Vandalism by neighbour's Airbnb guests

[JustFiveMinutesPeace]

It's emerged in the last couple of days that the landlords two doors down have decided to rent out their home to short term lettings guests (possibly Airbnb but I can't find a listing). We found this out after their guests were walking along the top of my garden wall, staring into my house, egged a neighbour's car and smashed glass outside.

I understand the neighbour delegated responsibility to an agent who put it on a short term lettings platform, who rented it to the council, who placed late teens/early 20s young adults with known behaviour problems and zero supervision. It's a nice area and not the sort of place you expect problems of this nature.

My biggest concern is that my livelihood is parked on my driveway: a street food van that's very conspicuous (people literally take photos when I'm minding my own business driving down the road) and a 50 year old classic so potentially very difficult to find spare parts for, especially if it was a windscreen. If it's off the road, I can't work, I'd have to cancel people's wedding catering (I'm doing two weddings today alone), and it would be devastating on multiple levels in the middle of the summer peak season.

If the neighbours short term lettings business results in my classic street food van being vandalised, do I have a claim against the landlord for the repair work and loss of earnings? I'm potentially insured for vandalism but not loss of earnings - and I don't want to claim and then have my premiums go even higher (£1200 this year). No point going after the guests; they won't have two pennies to run together.

I'm really very worried and don't know how to protect myself and my livelihood.

If I was going to post this as a reverse in AIBU I'd be writing "AIBU to set up a business and as part of that fling food at the neighbours cars, vandalise their property and dance on their garden walls at 11pm".

I'm quite certain the responses wouldn't be "yeah sure crack on, sounds totally reasonable, and if the neighbours aren't happy with that they should pay £9600 per year to park elsewhere, you can act with complete impunity".

You would need to pursue the people who actually did the damage for damages and costs, after any criminal trial had run its course. But as they are unlikely to have any money it would be pointless.

have you reported the behaviour to the police? That is your first step.

Exactly - this is about money. If your business can't afford to cover a commercial rent to protect your key business assets then you need to carry your own risks.

You would need to pursue the people who actually did the damage for damages and costs, after any criminal trial had run its course. But as they are unlikely to have any money it would be pointless.

This is why I wanted to know if I could pursue the landlord, who must have money, through the civil courts.

have you reported the behaviour to the police? That is your first step.

Yes I have - I reported it as it was in progress, and the police came out but naturally they'd stopped pissing about outside by the time they turned up.

Exactly - this is about money. If your business can't afford to cover a commercial rent to protect your key business assets then you need to carry your own risks.

Just to be clear - I have purchased a parking space, in a nice area, for the express purpose of parking my vehicle safely off road as required by my insurers. This is off road parking, not street parking.

I have no idea why people think I shouldn't expect my vehicle parked on my land to be left alone by the neighbours.

The alternative is parking it on a deserted industrial estate, with a clause in the contract saying I'm parking at my own risk, brings with it a different set of risks but does not eliminate them.

Regardless of the possible issues I'd be getting insured for loss.of earnings! Literally anything could happen to you and the van and then what do you do? It's the whole point of insurance

@IWFH you do realise most people don't just have a spare £10k laying about each and every year? Perhaps you need to rejoin the real world.

@Scienceadvisory Thank you for your well thought out, polite, and insightful comments. I just wish I had your breadth of knowledge about business costs.
You clearly don't understand this but running a business actually costs money. There are fixed and variable costs. My rent is my largest fixed cost. I do however live in the real world thank you and my business easily makes money after covering all my costs.

I could however choose to dump my stock on my drive where it would be at risk of theft, vandalism or deterioration due to the elements. But actually that would be stupid and not living in the real world.

I am not "dumping my stock on my drive". I am parking my vehicle on my driveway.

What, pray tell, is the purpose of a driveway if not for parking your vehicle?

I also have a white van. Should I be parking that elsewhere too? Where should my partner park his car? How about my neighbour whose very ordinary hatchback was egged?

I am only too well aware that running a business costs money. The driveway was not free. I paid very good money for it, purchasing this house over other cheaper alternatives because I needed off street parking for the street food van. I expect to be able to use the driveway I have purchased. Why should I pay twice?

OP - My comments in the last post weren't aimed at you.
I have merely pointed out throughout this thread that by storing your van in the open on your drive you are exposing yourself to business risks that could be very damaging for you. As a business owner myself that wouldn't be within my risk appetite.