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Motorhome parked on the street

158 replies

Hibernatingtilspring · 06/08/2025 17:58

Curious if people know if there's anything we can do about this or just have to live with it. Neighbour across the road seems to have acquired a motorhome, and it's parked on the street. Tbh we'd been hoping it was a temporary thing, eg that he perhaps he had had it in storage and was going away, but it's not shifted in two weeks so I'm guessing not. The motorhome is enormous. I'm not very good at guessing size, but it has six wheels and it's really tall. Its longer than the width of the house it's parked outside.

Our street is old terrace houses, and it's narrow so there's only parking on one side, parking is tight at the best of times. It's always a bit annoying when there's extra vehicles added to the mix, but buying a vehicle this size just seems bonkers when there's little parking. Tbh I'm amazed he even got it on the street, as it's tight T junctions at each end, the bin lorries can't always make it!

I had a look online and can't see anything about restrictions for parking, only that vehicles can't be slept in. I thought local restrictions on parking large vehicles was a common thing, but seems maybe it's covenants on newer estates? Is it something we're just going to have to get used to?

Im trying not to be 'that' neighbour, but it doesn't help that the person who has bought this isnt someone we particularly like - they're quite anti social, eg they'll store junk outside the house, park their car where someone's tried to reserve a spot for a skip delivery, that sort of thing. And this thing is particularly ugly! It looks quite old and not in the best condition. I feel sorry for the neighbour whose house it's directly outside!

OP posts:
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Welshmonster · 09/08/2025 10:41

Hibernatingtilspring · 07/08/2025 17:53

@Emmz1510 not parked on the kerb, although thats not specific illegal here (it can come under other laws if cars are parked in a way that puts pedestrians at risk)

I have just checked and it is taxed and has an MOT, though the latter runs out next month. Which also makes me think it might have been sold off cheap, but will have to wait and see I guess!

The thread has been useful. I will learn to live with it, it will be interesting to see whether the other neighbours do the same or whether anyone tries to take any action (some are shall we say, a little possessive about the road, but it is street parking so it is first come first served, whether you live here or not!)

Soon as MOT runs out then report it. If he moves it to get an MOT then get neighbours to park so it can’t park it at home and has to find somewhere else

Happyher · 08/08/2025 21:44

Would it prevent a fire engine getting down the road. If so mentioned it to the fire service

Gonk123 · 08/08/2025 21:38

And the impact is?

JohnofWessex · 08/08/2025 13:56

Gonk123 · 08/08/2025 08:44

It’s not parked outside yours or OP house yet you are both moaning about it! Farcical!

It might not be outside the posters houses BUT they are having to deal with the impact

Gonk123 · 08/08/2025 08:44

Drfosters · 07/08/2025 09:09

Because we all live in society together and we all have to work around each other. Having a vehicle take up 2 spaces and block the light into their houses is antisocial. If everyone bought one and had them lined up along the street with people living in them would that be ok because they were taxed and insured? Really? I can’t build an extension as it will affect my neighbour’s light in their house but I can park an effective lorry outside their front and achieve the same? I am very conscious of my neighbours and we do our best to infringe on each other. It is hard on terraced streets sometime, particularly when the roads are narrow. The days of community are clearly long gone if everyone has the attitude of I’m alright, I don’t care about anyone else but me!

It’s not parked outside yours or OP house yet you are both moaning about it! Farcical!

Hibernatingtilspring · 07/08/2025 17:53

@Emmz1510 not parked on the kerb, although thats not specific illegal here (it can come under other laws if cars are parked in a way that puts pedestrians at risk)

I have just checked and it is taxed and has an MOT, though the latter runs out next month. Which also makes me think it might have been sold off cheap, but will have to wait and see I guess!

The thread has been useful. I will learn to live with it, it will be interesting to see whether the other neighbours do the same or whether anyone tries to take any action (some are shall we say, a little possessive about the road, but it is street parking so it is first come first served, whether you live here or not!)

OP posts:
Northernladdette · 07/08/2025 17:51

Unilaterallyinsane · 07/08/2025 16:08

I could ask the same of you? I didn’t need an eye roll in the first place, as you mistakenly quoted me.

I said it’s fine and it is.

Yep, 💯 insane 🤣

Emmz1510 · 07/08/2025 17:39

Is he parked on the kerb? Cos I’m pretty sure this is illegal, at least in some places. It is in Scotland where I am.

LakieLady · 07/08/2025 17:19

Unilaterallyinsane · 07/08/2025 10:07

These small sites are quite cheap per night, from around £8 a night up to £30. The more facilities the more expensive. There really is no excuse not to use a site.

When we had ours, we belonged to a scheme called Britstops. You pay £20 for the book that has all the participating places in, and members can stay at them for free.

They're mostly pubs, but also a fair few farm shops etc. The pubs often got a fair bit of business from people staying in their car parks at night, and many of them were kind enough to let overnighters fill up their water tanks from an outside tap. The farm shops were the best though, once they were shut for the night we invariably had the place to ourselves and would buy stuff from them, and if they had a cafe as well (which many do), we'd have our breakfast there.

It's far nicer than staying at a site where you're in close proximity to loads of other motorhomers.

LakieLady · 07/08/2025 17:01

SpecialK2023 · 07/08/2025 08:06

A street near me parks an enormous horsebox on a terraced road and I always think how selfish that is. There’s nothing you can do though.

My next door but one neighbour is a stable lad at a racing yard.

He regularly brings a horsebox home and parks it on the street overnight. Weirdly, the neighbour in between our respective houses has never moaned to me about that, despite her hatred of motorhomes and vans.

TheStateofRoads · 07/08/2025 16:35

FrippEnos · 07/08/2025 16:32

yes they should be.
whether they will be is another matter

Mum's going to give the councillor a call and see.

FrippEnos · 07/08/2025 16:32

TheStateofRoads · 07/08/2025 16:18

My mum's neighbour has three vans, 2 cars and now a massive camper van. The van doesn't fit on his drive without him moving lots of things about to get it squeezed on so he parks that on the road.
It has a tow hitch that sticks out across the pavement. Will the council be bothered?

yes they should be.
whether they will be is another matter

Hibernatingtilspring · 07/08/2025 16:19

@qotsa I appreciate my thread is very minor in the grand scheme of thing, I wasn't upset by anything. I do see a lot of comments on Mumsnet threads though where the OP has posted something lifechanging, such as being pregnant and just finding out their partner has been cheating, and within 48hrs some posters start with 'well you've had all the advice and you're ignoring it so it's obvious that you agree with him cheating I don't even know why you're posting'.
I think just bear in mind that a long thread on Mumsnet doesn't mean it's been a long time in real life, it doesn't mean the OP is ignoring you!

OP posts:
TheStateofRoads · 07/08/2025 16:18

My mum's neighbour has three vans, 2 cars and now a massive camper van. The van doesn't fit on his drive without him moving lots of things about to get it squeezed on so he parks that on the road.
It has a tow hitch that sticks out across the pavement. Will the council be bothered?

Unilaterallyinsane · 07/08/2025 16:08

Northernladdette · 07/08/2025 14:45

Blimey, are you ever going to let this go? No you need the eye roll emoji even more 🙄

I could ask the same of you? I didn’t need an eye roll in the first place, as you mistakenly quoted me.

I said it’s fine and it is.

istheresomethingishouldsay · 07/08/2025 16:00

Tuzzdaddy · 07/08/2025 15:55

HI IM AFTER ADIVCE MY 2 DAUGHTERS START BACK TO SCHOOL IN SEPTEMBER YEARS 7.8 AT HIGH SCHOOL.
I AM TRYING TO CHANGE SCHOOLS I HAVE APPLIED FOR DAUGHTER IN YEAR 7 TO CHANGE BEFORE SHE STARTS IN SEPTEMBER WITH L.A NO JOY SO FAR DAUGHTER GOING INTO YEAR 8 IVE DONE MID YEAR APLICATION GOT IT IN BEFORE SUMMER HOLIDAYS SCHOOL SENT EMAIL WITH SECTION 4 INCOMPLETE REFUSING THE MOVE NO EXPLANATION GIVEN BOTH MY DAUGHTERS KEEP SAYING PLZ DONT SEND ME TO THAT SCOOL
MANY THANKS. 😀

Start your own thread, perhaps on the education boards.

istheresomethingishouldsay · 07/08/2025 16:00

We're on a 'newer' estate and storage of motorhomes and boats is prohibited in the covenants thankfully.

Unfortunately, not all areas have that rule.

Tuzzdaddy · 07/08/2025 15:55

HI IM AFTER ADIVCE MY 2 DAUGHTERS START BACK TO SCHOOL IN SEPTEMBER YEARS 7.8 AT HIGH SCHOOL.
I AM TRYING TO CHANGE SCHOOLS I HAVE APPLIED FOR DAUGHTER IN YEAR 7 TO CHANGE BEFORE SHE STARTS IN SEPTEMBER WITH L.A NO JOY SO FAR DAUGHTER GOING INTO YEAR 8 IVE DONE MID YEAR APLICATION GOT IT IN BEFORE SUMMER HOLIDAYS SCHOOL SENT EMAIL WITH SECTION 4 INCOMPLETE REFUSING THE MOVE NO EXPLANATION GIVEN BOTH MY DAUGHTERS KEEP SAYING PLZ DONT SEND ME TO THAT SCOOL
MANY THANKS. 😀

Aquilaboy · 07/08/2025 15:33

I hear that there's terrible vandalism to vehicles round your way...

Northernladdette · 07/08/2025 14:45

Unilaterallyinsane · 07/08/2025 13:17

It was this post, that was a bit off, especially as you mistakenly quoted me.

Blimey, are you ever going to let this go? No you need the eye roll emoji even more 🙄

Titasaducksarse · 07/08/2025 13:44

Hibernatingtilspring · 07/08/2025 08:11

@Titasaducksarse this is the other aspect, I genuinely don't understand why people use motorhomes in the UK - I get the idea of wanting the freedom, but as you say there are very few sites and those with facilities require advanced booking so there's no real spontaneity. Plus weather wise theres less opportunity to use them. If you're traveling in the US or Europe the experience would be much nicer!

Here its a PITA for the neighbours, if there was an obvious benefit to said neighbour I'd understand but I really don't know what that would be. It's far too big for one person. It must cost a fortune in fuel and I don't think he's particularly flush. He can be a bit of a hoarder and I can't help but think he's been offered a deal on it and hasn't got a plan yet.

I'm going away in my van next week, in the UK and nothing booked! However I don't stay in spots that would aggravate anyone!

Londonrach1 · 07/08/2025 13:31

Taxed and insured there's nothing you can do as it's legal for them to park it on the road. However if it's blocking access, driveway etc you can do something but that goes for cars as well as motorhomes. I know how you feel as our neighbour did similar for two years. They were lovely neighbours and apologized about it but would could they do. No one complained as there was nothing to complain about although it make parking very hard in the road

Abitofalark · 07/08/2025 13:27

I would speak to the Council or your local councillor. You don't know for sure they can't do anything. Also check out if there are any road signs in your street that mention overnight parking and weight restrictions.
May be a bit unlikely or a seeming mad idea but if you or neighbours can't persuade him to move it, and the council and all else fails, could you get together and buy it from him (he might need the money, and doesn't appear to use the motorhome), then sell it on and get rid of it that way?

Unilaterallyinsane · 07/08/2025 13:17

Northernladdette · 07/08/2025 11:14

Sorry for trying to be helpful 🙄

It was this post, that was a bit off, especially as you mistakenly quoted me.

FrippEnos · 07/08/2025 12:52

@Hibernatingtilspring

You need to talk to someone at the local council and possibly police about this.
website don't always have the full information.
Councils have their own time limits for how long these vehicles can be parked on the street, and often have size and weight limitations as well.