesterday past the caravan and now I’ve noticed a small bump on the side of the caravan. I know our neighbours are going to try and pin it on us even though they have no proof and the caravan shouldn’t be parked there that long in the first place obstructing traffic. They have a drive which they’re using for vehicles but I wouldn’t mind if the caravan was parked there for that amount of time. Surely then don’t own the road outside their house and it shouldn’t be there. AIBU,

OP posts:
Flossyts · 17/08/2024 08:11

AchillesLastStand · 16/08/2024 17:29

I think I’m going to have report it to the council. I think it’s perfectly acceptable to park a caravan on the road if it’s just overnight but not for months on end.

I don’t know where they kept it when they weren’t selling it. It wasn’t on their property.

Quite a few of our neighbours have caravans this time a year on their drives for a few days and then they’re gone. Nobody bats an eyelid at that.

Edited

Why not speak with them first?

rayofsunshine86 · 16/08/2024 23:43

Surely it's like a skip on the road. It should be lit at night. My council requires a licence to put a skip on the road, maybe yours does, too?

JohnofWessex · 16/08/2024 23:32

The bottom line in most cases is that The Police/Council CAN take action if they want to.

What you need to do is to make them want to do it eg every night without fail report it to The Police as unlit.

Get on to everyone at the same time.

It can be and is done.

saraclara · 16/08/2024 22:24

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Previously banned poster.

🙄

marmaladeandpeanutbutter · 16/08/2024 22:19

(The caravan must be lit at night by law. )

marmaladeandpeanutbutter · 16/08/2024 22:18

www.safeguarduk.co.uk/caravan/caravan-laws-uk

SinnerBoy · 16/08/2024 18:01

FatLarrysBanned · Today 11:38

Our council doesn't allow boats, trailers or caravans to be parked on the road unless they are attached to a vehicle.

We have a parking permit system and a few years ago, a very large caravan was parked down the street. It got a number of parking tickets, the wardens seemed to be putting new ones on every day. Nobody knew who it belonged to, but it was annoying, as it's usually difficult to find a parking spot.

It turned out that the owners had gone away and they moved it, when they got back and presumably had to pay all the fines.

JabbaTheBeachHut · Today 11:38

https://www.insuremy.co.uk/blog/touring-caravan-laws-regulations-uk#:~:text=Yes%2C%20you%20can.,the%20direction%20of%20oncoming%20drivers.

However, you should make sure it is not obstructing your neighbours’ access or passing traffic. It’s also worth making sure your caravan is well lit at night and that its rear lights face in the direction of oncoming drivers.

It certainly seems that the caravan is obstructing AchillesLastStand's access, so it's worth complaining to the neighbours and then possibly the council?

Original poster
AchillesLastStand · 16/08/2024 17:53

Solmum1964 · 16/08/2024 17:33

Could your mum just park across your drive when she visits?
Where I live I don't believe any action would be taken in this situation.

If she parked across the drive she’d be directly opposite the caravan and other vehicles wouldn’t be able to get through.

Also I’ve noticed the caravan has no lights on it at night which is illegal.

OP posts:
Solmum1964 · 16/08/2024 17:33

Could your mum just park across your drive when she visits?
Where I live I don't believe any action would be taken in this situation.

Maddy70 · 16/08/2024 17:32

JabbaTheBeachHut · 16/08/2024 17:09

I've been Googling like mad and can't find any evidence of this.

Do you have a link please?

Show quote history

I was told by our police when a similar thing happened on our street. It was a few years ago but i can't imagine its changed. Thye removed the caravan

Original poster
AchillesLastStand · 16/08/2024 17:29

I think I’m going to have report it to the council. I think it’s perfectly acceptable to park a caravan on the road if it’s just overnight but not for months on end.

I don’t know where they kept it when they weren’t selling it. It wasn’t on their property.

Quite a few of our neighbours have caravans this time a year on their drives for a few days and then they’re gone. Nobody bats an eyelid at that.

OP posts:
parkrun500club · 16/08/2024 17:11

There's something similar going on in a town in Hampshire - a massive horse box parked on a busy main road, and partly blocking the pavement. The police claim they can't do anything. Even though it's causing a dangerous obstruction for drivers and pedestrians, and is just up the road from a much safer side road.

Someone scrawled a rude word beginning with c over the horsebox. It wasn't me as I don't live nearby, and don't drive that way very often, but I applaud the thinking...

Bilbonne · 16/08/2024 17:10

They should really pay for storage if its that long, we have a caravan on the drive and we usually have it on the road for about an hour before we go away, I am very conscious of it being there. Where did they keep it when they weren't selling it.

JabbaTheBeachHut · 16/08/2024 17:09

Maddy70 · 16/08/2024 17:05

They are allowed while attached to a vehicle but not while unattached

I've been Googling like mad and can't find any evidence of this.

Do you have a link please?

Maddy70 · 16/08/2024 17:05

They are allowed while attached to a vehicle but not while unattached

JabbaTheBeachHut · 16/08/2024 16:34

Maddy70 · 16/08/2024 16:01

Caravans aremt allowed to be parked on the road. Campervans can.

Call the traffic department of your council and report it

Untrue, read the links upthread.

MikeRafone · 16/08/2024 16:30

Maddy70 · 16/08/2024 16:01

Caravans aremt allowed to be parked on the road. Campervans can.

Call the traffic department of your council and report it

whats to stop a caravan parking not he road? What will the council do if you tell them? Unless its blocking the road, causing an obstruction - or there is a bylaw not a lot will happen

Whammyammy · 16/08/2024 16:17

AchillesLastStand · 16/08/2024 15:52

And neither does my neighbour with the caravan.

Show quote history

But you're the one moaning, i bet you're neighbour isnt.
Your neighbour is entitled to park there, you're entitled to park there, I'm entitled to park there, anyone is for a long as they want on a first come first served basis.
If you want private parking, then pay for it

Maddy70 · 16/08/2024 16:01

Caravans aremt allowed to be parked on the road. Campervans can.

Call the traffic department of your council and report it

Fluufer · 16/08/2024 15:52

Reverse in, drive out. Report to the council. Your mum doesn't own the road, so that, whilst annoying isn't relevant. Park your car on the road if it's such an issue.

Original poster
AchillesLastStand · 16/08/2024 15:52

Whammyammy · 16/08/2024 15:44

Your disabled DM is irrelevant to this, YOU DON'T OWN THE ROAD.

Edited
Show quote history

And neither does my neighbour with the caravan.

OP posts:
Whammyammy · 16/08/2024 15:44

AchillesLastStand · 16/08/2024 11:37

No I don’t own the road outside my home but when my disabled DM visits I would like her to be able to park outside my house. No one has been able to park for months now. The caravan is massively overpriced and won’t be selling this side of Christmas.

Show quote history

Your disabled DM is irrelevant to this, YOU DON'T OWN THE ROAD.

JabbaTheBeachHut · 16/08/2024 15:44

Ok, so you've taken a photo and sent an email to the council?

Hopefully you'll get clarification in a few days, about whether it's allowed to be parked there or not.

If it is, all I can suggest is that your mum gets a fold-up wheelchair, to make it easier for you to get her from her car to your house.

Can you update the thread when they reply? It'd be interesting to know the conclusion.

Original poster
AchillesLastStand · 16/08/2024 15:39

JabbaTheBeachHut · 16/08/2024 15:33

He could move it before he goes in if he knows when she might be coming but he wouldn’t want our car to be parked outside someone else’s house all day.

What's more important to him?

A neighbour being annoyed that he's perfectly legally parked, or your disabled mum having to use her mobility scooter to get to your house from her car?

My mum doesn’t have to get her mobility scooter out of the car because of my DH’s car, she has to get it out because the caravan is so enormous she can no longer park outside our house. Before the caravan arrived she could always park, even if another vehicle was parked opposite, they’d still be room.

Also I don’t want to have to prearrange every visit my mum makes each week days before. If she wants to pop round for a coffee on a whim when DH is at work and our car is still on the drive she should be able to. That caravan has been there far too long.

OP posts:
JabbaTheBeachHut · 16/08/2024 15:33

He could move it before he goes in if he knows when she might be coming but he wouldn’t want our car to be parked outside someone else’s house all day.

What's more important to him?

A neighbour being annoyed that he's perfectly legally parked, or your disabled mum having to use her mobility scooter to get to your house from her car?

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