To investigate my neighbours or should I keep out of it?

[Carscarseverywhere]

We live in a "quiet" cul de sac, that should have ample parking for visitors and residents as there are driveways, garages and visitor spaces.

Most of these visitor spaces are taken up by one specific neighbour. On top of this, they park several cars along the end of the cul de sac and directly outside our house. They've occasionally blocked us in and as soon as a space on the road becomes free they move their cars off the drive to take the space before anyone else does.

I can count 11 cars on the road belonging to this neighbour. We see new ones appear every week! They seem to sell and buy cars all the time and I'm starting to wonder if he's running a business from home.

We have our own driveway so parking is rarely an issue for us, it's just blimming annoying! Do I just leave them to it? Is there anything we can do? We get on ok with them despite this so am loathe to cause any arguments.

Do you live near me OP? Our cul-de-sac neighbours do exactly the same with a range of various contraptions parked & backed up all over the street every week.

Not sure how you can investigate it yourself though or who you'd report it too. My LLs weren't even bothered when the lack of space was making paramedics park across arsey neighbours drive and then arsey neighbour having a go at them. Poor souls.

Apparently they can't have a word with multi van and car owner as they're parking legally. Fair enough. Can't have a word with arsey neighbour either as it's not an anti social issue apparently

I did read somewhere that there needs to be enough space for an emergency vehicle like a fire engine to get through. I'm not sure if that's a law though or just people like the fire service asking for courtesy. If you're that concerned, report to someone at the council and let them do the investigating.I've not the first clue of the legalities of running such a business from home but I'm sure they'll be some sort of rules about using the residential street as a car park for your business.

This was on MSE
s5 Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005
Exposing vehicles for sale on a road
(1)A person is guilty of an offence if at any time -
(a)he leaves two or more motor vehicles parked within 500 metres of each other on a road or roads where they are exposed or advertised for sale, or
(b)he causes two or more motor vehicles to be so left.
(2) A person is not to be convicted of an offence under subsection (1) if he proves to the satisfaction of the court that he was not acting for the purposes of a business of selling motor vehicles.
(3)A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.
I believe that a level 4 fine is £2500.
Therefore if you're going to start "buying and selling of cars from home" you're going to need a home that features sufficient land to park the cars that you're offering for sale, and if you want to transform your front garden into a car showroom you're going to need planning permission.

I think you should speak to the council

If they are running a business from home, I wonder if they are fully declaring all their earnings?

I would investigate, have a look at one car trader for one of their cars on the street, see if you can find them?

It's an absolute disgrace...
That there is no diagram. .

Does he have signs in the car saying they are for sale? Or even just with a price or phone number?

I would investigate. Id check what makes/models he has and then google for that sort of car for sale locally and see if anything comes up.

I reported a neighbour for building a huge brick car workshop (no planning permission) in his garden and running a car repair garage from it. I don't want to hear car engines revving, radio blaring all day, every day. He seems to have been allowed to keep the bungalow sized workshop but there's no more car repairs happening.

JigglyTuff that's interesting to know but surely they know how to avoid this? Our lovely multi contraption owners don't have one sale sign up between any of their various vehicles.

HMRC would be interested in someone dealing in vehicles as a sideline. Check Autotrader, Gumtree, Facebook, local paper, eBay etc to see if you can spot any being advertised.

Agree with having a word with HMRC!

If they are covertly running a business from a residential address, that is a planning issue.

You should report to the council, it's illegal. My local council take this very seriously and will prosecute

There is strength in numbers.

Our close is not that tiny, but most of us are on a W'App group and when someone suggests something, the rest comply in a spirit of co-operation. Top of the list are strange cars that we haven't seen before (you really don't need to park here unless you live here or are visiting) and suspicious white vans.

It's time to gain support from your neighbours,

I'll see if I can track anything down online. I know for definite one car they are trying to sell, but not sure which of the others are for their own use and which they are selling. There is nothing on any of the cars to suggest they're for sale.

Possum did your report remain anonymous? We live so close that I don't want to cause any animosity.

I've uploaded a diagram, me and DH always have space to get out, but we occasionally have emergency vehicles down due to elderly neighbours in ill health etc. It can always fit lorries and dustbin trucks down but does block the whole road when that happens.

Check the cars are taxed. If you sell a car the tax is cancelled. He shouldn't have cars parked on the road if they aren't taxed. You can put the reg no into the dvla website.

If this is not affecting you I am not sure why you are that bothered?? Why stir up trouble for something that is not harming anyone.

If some of your neighbours are struggling to park because of it let them deal with it - you can offer support.

How do you check if a car is taxed now they don;t have tax discs?

Sorry, clearly my brain didn't read the rest of your comment MadeFor

Impressed with your diagram OP

That's a good diagram but you lose points for having two Car 5s shown on it. Unless of course the neighbour moved Car 5 after you'd started drawing it, in which case you're good.

Seriously, though, I'd speak to your local council and find out about whether this is allowed or not, because it could easily cause problems for emergency access.

That is crazy, how many people live there to warrent 11 cars? I feel guilty we have 3 vehicles and 2 drivers (ones a work vehicle)!

Yes, I wold wonder if their all taxed etc, you can look it up for free online. The look up makes and models on auto trader and ses if they are for sale.

www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax

It is annoying but I'm not sure what you can do about it sorry. (If they are parked legally.)

sundance thanks - this is why I'm asking if I should just leave well alone? I don't want to stir up trouble. I'll admit it's irritating both me and DH and that's why I'm not sure whether to investigate. They spend every evening moving the cars around which is annoying when we're sat in our front room. I can see our neighbours opposite curtain twitching when they do this too.

It's an annoyance and occasionally an inconvenience, do we just suck it up and hope they move? Maybe I just needed to come on here to rant.

As an aside I found one of the cars for sale for 14k on autoTrader!

I've checked tax on one of the cars before as it never moves, but it is legit sadly!

He may well be 'flying under the radar' by posing as a private seller.

Your local Trading Standards may take an interest as well as the HMRC.

Speak to your LA Trading Standards Office. Tell them you think a neighbour is using your street for trading or buying and selling cars. Most likely he is pretending to be a private seller rather than a trader although you don't have to say that. Just explain the high turnover of cars and they will investigate. Street tradeing is illegal without a licence. You are not even supposed to put a for sale sign In your own car.