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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:
Seeline · 11/11/2020 11:09

This is the advice from the Planning Portal:

"Planning Permission

You do not necessarily need planning permission to work from home. The key test is whether the overall character of the dwelling will change as a result of the business.
If the answer to any of the following questions is 'yes', then permission will probably be needed:

Will your home no longer be used mainly as a private residence?
Will your business result in a marked rise in traffic or people calling?
Will your business involve any activities unusual in a residential area?
Will your business disturb your neighbours at unreasonable hours or create other forms of nuisance such as noise or smells?
Whatever business you carry out from your home, whether it involves using part of it as a bed-sit or for 'bed and breakfast' accommodation, using a room as your personal office, providing a childminding service, for hairdressing, dressmaking or music teaching, or using buildings in the garden for repairing cars or storing goods connected with a business - the key test is: is it still mainly a home or has it become business premises?

If you are in doubt you may apply to your council for a Certificate of Lawful Use for the proposed activity, to confirm it is not a change of use and still the lawful use."

buildingbridge · 11/11/2020 11:14

.................................

BefuddledPerson · 11/11/2020 14:20

@Hillary4

"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

I don't think this is the same at all!

There are long-established rules around garages.

Cony95 · 11/11/2020 14:20

I am sure that if you're car broke down while most garages are closed, you will be happy for him to help you! Why don't you actually tell him you and your baby need some quiet time maybe he will pick up some hours to work during the day! And why are you so sure he didn't tell the gov he is working from home? I don't think that if he was doing something illegal he would let you know as he did

Puzzledandpissedoff · 11/11/2020 14:25

Have we mentioned insurance yet?

I think somebody did, yes - and no doubt ordinary household insurance would cover public liability

But this isn't being used entirely as an ordinary household, and if anything goes wrong the insurers will no doubt run for the hills

Elvesinquarantine · 11/11/2020 14:34

Sounds kiel my df's previous ndn. Garden and drive were full of car parts. Banging, clattering all day. And the smell of petrol fumes was awful. Df referred to him as Mr Clampet..
He once knocked for df and I shouted that Mr Clampet was here for him..
He wasn't really called Mr Clampet..
Blush

MinnieMountain · 11/11/2020 16:29

Because I’m bored (train journey) here’s the table showing what use classes you can swop between under the permitted development rules: www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/9/change_of_use/2

OP’s neighbour wants to change from a C3 to a B2 if he’s doing garage work. He can’t.

Nanny0gg · 11/11/2020 17:42

@Puzzledandpissedoff

So the bloke up the road to me (who doesn't have a drive) shouldn't have replaced his engine??

I'd expect one guy doing his engine to get away with it TBH - not least because, by the time the average council get round to doing anything, it would probably be finished anyway

However someone going on and on doing the same thing is a bit different

My main issue is that he always parks too close to the junction. Otherwise he's done now
Cantstopeatingchocolate · 11/11/2020 18:26

My neighbour directly across from me does a few ‘homer’s’ involving cars.
One at a time, sometimes there’s a car drives up as another drives away. It got a bit busier throughout first lockdown but didn’t impact me badly. Sometimes it got a bit tight with the other cars parking around my drive but never blocked.
If it did I would have said something to him. The Ops situation is very different though. My neighbour’s a nice lad and his girlfriend runs her own business which was one of the last to reopen, he was furloughed and I guessed money might have been a bit tight.
My friend on the other hand works in trading standards and her direct neighbour converted their garage into a salon without permission. It started a neighbour dispute that went in for a long time. My friend almost moved because of it. The neighbour eventually sold up.

CheetasOnFajitas · 11/11/2020 19:14

@Cony95

I am sure that if you're car broke down while most garages are closed, you will be happy for him to help you! Why don't you actually tell him you and your baby need some quiet time maybe he will pick up some hours to work during the day! And why are you so sure he didn't tell the gov he is working from home? I don't think that if he was doing something illegal he would let you know as he did
Garages aren’t closed.
CheetasOnFajitas · 11/11/2020 19:33

@Cony95

AIBU to report neighbour for running a business?
Cony95 · 12/11/2020 14:22

Some garages in my area and the car washing stations are closed, maybe depends by area

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