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?

My son's estate does not allow work vans and his solicitor as he knows my son drives a van for a living pointed it out before purchase (but my son never takes the work van home and just has a normal car so no issue). However someone put up a dreadful huge flag poll in breach of the restrictions and various neighbours were able to manage to remove that huge eye sore thankfully i think.

Here it is a balance of breaking the rules and the message that sends v. helping the children (a worth cause) in a very difficult time. If yo would be happy with the neighbours similarly breaking the covenants in other ways then it may be okay.

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

1. You have called your neighbours twatty.
2. You have said you are not a twat.

I have noted this, ahem, concatenation.

In the sprit of helpfulness, while you are concerned to bend rules you were presumably happy to take on when living where you do, to accommodate your particular situation, possibly you could extend the same possibilities to your twatty neighbours who might only have the the covenant to protect their own special needs.

Worth asking.

A few poster kindly offering free legal advice here - which is certainly value for money.

OP might want to shift this into "legal" if it continues and get some more considered advice.

As there's no issue with neighbours' access, light blocking or obstructed views exiting on to the road you would have to be incredibly petty and spiteful to object to this temporary arrangement on the basis that the usual view from the front of your house (presumably the OP's drive and house) has deteriorated because there's now a great big motor home parked there. Is the OP's house especially fascinating? Does she have an RHS standard front garden? I mean, who spends any longer than a passing glance looking out at a.n.other house anyway?

Just do it. You're doing it for very good reasons, to help preserve your kids' well being and mental health, as much as your own. And your action won't be detrimental to anyone else bar an extremely flimsy argument about (questionable) views. The twatty neighbours do NOT have to look at it. They could look out of their back windows if curtain twitching is so important to them. But your kids don't have such a simple choice when it comes to avoiding something they don't like and/or find difficult to cope with and quite obviously, their distress at lockdown circumstances is far greater than the neighbours' 'spoiled' outlook!

I agree it's only polite to let people know what's going on and why, but in exceptional times I despair that you're having to worry about the potential objection from such unempathetic people who'd presumably prefer that your children suffered unnecessarily when there's a solution of sorts which might hopefully alleviate the pressure slightly.

Personally I think any large vehicle parked outside a house in a residential area can be an eyesore, I had a neighbour in my last property who parked his large van right outside my house and it was really annoying. I would not be happy if I was your neighbour.

Ah, after my post I just realised you are private estate so would have to be a private action to challenge rather than local authority.

I’d still do it. Anything that makes life easier and better for disabled children during lockdown trumps nimby curtain twitchers complaining about the view.

@echt

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

1. You have called your neighbours twatty.
2. You have said you are not a twat.

I have noted this, ahem, concatenation.

In the sprit of helpfulness, while you are concerned to bend rules you were presumably happy to take on when living where you do, to accommodate your particular situation, possibly you could extend the same possibilities to your twatty neighbours who might only have the the covenant to protect their own special needs.

Worth asking.

What on earth are you talking about?

The builder places restrictive covenants on the deeds not neighbours or their needs!

I said I was not a twat in respect of my decision to park away from my property in recognition of both the covenants and in consideration of my neighbours.

When I bought the house 14 years ago I did not have a crystal ball that told me that:

1. My children would have to be permanently at home because they would be born with disabilities which meant that they did not fit our school system.
2. That there would be a pandemic which would mean that I would consider parking a motorhome on the drive.

You are making no sense.

I hope you're not on our estate OP...wouldn't bother me but one of our neighbours got absolutely witch hunted via the local FB page for daring to park a work van on the estate in breach of the covenant as it was apparently an 'eyesore'. Everywhere he parked it pissed someone off, even when it was on his own drive (as some people could see it out of their bedroom windows)!! Totally normal work van, quite new. People can be really petty.

I think a note to the neighbours explaining the situation, and that its temporary will be the way to go. Good luck!

If I was your neighbour, I'd want to know your intention was to move it back in a month. I may otherwise have assumed you couldn't afford storage, and it was now staying which would get my back up.

It would be fine to park it on the drive and immediately follow up with a note in my eyes with an explanation. It's a stressful situation for all, and a simple note would help alleviate some of that.

Oh and we decorated ours for Halloween! That’s probably double bubble heinous!

I'm talking about exceptional circumstances and a (relatively) short period of time here

I really feel for you, OP but if the neighbours are that twatty I doubt they'll feel the same. They'll know as well as the rest of us that lockdown could drag on and on (or be repeated) and know too that once some folk have parked what you've called "an eyesore" there can be a reluctance to move it again

I'd first find out for definite whether this covenant can be enforced, and if it can I'd speak to them before parking it. Hopefully they'll be soothed by you appearing to "ask for permission", but if not I wouldn't take the risk of the hassle they could cause

What on earth are you talking about?*

I'm saying what you yourself said:

Your neighbours are twatty
You are not a twat.

You did not qualify it.I remarked on this.

What I am saying is that just as you claim special reasons for ignoring the covenant, it might be worth asking if your neighbours also have special reasons for invoking the covenant.

You are properly eloquent about the needs of your children, yet your neighbours are just "twatty": no reasons, just "twatty".

Possibly worth getting in touch with them and finding out why they are this way.

@echt

What on earth are you talking about?*

I'm saying what you yourself said:

Your neighbours are twatty
You are not a twat.

You did not qualify it.I remarked on this.

What I am saying is that just as you claim special reasons for ignoring the covenant, it might be worth asking if your neighbours also have special reasons for invoking the covenant.

You are properly eloquent about the needs of your children, yet your neighbours are just "twatty": no reasons, just "twatty".

Possibly worth getting in touch with them and finding out why they are this way.

I did qualify it, but never mind.

I actually don't have the energy to argue with a stranger on the internet.

Most people have given helpful responses either in favour or against, I'm grateful for all helpful responses.

If I do decide to park here, and I haven't yet, I will consider that perhaps my neighbours have needs that I am not aware of having lived here for 14 years.

Not if it makes it dangerous for your neighbours to use their properties or driveways, ie if it blocks the view of the road when they are trying to drive out. In that case they will take legal action. We have had this problem and it causes so much stress and danger.
If it causes no danger or blockage of the view of the road, and it is just an eyesore, then you should be able to rely on short term goodwill. Whether you will get away with it depends on whether your kids have other outdoor space or a garden to play in.

I have thought of doing the exact same thing with our caravan op but decided against it because in our case I think it would block the neighbour's view in a way that would be twatty. She's elderly and never goes out and it would be miserable to just look at our caravan all day. Otherwise I would have.

I would stick a note through all your neighbours' doors explaining why you are doing it.

I guess from their point of view the danger is that you end up liking having the extra space and want to keep it there indefinitely. It sounds like you don't want it there indefinitely but you never know. Or that you end up going in and out it, opening and closing doors all day, would you have music or tv on inside that might leak out and annoy people?

How massive actually is your motorhome anyway? VW size or full-on luxury tour bus size?

@JollyYellaHumberElla

Oh and we decorated ours for Halloween! That’s probably double bubble heinous!

How very dare you!

That sounds great btw!

@Rae36

I have thought of doing the exact same thing with our caravan op but decided against it because in our case I think it would block the neighbour's view in a way that would be twatty. She's elderly and never goes out and it would be miserable to just look at our caravan all day. Otherwise I would have.

I would stick a note through all your neighbours' doors explaining why you are doing it.

I guess from their point of view the danger is that you end up liking having the extra space and want to keep it there indefinitely. It sounds like you don't want it there indefinitely but you never know. Or that you end up going in and out it, opening and closing doors all day, would you have music or tv on inside that might leak out and annoy people?

How massive actually is your motorhome anyway? VW size or full-on luxury tour bus size?

It's not massive, just under 7 m. I've just got a small drive so it has to go on horizontal.

Doesn't block anyone else's light/ access/ etc.

@TheSockMonster

I would do it, and I’m the sort of person who hates to break rules!

I would pop a note through all your neighbour’s doors briefly outlining what you are doing and letting them know that it’s only for the duration of lockdown, so they won’t have the worry that it’s there to stay.

I think @TheSockMonster's advice is right - and I'd add that, if I got a note like this through my door, I wouldn't have any objection whatsoever to you doing this, @cantdothisnow1.

You know your neighbours better than we do - are they generally decent people who would understand your need to do this, on a temporary basis, or are they the sort who'd complain?

I had restrictive covenants when I bought my previous property.
My solicitor arranged for their removal ; there was a cost involved but I don't remember how much.

I would hate to live opposite an “eyesore” motor home permanently. I’m not twatty enough to complain but I would be quietly disliking it.
BUT if I received a note explaining that it was a temporary ‘lockdown’ arrangement I wouldn’t mind at all. In fact I’d feel really grateful for being kept in the picture. These times are so difficult for everyone; we just need to be kind to our neighbours. Your first loyalty is to your children. I really think you should go for it.

A well maintained vehicle parked on your own drive without obstructing others’ parking is not an eyesore. It’s very snobbish and unreasonable to object to viewing work vans and small campers from your window.

Do it - and that poster who said 'you can still take them to the park' has actually really pissed me off. Taking two autistic kids to the park when they are struggling/ on the verge of a meltdown/ in meltdown is fucking impossible sometimes - aaaaarrrrrrggggghhhhhh! (I realise this is my own issues prompting this response but jesus christ - really??)

Do people really not understand what it can be like? OP - send a note explaining to your neighbours and just do it - you have to look after your own mental health to be able to support your children x

I think you should get out in front of this with a friendly note explaining why in such a tone that it would make them seem like complete twats to kick up a fuss.

Dear neighbors

As you will have seen, we have moved our motorhome onto our driveway for our sons to use during lockdown. As you may know, James and Sam both have autism and are unable to attend school. Under normal circumstances we are out and about as much as possible. Obviously this won't be possible during lockdown, which James and Sam will struggle with. The motorhome will provide a breakout room and make things easier both on the boys and on me as their carer.

Please be assured the motorhome will be returned to storage as soon as lockdown is over. We really appreciate your understanding, and hope that you are keeping well in this strange year.

I would park it there. Tell the neighbours you can't move it til the end of lockdown

I agree - do it, and immediately pop a note through key neighbours' doors explaining it is temporary.

But I would avoid making any reference to covenants in your note. Just keep it breezy, explain it is temporary and to carry out maintenance and to provide your family with some additional breakout space due to lockdown and their additional needs. Thank them in advance for their understanding, and advise you intend to move it back to long-term storage once lock-down lifts.