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Original poster

Landlord wants to put a skip on my driveway

67 replies

DeathByWalkies · 31/07/2021 10:37

Bit of an inconvenient confluence of events

I'm a private tenant. The tenancy agreement includes one parking space which is allocated and secure (there's a second space which belongs to my upstairs neighbours).

There's some works that do need doing to the rear of the property, where the parking space is.

I've been told that they want to put two skips on the driveway, leaving me with no parking whatsoever. This will also make it basically impossible to use the garden due to scaffolding / noise / dust so I'll be losing a second amenity.

I've already maxed out the parking permits available to my property (main car + visitor permit for DP) but now I'm in the process of buying a specialist and very expensive classic vehicle that needs to be kept off road for both security and insurance reasons.

I have nowhere else to store the vehicle, and the purchase of it cannot be delayed. Another one like it won't come on the market for many years, if ever. I've been trying to find a garage to rent anyway to store it, but nothing suitable has come up (mainly due to the size - it's an unusually tall vehicle and just won't fit in most domestic garages). I'm also worried about the builders damaging said vehicle either through carelessness or excess dust.

I've not broached this with the LL yet, and tbh I'm not sure how to handle this really.

Point blank refuse access to my driveway?
Ask landlord to source and pay for alternative secure parking (and cover the cost of any insurance increase?) on the basis that I'm already paying for my parking space?
Something else?

OP posts:
MazDazzle · 31/07/2021 11:23

How long will the skip be on your driveway for?

DogsSausages · 31/07/2021 11:23

Maybe its essential works to try and sort out the damp

Postdatedpandemic · 31/07/2021 11:29

OP could have said milk float, VW van, ice cream van but chose to compare it with a Route master. Therefore the assumption is that this is a large vehicle and may need keeping at a commercial yard.

ChicChaos · 31/07/2021 11:38

It's a temporary issue. Even if the parking space was available, you don't want to leave the vehicle there anyway while the work is ongoing because of the risk of damage.

I would say your options are to find storage (what about somewhere like a farm that stores caravans) or increase your insurance temporarily to cover on-road parking.

How long is the work likely to take?

dworky · 31/07/2021 11:46

@NannyAndJohn

His house his rules.

Maybe you should have used that money on a house deposit instead of burning it on a new car, eh?

Awful
Elbie79 · 31/07/2021 11:51

@NannyAndJohn

His house his rules.

Maybe you should have used that money on a house deposit instead of burning it on a new car, eh?

Prick
yoursfroobly · 31/07/2021 11:57

How long is the work for?

Do you have any friends/family with a secure enough drive to keep it on for a while?

I think you should explain to LL, if they are reasonable they may even come up with a solution themselves

Palavah · 31/07/2021 11:59

@FurierTransform

I'd remind the landlord that's off-road parking space was Included as part of the tenancy, & if he wishes to remove that from you, he should either provide alternative off road parking or a reduction in your rent so you can procure your own.
Both, i think, since the garden will not be available for the duration either.
IveGotASongThatllGetOnYNerves · 31/07/2021 12:02

Ask him which of the following are you going to do - pay for alternative parking or reduce my rent until I can use the driveway again?

I'm pig sick of all the rent sneerers tbh. You pay for the sole use of a property and any land that comes with it. They aren't doing you a favour and there are laws in place regarding renting and for landlords. People can fuck right off with their "it's his house know your place pleb and be grateful you're granted kind permission to pay to live there" bollocks.

Gardenwalldilema · 31/07/2021 12:03

If he's having a new roof on or suchlike I don't see how you can reasonably object, if it was your own house you'd have the same issue, sometimes large works are just necessary.
Can't you hire a garage / Park it in caravan storage place / something else for a while? Maybe split the cost with the ll.

Datsandcogs · 31/07/2021 12:04

I don’t understand the need for 2 skips. Surely most people get 1, fill it, get it emptied and then refill it?

Your lease presumably allows for use of the parking and garden. I would ask for the landlord to provide secure parking elsewhere during the renos or a rent reduction to reflect the reduction in facilities. I would also ask for a timescale and guarantee that the loss of facilities is compensated for the length of the inconvenience rather than the expected length of building works.

Frazzled2207 · 31/07/2021 12:05

When he had works in our house we could not park in our drive due to skip and had to park in the street a few minutes walk away and cope with all kinds of noise and mess. So is def not just the sort or issue that affects renters- is part and parcel of living in a house!

Badbadbunny · 31/07/2021 12:07

@FurierTransform

I'd remind the landlord that's off-road parking space was Included as part of the tenancy, & if he wishes to remove that from you, he should either provide alternative off road parking or a reduction in your rent so you can procure your own.
That is the correct response. Turn it back on the LL to provide a solution.
Knittedfairies · 31/07/2021 12:10

Could the current owners of the vehicle hang on to it/store it for a while until the work is finished?

Cs80 · 31/07/2021 12:20

Surely you’ve entered into an agreement with the LL that includes this amenity so it can’t just be removed?

nordica · 31/07/2021 12:20

What would you do if it was a property you owned and the work needed doing and a skip was essential? People often seem to expect landlords to perform miracles and get work done immediately and with no disruption. In reality most of us have to deal with disruption when we own a property as you can't really avoid maintenance works.

Greenlittle · 31/07/2021 12:29

If it is your own house, it is different. This is a legal contract for services.

It is like saying I sometimes burn food and run out of wine at home. So if I go to a restaurant and am served burnt food and no wine because they have run out, but charged for a meal and wine, I should accept it.

MazDazzle · 31/07/2021 12:29

@Datsandcogs when we had work done we were required to have 3 skips - I think one was for stone/rubble, one for wood/plasterboard and the other for general waste.

Greenlittle · 31/07/2021 12:30

We are landlords and we provide a rent reduction. Because we are unable to provide the services we agreed to. Some of it can be claimed off our landlord insurance. If not, it is simply a cost of doing business

Needapoodle · 31/07/2021 12:32

*His house his rules.

Maybe you should have used that money on a house deposit instead of burning it on a new car, eh?*

What a prick you are.

It's not his house his rules. It's the ops home and she's entitled to quiet enjoyment of it, which doesn't include the landlord commandeering parts of it at his convenience.

movingadviceneeded · 31/07/2021 12:38

This reply has been deleted

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NannyAndJohn · 31/07/2021 12:39

@nordica

What would you do if it was a property you owned and the work needed doing and a skip was essential? People often seem to expect landlords to perform miracles and get work done immediately and with no disruption. In reality most of us have to deal with disruption when we own a property as you can't really avoid maintenance works.
Not to mention that the OP is getting the place she's staying improved for free.

Free.

sleepyhoglet · 31/07/2021 12:42

Can the skip go behind the car?

TakeYourFinalPosition · 31/07/2021 12:46

I want to put it in dry storage during the winter when it will get less use, but unlikely to get that sorted before it arrives.

You need this sorted. Get the dry storage, where it’ll be safer anyway, and get the landlord to cover some of the costs via a reduction in rent due to losing the car parking and garden for X period.

It’s the sensible thing to do anyway, just incase you do get given notice at any point, and can’t find somewhere with secure parking to store it. The requirement for six months notice under the coronavirus change reduced to four months on June 1st, and goes down to two months tomorrow.

titchy · 31/07/2021 12:48

Not to mention that the OP is getting the place she's staying improved for free.

OP has already its essential maintenance that is two years after the problem was identified. It's not an improvement, simply bringing the property up to standard.

If you have dcs who are likely to rent please don't give them the attitude that whatever shit the landlord throws at them they have to accept - tenants have rights. Even if that obviously sticks in your throat for some odd reason.

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