Van lowers the tone of the area

[travellinghopefully12]

I live in a lovely complex of flats with my DP and his best friend. We rent.

DP has just bought his own place for very little money in a less well off area of town. It's a gorgeous flat but in no way livable in. We are doing it up, and eventually DP and I will move in, while our friend goes travelling.

Anyway - last week a friend asked DP if he would look after her piano in his new flat until she has her own place. I was delighted as I play, and haven't had a piano since I was a teenager.

We were stumped as to how to transport it though, as we don't own a van. A friend of a friend volunteered, and on Friday we had an adventure carrying a piano up four flights of winding stone stairs. The new neighbours came out to help, and we lovely. (It badly needs tuning now)

Afterwards we went to the pub and friend of friend mentioned she has nowhere to park her van, and moves it about places every night and often pays for parking.

We have a parking space which no one uses in the flat we rent in the 'nice' area, and DP said she can use it. She was really grateful, but she'd just driven a piano across town and lugged it up four flights of stairs, refusing to take money - all we were able to buy her was a pint of coke.

She came on Sunday and parked the Van. It's a big blue beaten-up thing, she's driven it through europe and stuff and she's a bit of a cool hippy chick, and the van has that vibe.about it

Anyway, we got an anonymous note from a neighbour last night saying 'Sorry but no commercial vehicles allowed in parking bays as they lower the tone of the area, per title deeds.'

It's not a commercial vehicle, in that she doesn't use it commercially, but DP looked up commercial vehicles, and apparently the size of it might make it legally a commercial vehicle. There is a vodafone van, a black cab and a few other 'commercial vehicles' in the area, but they are not beat=up, as it were.

The van fits perfectly into the parking space and is in no one's way.

DP was swearing about how fucking petty it is, but thinks we have to ask her to move it as the neighbour's will report us to letting agents. (We have already been reported once for 'Heavy Walking and Toilet Flushing at Night' - Yes, really.)

So - what the hell do we do?

Leave it where it is until/if you get notification from the agents. Until then, leave it if only to give the neighbours something to froth about. They sound like the sort of people who want to live in a flat because its cheaper, but expect the noise levels of a detached house and when that doesnt happen its your fault for living in the building, not theirs for having unrealistic expectations. Assholes in other words.

I'd say just get her to move it. It prob does look unsightly and I think its good to keep the neighbours sweet seeing as you will be living there soon. I dont think its a totally unreasonable request from your neighbours and if you explain to your friend she will understand.

ohidoliketobe I'm going to go through dp's file to dig out the lease now. I'm almost sure it didn't say anything about that though

Kammum we live here now, we'll be living in dp's new flat from February.

Buy a large white tarpaulin.

Paint a picture of a mercedes on it.

Cover van with tarpaulin.

Job done.

I would sit it out. There isnt anything they could actually do.

I like Hummus reply to the note

I'm another who would ignore it until you get formal notice from your landlord.

One way of defining commerical vehicle is by the road tax (or whatever it's proper name is) class. We used to have a camper van based on a medium sized van and the tax was still Light Goods Vehicle or something because we hadn't formally reregistered it.

Commercial vehicle doesn't necessary = used for commercial purposes. So an electrician might carry out their work in an estate car, this is not a commercial vehicle.

We had the same problem with our council tip. they had the strict policy that everyone with a van was a trader and all vans were commercial. Hence we wern't allowed to use the camper van at the tip, because they didn't accept trade waste. However, our fictional electrician friend above could easily get away with taking waste to the tip in his/her estate car because that's domestic.

Back on topic, your neighbours are small minded idiots with nothing better to do. They are trying to enfore rules that effectively exclude anyone who works from a van from the flats, which is ridiculuous. Really, what does it matter. They would be the first to complain when they couldn't find a builder or carpet fitter when they needed one, yet they deem them not worthy of living nearby.

But something your friend should consider, her insurance may be invalid if she is keeping her van at your place, as you have to state where it is routinely parked overnight, so anything other than occasional nights at yours could cause problems if anything happens to it while it is there.

Perfect MyCat

Have you tried contacting the letting agents to talk the situation through? They might be able to advise as they know the area?

Laughing at the fact that your friend could get anybody to "mind" a piano for her. Then persuade them to also "mind" her van. She is taking the p**s!

It is normal to put that kind of restriction on title and it would relate to size of vehicle not use. Clearly it's upsetting which ever neighbour because vans like this can be an eye sore.

your lease should contain an obligation on you to comply with the covenants on the freehold title but it may not - check with the letting agent/in your lease. If it doesn't contain that provision then it's the LLs problem really - depends whether or not you want to upset the LL/neighbours.

You can obtain the title deeds for £3 from the Land Registry if you are obliged to comply, they're a public document.

Re reading it, there are 2 friends that you are minding large objects for!!!!!! They are both taking the p**s!!!

my murphy

Yes, but I am happy to mind the piano as I play. I will love having a piano.

The other friend drove the piano across town and helped carry it up four flights of stairs, which was actually one of the most terrifying things I have ever been a part of.

Mykingdomforbrie

Thank you! I will look up title deeds now at Landregistry now.

If you rent there should be something in your lease regarding parking restrictions in your parking space. If there isn't you are within your rights to park the van unless you are told otherwise by your landlord.

Neighbours sound petty as so long as you don't foresee needing to borrow a cup of sugar before February I would ignore them.

This is actually a thing?

Those neighbours would hate it round here. All those people with jobs and stuff, parking their vans outside their houses.

My suggestion - move the van, put a battered old sofa in the parking space instead.

(Not sure if I need to qualify that post with a [lighthearted])

I would talk to the letting agent and explain that although you realise there are certain residents who think it's one rule for them and another for new incoming renters you are prepared to be reasonable and not kick off over the discrimination in going after you but allowing other commercial veichles to park if you can agree that your van will only be there for two months then wil never be seen again. Gives your hippy chick time to find a new parking space and also shows you won't be unreasonable unless pushed. I lived in a place like this as an owner and the attitude of some of the other owners towards renters stunk.

Thanks Trafalgar Girl

Do people think I should ring the letting agents this afternoon or wait it out? I am tempted to call them.

or I could call the residential factors? Just found their number

An interesting one this. The van sounds hideous and I don't understand why you keep saying where it has been, but unless your space is right in front of someone's ground floor flat window then I see no reason to feel any guilt about it.

The 'lowers the tone' comment in the note is the part that would make me stick to my guns and leave it there. Double check your actual lease as others have said and do nothing else for now as that is the only agreement you have signed.

Also, can you get van friend on board to further decorate the van with brightly painted peace signs and cannabis leaves or similar? You need to live up to your tone lowering reputation... and get a red lightbulb in your front window, I still remember how scandalised my mother was when a neighbour of ours did this years ago. Totally non-illegal or anti-social way to lower tone!

OK - the lease contains

9. The subjects of let will be occupied by the tenant solely as a private dwellinghouse by the tenant and for no other purpose. All asignees and sub-tenants are excluded . The Tenant will not, without prior consent from the landlord, allow any person other than the tenant to occupy the whole or any part of the subject to let.

The tenant will ensure at all times that the tenant and its guest, agents, contractors,e mployees and others do not cause any disturbance of the Subjects of Let not cause any annoyance or inconvenience to any neighbouring proprietor of which the landlord will be the sole judge.

It'll be up to the factor if they want to enforce it. I used to live on a small development in Scotland with similar restrictions, but my neighbour had a commercial van parked outside from day 1 and the factor never said a word about it. He was also the developer so was onsite a lot for the first few months.

karmapolice97 the van is beat-up, but fine. I say where it's been because it's an indication of how used it looks. it's not ugly per se, jst kind of battered, which I know some people could see as ugly - and maybe if it wasn't for lowering the tone, I would be more inclined to play nice.

I might ask if we can decorate it - although I am not sure if it cane stay there now I have checked the lease.

barbaraofseville I'll email friend now about road tax registration.