Commercial vans in New estates

Snowy1985

So the developer has said that no commercial vehicles to be parked on driveways until the devoplment period ends in roughly 12 months from now. 
I can see why as old knacked rusty dirty vans do look an eyesore. But
I work for virgin media as an field based engineer the van is brand new and clean.
I have asked for permission though our solicitor and the developer has pretty much sai, officially you can't but you can, if no one complains. 

Has anyone experienced issues like this?

princeofpounds

Yes lots of people. Your van might be new and clean, but it could still put people off.

The developers put the covenant in so that marketing goes smoothly, but they rarely care after they have finished.

I would not count on being able to rely on their assurance. If they don't want your van there, they will force you to remove it, and all previous assurances will count for nothing. It does not matter who complains, although that makes them even more likely to move. Just remember that the person making this decision will not be the salesperson who is selling you the house and will say almost anything to do it!

In addition, you risk creating badwill with your neighbours. Many will know about the covenant. Many will be under the mistaken impression that it is for their general benefit, rather than that of the developer alone. How that expresses itself is hard to tell, but it could happen.

So that's roughly what you face.

RelievedSheff

There are plenty of commercial vehicles on our new build estate despite the covenants saying they shouldn't be parked on the drives. As far as I am aware no one has complained about it nor has anyone been asked to remove their vehicles.

Just have a drive around the estate and see what vehicles are parked on driveways. Talk to the existing residents and find out how strict the developers are at enforcing the covenants.

Snowy1985

princeofpounds said:

Yes lots of people. Your van might be new and clean, but it could still put people off.

The developers put the covenant in so that marketing goes smoothly, but they rarely care after they have finished.

I would not count on being able to rely on their assurance. If they don't want your van there, they will force you to remove it, and all previous assurances will count for nothing. It does not matter who complains, although that makes them even more likely to move. Just remember that the person making this decision will not be the salesperson who is selling you the house and will say almost anything to do it!

In addition, you risk creating badwill with your neighbours. Many will know about the covenant. Many will be under the mistaken impression that it is for their general benefit, rather than that of the developer alone. How that expresses itself is hard to tell, but it could happen.

So that's roughly what you face.

I suppose it's only for 12 months 

Snowy1985

We've driven around most weekends and counted at least 3 vans. I will chance it and move it if told to. But it's only for the development period

AnotherJoe

Funny isnt it. Your van isn't welcome on your drive - but it's welcome on your neighbours drives if you are installing at their houses ! 

Also, if there's room on the road you could park it there and they can't stop you, where it's more inconvenient to everyone. 

GixerKate

We have the same restriction on the estate we are on, no one is bothered by it and there are plenty of vans about.

HummingBird76

Same as above.  There is the same restriction in my development but there are a few commercial vans.... don't think people would bother, it certainly wouldn't bother me...!

foxy-stoat

Its really only to have a vehicle legally removed should one of the purchasers gets to a point where the developer has messed about so much that the purchaser goes out and buys/hires a Luton Van, parks it on their drive and plasters it with negative publicity or information for all to see about how rubbish the developer has been in storing out the house or finished snagging or other problems.

Soot2006

Generally speaking in my experience if you're otherwise a good neighbour and you park your van tidily in the same spot every night, neighbours soon forget you exist.    The odds of it going from neighbourly dispute to formal complaint to enforcement of the convenent within the 12 months is practically nil.  Of course, then you know you have *that* sort of neighbour.

ETA: I post this as a horsebox owner who has had her fair share of parking "raised eyebrows" over the years ...  I used to have a really ugly old horsebox but it was all I could afford. It still needed to be parked. Now I have shiny horsebox with a camping bed in it and one of the neighbours reminded that any vehicle with "sleepers" in it was prohibited by a million year old convenent. So I parked, legally, on the road in front of their house. Because I felt it was important to make that point. Now it's tucked away on my driveway and not bothering anything.  The neighbour that complained couldn't even SEE it from their property!

steampowered

It sounds unlikely anyone would complain about this.

If they do, cut off their internet