Page 4 | Running a retail shop from garage AIBU to complain

LikeothersIamjustme · 2020-08-24T10:27:26+00:00

Neighbour on road has just set up a shop from their garage selling house decor, furniture etc. There is a sandwich board advertising on the footpath. Advertising on FB as retail, come and visit etc. There is no parking for visitors other than the road/footpath. No PP for change of use. Open 7 days a week. I think they should have permission and pay businesss rates. Thoughts please!!

orangenasturtium · 24/08/2020 14:45

Very unlikely for a retail business. With advertising on FB and signs on the pavement, they're clearly trying to drum up more business

It is possible though @Pobblebonk. Someone in my neighbourhood did something very similar to this although it was more of a hobby in retirement. They sold furniture they had restored from their garage and had a sign that they would put on their drive when they were open. They only opened when they were at home (although that was most of the time). It wasn't at all disruptive, there was plenty of on street parking anyway, and most days they didn't have any trade. They just needed a certificate. On the other hand, nobody complained!

It also depends on what they have told the council when (if) they asked about permission...

MulticolourMophead · 24/08/2020 14:58

Why on earth is it okay for this business to operate illegally? Because of COVID? What if you lived next door to them and their business caught fire and it damaged your home? And their insurance didn't pay out because they were operating illegally?

I bet you wouldn't be so keen to overlook it then.

I was going to post this too. People willing to operate a business illegally are going to be taking shortcuts on other things too, a lot of which their neighbours won't even be thinking about but which will impact them all the same if things go wrong.

OP says this is a conservation area, too, so I'd be surprised if the council would be happy at a business potentially causing problems, especially as the advertising indicates they want to increase business at the house.

user1481840227 · 24/08/2020 15:03

I know several businesses who had recently changed premises or opened a new one just before lockdown....unfortunately they pumped everything they had into rent and so on despite being unable to trade....which left them in an awful situation and some have closed down.
One business has had to move somewhere else to a smaller premises and is unable to provide all of the same services they provided before now.

I also know a different business owner who has just opened a new place in the past couple of weeks..which to me is incredibly risky if we have to go back into lockdown again. I can only assume the landlord gave them some kind of deal where they won't have to pay rent if that happens.

You don't know this persons circumstances. They are probably just trying to stay afloat.

Annasgirl · 24/08/2020 15:11

@user1481840227

I know several businesses who had recently changed premises or opened a new one just before lockdown....unfortunately they pumped everything they had into rent and so on despite being unable to trade....which left them in an awful situation and some have closed down. One business has had to move somewhere else to a smaller premises and is unable to provide all of the same services they provided before now.

I also know a different business owner who has just opened a new place in the past couple of weeks..which to me is incredibly risky if we have to go back into lockdown again. I can only assume the landlord gave them some kind of deal where they won't have to pay rent if that happens.

You don't know this persons circumstances. They are probably just trying to stay afloat.

Well this is why there are planning rules - you cannot just decide to bend the rules due to personal circumstances. Whatever next, you get away with murder because you were having a bad day?

My DM ran a business from our home and she had to pay rates and public liability insurance. DH and I run two businesses from business premises and we have to pay rates and insurance. If we tried to operate from home we would need Planning Permission (which the neighbours would never agree to).

We have also had a very hard time due to the shut down - but we did not decide to double down on the hurt to the economy by opening an illegal shop in our garage.

Stefoscope · 24/08/2020 15:25

If they're doing nothing wrong then voicing your concerns to the Council will do no harm to their business. We once had a complaint made to Environmental Health about the 'state of our toilets'. Basically someone had nicked the toilet paper, so rather than asking a member of staff for another roll, the customer decided to call EH . Did us a favour in the end as the inspector was happy with the facilities and gave us a 5* rating on his random spot check visit!

Original poster

LikeothersIamjustme · 24/08/2020 15:29

@Stefoscope

If they're doing nothing wrong then voicing your concerns to the Council will do no harm to their business. We once had a complaint made to Environmental Health about the 'state of our toilets'. Basically someone had nicked the toilet paper, so rather than asking a member of staff for another roll, the customer decided to call EH

. Did us a favour in the end as the inspector was happy with the facilities and gave us a 5* rating on his random spot check visit!

OP posts:

Badbadbunny · 24/08/2020 15:30

Report it now, and nip it in the bud before it becomes a problem.

We had someone on our street who had an internet business based at their home. They had no customers coming to the house, but there was a constant stream of delivery vans which caused chaos as it was a pretty narrow cul-de-sac without a turning area, so vans would reverse into peoples' drives to turn round, damaging gates and garden walls. The council took forever to deal with the problem - we're talking years, not weeks nor months. The sooner it's reported and the council can get the ball rolling re change of use planning permission/restrictions etc the better.

MrsExpo · 24/08/2020 15:34

We have a restrictive covenant on our house (along with the others in our road) which forbids any such business being conducted in the area. Might be worth looking at to see if similar exists.

I disagree with those saying stay out of it/mind your own business. If the presence of the business is causing you any problems, then it is your business and if they are breaking any rules ditto .....

Penguinnn · 24/08/2020 15:35

Why on earth do you care?

user1481840227 · 24/08/2020 15:40

Well this is why there are planning rules - you cannot just decide to bend the rules due to personal circumstances. Whatever next, you get away with murder because you were having a bad day?
Yes, that's the next logical step
Don't be so ridiculous. There has been a global pandemic which has caused the government to shut down businesses and people to have to stay in their homes. Something unprecedented in which so much about the day to day running of the world changed.
Driving licences were extended, bus and lorry drivers didn't need to have their medicals to renew their licences! Rules and restrictions were relaxed in loads of different places and still are now.

We have also had a very hard time due to the shut down - but we did not decide to double down on the hurt to the economy by opening an illegal shop in our garage.

I don't think it's a double down on hurt to the economy. Chances are that everything this person makes will either go back into the economy now or they will be saving to go back following the official rules as soon as they can.

Original poster

LikeothersIamjustme · 24/08/2020 16:04

@Penguinnn

Why on earth do you care?

I did not buy a house near a shop. I bought a house in a conservation area as planning restrictions are tight so you generally know what you are getting. The road is unsuitable for on street parking. Last year this person ran an event from their property that had cars parked on both sides of the roads so at least six houses could not get out of their drives if they wanted to. They did not pre-warn any of the neighbours of the event, or the new shop. They are not breadline. They are selling goods for top price trying to capitalise on the 'country' setting. There are appropriate retail units available in the vacinity. I care because it does not seem right.

OP posts:

Original poster

LikeothersIamjustme · 24/08/2020 16:05

@MrsExpo

We have a restrictive covenant on our house (along with the others in our road) which forbids any such business being conducted in the area. Might be worth looking at to see if similar exists.

I disagree with those saying stay out of it/mind your own business. If the presence of the business is causing you any problems, then it is your business and if they are breaking any rules ditto .....

Houses built in the mid 1850's so all deeds will be different. I suspect the chauffer from the hall setting up a shop was probably not considered at the time though!

OP posts:

HijabiVenus · 24/08/2020 16:07

Advising the council is not making a complaint.

Yes a lot of businesses have been hit by covid and deserve a break so the council may be aware and be accepting for a short period.

A lot ofo con merchants are taking andvantage and fleecing customers and other buisnjesses by illegal activity.

More traffic in a residential area is an accident waiting to happen. Any children in the road? What could possibly go wrong?

HerRoyalNotness · 24/08/2020 16:09

@LikeothersIamjustme

It's 'vintage' (for that read old but expensive) plus flowers at £20 a bunch!. Sourced specifically, not selling their old tat to make a few quid. They had a shop at a local farm with a coffee shop and retail outlets but appear to have decided why pay rent and rates when you can clutter up the pavement with your signage and customers.

Or maybe they’ve been affected so badly by covid that they can’t afford the rent on premises anymore. I’d talk to them in the first instance

wanderings · 24/08/2020 18:12

What's with all the "don't be a grass" responses which are appearing regularly on threads
Perhaps "grassing" is now frowned upon since people started "grassing" on each other about buying Easter eggs, second dog walk in a day, and so on. (Misses the point of the thread)

noss24 · 24/08/2020 18:39

I'd be concerned about any fire risk if there is one above all else.

MulticolourMophead · 25/08/2020 13:30

We have a restrictive covenant on our house (along with the others in our road) which forbids any such business being conducted in the area. Might be worth looking at to see if similar exists.

I understand covenants can only be enforced by whoever put the covenant there.

Mischance · 25/08/2020 13:34

Maybe this is a temporary measure due to coronavirus and the effects this has had on small businesses. I think I would bide my time and see how it goes before taking it further.