Neighbours operate a garage from home - is this allowed?

[Secondtonaan]

We have some lovely neighbours - nice family, have a chat, put bins out etc etc.

I think he had to change jobs during Covid and since then has been repairing cars from the house.

It's not every day as he does other things but often when the sun is out he's doing car repairs for somone. We don't have a big garden and his garage / repair area is literally next to my office window, our garden seating areas and underneath our bedroom window. It can be noisy and in the hot weather when windows are open is hard to ignore, especially if I'm trying to concentrate on work or getting a migrane and need a lie down. Also a lot of engine reving can be smoky and hate it if washing out.

I could have a word with him but as it's sporadic I don't want to over react or be a knob if that's his job as like I say they're very nice.

Does anyone know if this is legal though? All the stuff online seems to be about running a commercial business from a private premises which I'm not bothered about if it was quiet and clean!!!

You can easily check if the address is used by a business.

For some reason I thought this was going to be a thread about someone opening their electric garage door whilst inside the house. Because I do this, through the window.

If he only works when the sun is out, I very much doubt it's a business that he needs to earn a living from.

It's probably a hobby.

But tk answer your actual question yes it's legal, why wouldn't it be?

There’s a chap near us doing the same. The road is now stained with oil and we’ve seen him brushing oil waste direct into the storm drains which is illegal

But tk answer your actual question yes it's legal, why wouldn't it be?

You can’t just open up a garage/retail outlet/any type of commercial business in a residential area without permission from the local council.

If he is doing this as a small side thing on his own premises, possibly legal. If an advertised business, very likely not.

You need to think carefully whether you want to pursue this before starting any hares running.

All the stuff online seems to be about running a commercial business from a private premises which I'm not bothered about if it was quiet and clean!!!

If he is doing this as a commercial business then the stuff online is relevant 🫤.

I would approach him and tell him the noise and fumes are really horrible.

Or, go into the office?

Working from home doesn’t mean everyone in the neighbourhood has to enable your working environment.

I do go into the office sometimes but have kids / elderly parents etc so need to be home somtimes. You should be able to be in your house / garden without lots of noise surely.

Yes I wouldn't do anything other than speak to him about it as they are really nice. Don't think he'd realise it was dispruptive.

Just don't know if I'm being miserable in thinking I wouldn't do this (well couldn't as don't know anything about cars!)

I'm always super careful about noise from kids / speakers etc especially in the good weather.

The guy across the road from us was going to start a builder’s yard from his back garden. He started preparing for it, he took fences down and started building. The council stepped in and stopped it. You can’t just run a business from a residential property.

Regardless of whether what your neighbour is doing is legal, if a motoring hobbyist has their friends/relatives round dabbling with cars, then theres nothing you can do.

Your enjoyment of your home does not trump your neighbours right to enjoy THEIR home. That includes doing stuff outside, in the daytime, even if its noisy.

YABVFU and you know it. 🙄

I didn't ask if I was being unreasonable, or very unreasonable or very fucking unreasonable.

They're a nice family and I don't want to piss on their chips. But it's annoying and I was just pondering what the legalities were about doing this residentially.

I had this with a neighbour who started a chips away business from his home. The fumes would waft across and we had to keep windows closed.

I went over for a gentle chat and it didn’t go well…we never spoke again

I don’t think it is legal unless they have permission and the right set up. There are considerations that need to be in place for garages, particularly when there’s oil and other substances involved, they could get into a lot of trouble if they spill oil.

If he is doing it for money on a regular basis then, yes he needs to be doing it as a business from a registered business premises. Knowing that doesn't really help though, unless you know they are not his mates' cars and they are paying him!

As long as no alterations have been made to the property, and the person isn’t exceeding noise levels etc you don’t need permission if you’re self employed unless there’s covenants or by laws in place

As I said, people dabble with their cars on their driveways all the time - get over it.

Unless your NDN has a slew of "dumped" cars occupying the street waiting to be tended to, your noise gripe wont get far.

We have a friend who loves playing with cars and he does things like a preservice on our car to get it so it will pass the MOT. We pay for parts but no more. I think he does it for a few friends ,but he does seem to get on well with his neighbours so I assume it's not enough of a nuisance to cause tensions.

Nobody said they don't have permission