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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to report neighbour for running a business?

137 replies

bookstearocknroll · 09/11/2020 13:55

It's lockdown, everyone's having a hard time in one way or another and the last thing I want to do is add to anyone's struggles...but my neighbour is pissing me right off.

He's some kind of handyman/mechanic and for years, has had at least five cars parked along our street, often so close to my drive that it makes it almost impossible to get out.

For the past couple of weeks, the number of cars has gone up, he's out on his driveway working on them all through the day and it's fairly obvious he's running a business from home. Right now, there's a windscreen repair van literally parked right across my driveway with two men fixing a windscreen with the table set up at next to their van. I've asked them to move as my partner's due home any minute with a week's worth of shopping and the neighbour's cars are parked all along the road taking up the rest of the room and they say they'll be done in 20 minutes but have made no effort to move despite me saying they have to.

My partner asked the neighbour directly if he was running a business, told him that we didn't mind him messing on with cars a few days a week as a hobby but if it was going to be banging and drilling throughout the day every day as it has been, it's a business and it's not fair on us with regards to noise (we have babies and both work from home, so it's not like we can easily escape it). Neighbour said he wasn't running a business, his garage had closed and he was just finishing a few MOTs - he got pretty arsey about it.

This latest escalation has been going on for a few weeks - would you report it or cut him some slack given the lockdown situation?

To avoid drip feeds, he's got form for being a bit of a cheeky fucker in other respects too so I'm not convinced of his explanation.

OP posts:
Housecar · 10/11/2020 17:51

I wouldn’t want to live next to that but I wouldn’t report just yet. Try discussing with him again and give him a reasonable timescale to rent a lock up or something to work from. If he won’t budge and keeps it up then report him for anti social behaviour?

starfishmummy · 10/11/2020 17:54

@ineedaholidaynow

If you run a garage from home will you have flammable/toxic substances on your premises?
Thinking along similar lines - there will be fluids - oils, brake and clutch fluids and maybe even fuel that he could be leaking all over the ground and into domestic drains
Bozlem80 · 10/11/2020 17:54

We have something similar to this in our street, a bloke across the road has 2 scrap cars parked on the pavement, reg plates have been taken off, I assume so they can’t be reported for no tax, my neighbour actually checked if they had tax before plates were taken off & they haven’t, he is fixing cars on the pavement too, one car is literally just being held up by tyres underneath it, really dangerous I think, they have lights on till gone midnight fixing the cars, revving the engines & taking them for a spin as if we live on a racetrack, my neighbour went to work at 5am last week they were out fixing cars then as well! He is running a business as it pops up on a local site a lot! I don’t know who to report to either?!

Pickpick101 · 10/11/2020 18:07

If the cars aren't taxed I think you can report to the DVLA .

FelicisNox · 10/11/2020 18:19

I would go back to him and say: garages are still open so why you're working from home is a mystery to me but either way, you're not remotely sorry for the aggravation you're causing and as there's no end in sight to this ridiculous charade I'm giving you until the end of the week to finish up before I contact the council and report you for running a business from home. Oh and FYI, had you have been in the least bit contrite or apologetic about the disruption you're causing to the entire street it wouldn't have come to this so before you get on your high horse, this is on you.

Unless the police are called this is not classed as a neighbour dispute as far as I'm aware but I could be mistaken.

amms36 · 10/11/2020 18:42

I do sympathise with you.

But what is the current MN obsession with 'Should I report my friend/neighbour/second cousin/' etc etc?

Do people really have nothing better to do?

Pinkfluff76 · 10/11/2020 19:20

I’d report him OP. He sounds like an entitled twat. Good luck!

Ddot · 10/11/2020 19:28

Problem, you have asked him if he is running a business from home so now if he gets reported he will know it's you.

Nettersrunboulder86 · 10/11/2020 19:35

Report him to the council. He needs planning permission to operate a car repair business from his home. It’s a fire safety risk as he will be using hazardous substances. I doubt he’s paying tax or his business rates.

Diva66 · 10/11/2020 19:42

Report the ‘abandoned’ cars parked all down the road.

GoodEnough1 · 10/11/2020 19:53

I was all set to vote YABU but after reading the details ....

polarisation · 10/11/2020 19:55

www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q621.htm

"Q621: Can you repair vehicles on the road?
Generally, yes you can. However, you cannot repair vehicles on a road if,

  • it is during the course of a business
  • it is for gain or reward
  • it causes annoyance to people in the vicinity

The only exception is that if the repairs are carried out following an accident or break down where it was necessary to do the repairs on the spot or within 72 hours.

If it is a one off repair then this is not likely to breach the law but anyone who repeatedly repairs vehicles on the road is likely to commit an offence."

Barmychick · 10/11/2020 21:20

I'd phone council to clarify position, then tell him what you know. If no reasonable response then report him xx

Justbrutallyhonest · 10/11/2020 22:08

Where are you?

Is he any good?

Is he cheap?

Asking for a friend honest....

sneakysnoopysniper · 10/11/2020 23:38

I would write out your concerns in a letter and put it through his door. Let him know that if your access is blocked again you will call the police and inform the local council. He needs planning permission for a change of use from a domestic dwelling to a part commercial one. He should also be paying business rates. Thats in addition to any concerns his mortgage provider or insurer might have.

Yohoheaveho · 11/11/2020 00:32

I hope you can update us OP🤞

RibenaMonsoon · 11/11/2020 05:26

He is being massively unreasonable blocking your drive. I would report him for that.

But reporting him for running a business from home would definitely be an asshole move.

Some people are really struggling financially with this pandemic. He may not have a choice but to set something up from home.

MummyMayo1988 · 11/11/2020 09:57

We've got neighbours like this across the road from us.
Not a business but the dad and his 2 older sons love fixing up old cars. For weeks they'd be out on the road drilling and banging. Sometimes till 11pm with a huge bright light balanced on the pavement. I feel your pain. They haven't done it in over a year now - I reckon one of the other neighbours complained.

LakieLady · 11/11/2020 10:03

@itsallfuntilsomeonelosesaneye

He's running a business? From home?? Oh, the horror

The access thing, you should talk to him about, but as long as he has all the right paperwork, it's just tough

There's a world of difference between running a business from an office in your home and running a motor business, with all the attendant noise and disruption, from a residential premises.

It's a breach of planning rules. There was a thread on here a couple of years ago about a guy who ran a dog grooming business from his house without permission, and telling customers they could park on the MN'ers drive or parking space. He was reported and the council made him stop.

Denny53 · 11/11/2020 10:25

The guys trying to make a living! In theses days of lockdown cut him some slack will you?

CheetasOnFajitas · 11/11/2020 10:41

@Denny53

The guys trying to make a living! In theses days of lockdown cut him some slack will you?
But garages don’t have to close!
TurquoiseDragon · 11/11/2020 10:45

@Denny53

The guys trying to make a living! In theses days of lockdown cut him some slack will you?
RTFT. Plenty of posters have given information on why running an illegal garage in a residential area is a bad idea.
Seeline · 11/11/2020 10:57

In planning terms, as a ruke of thumb if you run a business from home without any of your neighbours noticing, it's probably OK. AS soon as anything alerts your neighbours it is likely that planning permission will be required for a partial change of use from residential to mixed use. So if it results in lots of people visiting, additional vehicles, noise, smells, disturbance etc the Council will want to know.

Report it to the Planning Enforcement team.

It is unlikely that PP would be granted for a use such as the one the OP describes. Even if PP is granted, there will be restrictions on the level of use, hours of operation etc which the Council can enforce.

Hillary4 · 11/11/2020 10:58

"we both work from home"
So you can, he can't?

I see your issues, but also the duplicity, bit like cummings!

Probably chalk and cheese between your work and his, but in principle, the same

EveryoneRevealsThemselves · 11/11/2020 11:01

Have we mentioned insurance yet?