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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Would you be ok with someone living in a campervan in your street?

96 replies

writergirl747474 · 05/06/2018 16:07

I live in a fairly quiet street with a few flats, a couple of houses and a sports club. Further up the road is a new housing estate being built on my road/ the next road.

I'm pretty sure that one or two of the workman are living/sleeping in a campervan in the street. The van changes position most nights. You can see there's someone in there - light on or you can see a mobile screen. No idea if there's a toilet in there.

Is living in a campervan in a residential street against the law? It makes me feel slightly uneasy but I don't know why.

It's the third van dweller I've spotted in my road. One was a big RV which eventually just moved on. The other was a white van and I assumed the guy worked at the building site - I saw him brushing his teeth one night.

Am I a snob for not being 100% ok with this?

OP posts:

Gromance02 · 05/06/2018 16:08

I wouldn't be happy at all. Pretty sure it is illegal too.

Grumpyrealist77 · 05/06/2018 16:10

No, ya but, it’s not ok. It’s a terrible indictment of our current society where the labour force who build our homes can’t afford to rent/lease/buy somewhere near where they’re working.

Littletreefrog · 05/06/2018 16:10

It wouldn't bother me unless they were peeing in the street and leaving rubbish everywhere. Life and let life.

JellyElli · 05/06/2018 16:10

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest. We have someone who does this on our street. If they parked there legally and left their vehicle there nobody could do anything. Doesn't make much difference to me whether they sleep there or not! If they were parked illegally, in a dangerous place or an inch away from my front window then I might be pissed off...

YesBarry · 05/06/2018 16:11

Depends.

If they were discrete and didn’t set up anything outside the van, and never saw them cookimg outside the van or pissing or washing. And if the van moved positions often. Then I wouldn’t mind too much.

If there was a camp and clear evidence of toilet functions I would not be happy.

Assume there are probably toilets and showers on the work site they work on?

Grumpyrealist77 · 05/06/2018 16:11

Yanbu but yabu!!

Kursk · 05/06/2018 16:11

It’s pretty normal for workmen to reduce their costs while working away from home. It’s temporary, I am sure they dislike being ther as much as you dislike them being there.

PositivelyPERF · 05/06/2018 16:13

Leave the poor workers alone. They’re probably working miles away from their families and don’t want to fork out what little money they’re earning, on accommodation. They’re moving the camper around so they don’t annoy people, draw attention to themselves. They’ll move on when the work is complete.

Chocolatecoffeeaddict · 05/06/2018 16:14

I have someone doing this, I reported them to the council but they haven't done anything yet, despite telling me it is illegal. He's a bloody nuisance.

Littletreefrog · 05/06/2018 16:15

Chocolate how is he a nuisance?

vampirethriller · 05/06/2018 16:15

Wouldn't bother me. My ex used to sleep in his van if he was working away for a night to save getting a hotel, because his company didn't pay expenses.

FatherMackenzie · 05/06/2018 16:16

Depends what sort of neighbours they were really. Wouldn’t necessarily bother me on its own.

If it’s the case that they can’t afford to rent anywhere that is pretty bad. I heard some worryingly high figures about the number of people who are employed but having to bed down in homeless shelters.

Bea1985 · 05/06/2018 16:16

If they are behaving themselves I cannot see a problem.

SaucyJack · 05/06/2018 16:17

It wouldn't bother me in that situation. They're not blagging a cheap holiday at the expense of council tax payers. They're just trying to do a job.

CigarsofthePharoahs · 05/06/2018 16:17

If they're not causing anyone any problems, then I wouldn't mind.
If they're noisy, causing a mess and other issues, then yes I would mind.
If they're not causing any problems I'd probably just feel a bit sorry for them.

DustyMaiden · 05/06/2018 16:19

If it was “The Lady” I would prefer her not to.

FaFoutis · 05/06/2018 16:21

The lady smelled of wee. If the van didn't smell of wee it wouldn't bother me at all.

Bluelady · 05/06/2018 16:21

If it was good enough for Alan Bennett ...

MrsMollyMooMoo · 05/06/2018 16:21

I wouldn't care

SoupDragon · 05/06/2018 16:22

In the scenario you describe it wouldn’t bother me as it’s short term (presumably) and not causing a problem. If it became a problem or more long term I would probably feel differently.

JavaJava · 05/06/2018 16:22

I can't understand why it would bother anyone or why anyone would report them. Trying to save a bit of money is sensible. What harm are they to you or anyone else?

YABU

Chocolatecoffeeaddict · 05/06/2018 16:22

Littletreefroh because he is inches away from my front window and I feel it's an invasion of privacy.
Also he's accumulated a lot of crap and my whole area looks like a rubbish dump.

TemptressofWaikiki · 05/06/2018 16:23

OP, you do sound like a snob.

SaucyJack · 05/06/2018 16:31

"Trying to save a bit of money is sensible. What harm are they to you or anyone else?"

What if everybody started doing it?

You can buy a decent 2nd-hand caravan for roughly the same as 6 months rent on a room.

I can't believe you'd be so happy if people took to the streets in their 1000s.

BarbaraofSevillle · 05/06/2018 16:32

Wouldn't bother me if they don't make a noise or leave rubbish etc.

The adult son (or possibly nephew etc) of one of our neighbours has lived in a caravan at the end of our drive on the big parking area on andoff for years. He's absolutely no trouble and you barely know he's there.

He's also noticed a couple of times when strangers have been hanging round or entering our garden and mentioned it to us, so it could even be a benefit.

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