Neighbours enormous caravan parked on the road (not drive) for months

[AchillesLastStand]

My neighbours have an enormous caravan that has been parked outside their house on the road for over three months or longer that they have up for sale. It’s directly opposite my house and impacts DH’s ability to reverse out of our drive. He has to reverse out at angle going across our front garden rather than straight. Also no one can park outside our house. Tradesmen have had to park up the road and carry heavy equipment with them.

One of our neighbours is having building work done and we had a cement lorry reversing down the road yesterday past the caravan and now I’ve noticed a small bump on the side of the caravan. I know our neighbours are going to try and pin it on us even though they have no proof and the caravan shouldn’t be parked there that long in the first place obstructing traffic. They have a drive which they’re using for vehicles but I wouldn’t mind if the caravan was parked there for that amount of time. Surely then don’t own the road outside their house and it shouldn’t be there. AIBU,

I'd say the issue there is that the caravan on the opposite side of the road, together with Mum parking outside OP house leaves no room for cars etc. to navigate up or down.

Anyway, I thought it was wrong/illegal/bad etiquette to park opposite another car if it causes a blockage like that.

Because in many areas it's prohibited, usually due to access issues ie they take up more width on the road than a 'regular' vehicle and this can cause issues; but also because people could be using them as dwellings.

wtf. They will pin it on you. Tell them to leave you in peace and mind their own business

Only if the vehicle requires tax. Not all do. I have a classic car (41 years old) which is tax exempt as it is classed as an historic vehicle. It can still be parked and driven in the exact same way as any other vehicle.

If a caravan doesn't require tax in the first place, it doesn't need to be taxed to park it on the road.

I'm not sure council do much, there are a few caravans dotted round our town, not usually in front of houses though, people must live in them as they have generators.

It's really inconsiderate of them. Have you mentioned it to them? It becomes tricky now, because if you point out it is hard to reverse out, it could look like you are to blame for the dent.

Or on the OP's drive.

The OP can move her own car off it, when she knows her mum is coming.

In many areas there are bylaws forbidding this. Check with your local council

Some new build developments have it written into title deeds that caravans, trailers, boats etc are not permitted unless for loading and unloading etc. it would be in your title deeds if so.

It seems variable from area to area, but I too always understood that it was only legal to park a caravan on the road whilst it's hitched to a (road-legal) vehicle.

Lots of people use caravans for extra storage, so if you can do that and leave it long-term on the road on its own, why can't you just erect a shed on the road outside your house and be done with it?! Especially considering you have to get special permission for a skip on the road - even a small one - and then it's only for a limited time.

Whatever the legalities, it's an extremely antisocial thing to do. Most average touring caravans (let alone big ones) are very sizeable and cause a huge obstruction when parked in a residential street. You could legally leave an articulated lorry parked in a residential street (assuming it's taxed and insured), but it would soon make it unbearable and very dangerous if left there constantly. By all means make your delivery or take a day or two to fill it up with all your stuff ready for your house move, but once the job is done, it needs to go back to the depot/storage yard.

It's also not wise for security purposes, as caravans can be very desirable to thieves. If it's already there on the road, they've done half of the criminal's 'job' for them.

At least they're desirable to someone, I suppose.

OP it was your husband who dinged the caravan, wasn't it?

Our council don’t allow it, and a neighbour was told to move theirs off the road after someone complained about it.

Probably even harden for them to reverse on with the caravan there

They won't be able to pin any damage to the caravan to you if you didn't do it. Maybe the fact it has been damaged will encourage them to put it onto the driveway?

There have been by-laws prohibiting it in the last few places I’ve lived. One particular caravan was a massive pain and basically prevented anything wider than a fiat getting up the street. The owner apparently went on holiday just as the council slapped an enforcement notice on its window… there was much chuckling when they angrily posted about their caravan having been stolen a few weeks later. Council had crushed it.

Would an emergency vehicle be able to get past it?

The OP says it's enormous -- might its size be an issue, due to access or obstruction issues? Even if the local council does allow caravans (normal size) to park on the road.
I'd take a few photos to illustrate the problem and email them to the council. It might be fine, it might not.

It's a minimum 6 week process, not allowing for any administrative delay, or delay in getting the caravan recovered or processed for crushing. So, sure.

OP if they try to blame you for damage to the caravan, you say it wasnt you. They will have to claim through their caravan insurance, who can, if they like, contact your insurance. Your insurance will then inspect your vehicle and confirm there's no damage on it consistent with you hitting the caravan, and decline any liability.

@ClaudiaWankleman hence why I say they apparently went on holiday. More likely they were bone idle and didn’t take a second glance at the thing for months on end or had parked it several streets away from their actual home (also not uncommon there). Abandoned caravans were a problem in the area and were being torched - no license plate so no way of knowing which if any house they belong to. The council was pretty proactive. The area also gets very regular visits from the dvla due to an excessive number of untaxed vehicles.

They just do do t want to pay for storage for the caravan so they inconvenience everyone else

Yes, there are possibly as many people who love them as hate them - especially if they can try to get them for a bargain price from people who may not realise their true value!

I love caravans - we have one - but they belong on a drive or in storage when not in use; the public road is no place for them to stay parked.

Unless there is a local bylaw preventing it, then it's legal. However, it is a trailer and therefore MUST be lit at night, even on a 30mph lit road. It's a police matter if they do not have parking lights at night.