Council contractors want OH's truck moved but he is in USA

Socajam

Tell the council to return when your OH returns from the States, because you are more important than anyone else.
Afterall, this is common sense: you saw the Council doing work on your street, something did not lick in you and your OH's brain that if they happen to reach your area and he was still away the van would have to be moved.

The Council have every right to move the van, store it and charge you for removal/storage. Trust me it won't be cheap.
Stop making excuses and take the advice given here, get someone from your local garage to move the van and save yourself some serious money.

JohnM5206

"I spoke to the contractors and managed to explain that OH was away and I could not drive it but they have little english and basically shrugged. So I phoned the council today and was told it was being handled by subcontractors and I should deal with them. Maybe I could get them or a neighbour to move it?!!! They said they would speak to the contractors if necessary but I do not really want someone unknown moving it. "

If the council are essentially passing the buck then it sounds as though there is no TTRO applied to suspend permit parking. In that case the council can move the vehicle to an equivalent space , where the permit continues to be valid. Photos before and after removal will ensure that any damage is logged and held to be the Council/Contractor responsibility.
Why is it assumed that people do not leave cars parked in permit areas and go on holiday - they could both be in USA for 10+ day. Most notices in permit areas only require to be posted 72 hours in advance; so this is an going problem which councils are well aware of.

DUTR

JohnM5206 wrote: »

"I spoke to the contractors and managed to explain that OH was away and I could not drive it but they have little english and basically shrugged. So I phoned the council today and was told it was being handled by subcontractors and I should deal with them. Maybe I could get them or a neighbour to move it?!!! They said they would speak to the contractors if necessary but I do not really want someone unknown moving it. "

If the council are essentially passing the buck then it sounds as though there is no TTRO applied to suspend permit parking. In that case the council can move the vehicle to an equivalent space , where the permit continues to be valid. Photos before and after removal will ensure that any damage is logged and held to be the Council/Contractor responsibility.
Why is it assumed that people do not leave cars parked in permit areas and go on holiday - they could both be in USA for 10+ day. Most notices in permit areas only require to be posted 72 hours in advance; so this is an going problem which councils are well aware of.

How's about the permit holder check before longer absences that there maybe work scheduled for the road whilst they are away?
Then they can make the necessary arrangements if need be.

System

AdrianC wrote: »

D'oh. I meant .5t.

If it was >3.5t, then it wouldn't be legally parked there in the first place, because it'd need to be parked within the remit of an O licence.

You're not too good at things to do with goods vehicles are you?

An O licence doesn't prevent you from parking away from base. It could also be registered as a private goods vehicle in which case it could park where it pleases. Chris Eubank famously registered an american Peterbilt tractor unit as a private HGV.

AdrianC

Tarambor wrote: »

An O licence doesn't prevent you from parking away from base.

In exceptional circumstances, when required.

Not left outside the user's house while they go on holiday for a week and a bit.

It could also be registered as a private goods vehicle in which case it could park where it pleases.

I thought I'd read that it was a work vehicle - but it seems not. Yes, it's possible that the OP's OH has a larger vehicle for purely personal use. It's described as being a "large van with windows" - so I don't think it's a leap into the unknown to assume it's something like a LWB Transit or Sprinter, which - yes - could be over 3.5t... But sheer weight of numbers...

I rather suspect getting a resi permit for something that big would also be an issue.