To park my motorhome on my drive for the duration of lockdown?

[cantdothisnow1]

I have a motorhome that is kept in storage in normal times.

I have 2 autistic kids who can't go to school, we normally get out and about as much as possible for sanity but obviously from Thursday movements are restricted.

WIBU to park my motorhome on the drive for lockdown to give us more space? This would technically be in breach of restrictive covenants on our property.

Logic behind it being that the kids would have a breakout room if needed. We had some major mental health problems in the first lockdown.

WWYD?

100% do it.

I wouldn't draw attention to the covenant in the note. Do it, explain to the nicer neighbours, and expect grief from the other one.

Post the note, then move it asap. Then even if the neighbours complain there isnt much you can do because it is already in front of your house and now you cant move it because that would be an innessential journey. If you phrase the note nicely (dont say Please say Thank you it works better!) and it doesnt inconvenience your neighbours then it should be fine - but even if they do complain by the time they complain to you, and you respond, and they threaten to take further action and then contact the person enforcing the covenant etc etc then hopefully we will be at the end of lockdown and it will have done its job.

damecelia How do they work then?

I love it that the neighbours are "twatty" but the OP is "not a twat".

That said, we havent read the terms of the covenant. If putting your motor home there could result in an instant huge fine that you cant aford then obviously don't! But that seems unlikely since it didnt happen to the neighbour you mentioned.

I would just do it. Sending letters is just inviting comment/complaint.

Boobs will enforce a covenant in these times and if anyone does say anything to you just say it's temporary during lockdown only.

@PatriciaPerch

Put a note in to all your neighbours explaining your children have autism and it's temporary whilst they are off school and bring it home. My neighbours have a massive winnebago they are using for him to self isolate in when he comes back from working abroad and it doesn't bother me in the slightest

Unfortunately my children are permanently off school as there is no provision for them long term.

The difference now is that we can't go out. In the first lockdown it wasn't so bad because we could use the garden.

If it rains now we are really limited in what we can do.

@PhlegmyHead

Don't put a note through - this is an occasion where its better to ask forgiveness than permission. Just do it.

This, absolutely this. Don’t ask, don’t explain. Think of it this way- what is more likely to affect your family’s quality of life- further mental health difficulties for your children, or knowing that the neighbour across the road is a bit grumpy about their view?

Even if someone does get difficult about enforcing the restrictive covenant you can fix it easily by putting it back in storage. (Don’t stop paying the storage fee).

@echt

I love it that the neighbours are "twatty" but the OP is "not a twat".

I can't guarantee that i"m not a twat, but I try not to be.

Interesting to hear your neighbours have form for attempting to enforce. Makes the situation more tricky.

I think follow the other suggestions of winning the neighbours over with letters explaining the situation, give a week or two notice and unless you receive multiple objections and clearly you are going to have a neighbourhood vs you situation like you said about the caravan situation, go ahead and park it up.

As long as its temporary, hopefully they aren't miserly enough to say no?

Do it, I wouldn't put a note saying you know you are breaking the covenant though.
I would also be inclined to use it for days out (if we aren't limited on distance), at least then you will have a toilet (assuming it has one) and can make a picnic & dry off if this rain persists!!!

We’re also assuming the OP isn’t a twat. What if after the four weeks is up, the motor home on the drive has been a huge success and op decides to keep it there because she hasn’t had complaints and no warning letters through the post? People can and do take advantage of people’s goodwill.

@EvilPea

Do it, I wouldn't put a note saying you know you are breaking the covenant though. I would also be inclined to use it for days out (if we aren't limited on distance), at least then you will have a toilet (assuming it has one) and can make a picnic & dry off if this rain persists!!!

Yes that is another benefit of keeping it here.

@Livelovebehappy

We’re also assuming the OP isn’t a twat. What if after the four weeks is up, the motor home on the drive has been a huge success and op decides to keep it there because she hasn’t had complaints and no warning letters through the post? People can and do take advantage of people’s goodwill.

I've paid for motorhome storage. It takes up my entire drive and blocks my light,. I have no intention of keeping it here long term.

I'd just do it. If they do bother sending you a letter, you can decide what to do then, and in what time frames. Lockdown might be done and dusted before they've even had chance to get the com p laints process going, and you can just move it back again.

I can't guarantee that i"m not a twat, but I try not to be

My point was that you said your neighbours were, but you weren't.

OP just do it, you don’t need a bloody GP letter!

Covenants are only between yo and the original developer. Even if your neighbour complained, it’s nothing to do with them. The developer would only enforce it if they were losing it financially, and then they’d ask the complaining neighbor to fund it.

You sound in a similar position to us OP. We have our parked in the drive and use it regularly for extra play space or have lunches in there for a change of 4 walls etc.

I would just do it. Don’t worry too much about neighbours unless you think it will seriously inconvenience them.

No local authorities have the time, personnel or funds to pursue this anyway, even if you are in breach of a property covenant. It would have to be causing a huge problem or an actual danger for anyone to pursue a complaint successfully just now.

Do it OP, I wouldn’t bother what the neighbours think, it’s on your drive, no one else’s business.

Don't ask - if they say no (they will) then what will you do? Just do it, and if they get arsey, then you can explain.

Maybe you could stick some nice plants around it to try to make it look a bit less eyesore - our neighbours have done this with their caravan, it's quite amusing - it essentially has it's own little front garden.

@echt

I can't guarantee that i"m not a twat, but I try not to be

My point was that you said your neighbours were, but you weren't.

Eh?

Do you think I'm a twat for parking my motorhome in storage? That's what I was talking about.

I may be being a twat if I decide to park it on my drive for the lockdown which is why I've put this thread up as I wanted other views.

TBH, key is how it affects the immediate neighbours. All well and good if it doesn’t affect them, but if it is very close to a shared boundary and affects a neighbours parking and accessing their own vehicles, or if it is immediately parked in front of a window or affects privacy if alongside a back garden etc, then at what point does ops needs trump needs of neighbours? Probably a diagram is needed.

@Livelovebehappy

TBH, key is how it affects the immediate neighbours. All well and good if it doesn’t affect them, but if it is very close to a shared boundary and affects a neighbours parking and accessing their own vehicles, or if it is immediately parked in front of a window or affects privacy if alongside a back garden etc, then at what point does ops needs trump needs of neighbours? Probably a diagram is needed.

The only window it would be parked immediately in front of is mine which is why it would never be a long term solution.

No privacy or access issues for anyone.

Simply an eyesore.