Temporary ‘home’ on driveway?

anaspiringhobbit

Apologies if this isn’t the right board, I’ll move/repost if necessary. I am in Northern Ireland, for reference.

Does anyone know the legalities for a person occupying a touring caravan/motor home/small static caravan, on someone’s driveway of their owned outright house?
I’m hoping I never need the information, but I’m currently exploring all possible options, in case my current housing situation becomes untenable.

I have a good friend who owns a house with a sizeable driveway. She would welcome me to stay with her if need be, but the indoor living isn’t large, and we both have dogs who would not get along. The idea of acquiring a cheap caravan or similar, to park on her drive and use as a living/bedroom area came to mind, for maybe 6 - 12 months, while I saved more of a cushion rather than living pay cheque to pay cheque.

Google is the obvious source, but I could only find ancient information, and nothing official. 

Slithery

I believe that you'd be limited to 28 days per year unless you acquire the appropriate planning permission.

Woolsery

The location of this 'owned outright' house matters. There's quite a few folks living off grid in caravans in the area where I live and someone was living in one behind our big barn before we purchased, but we're rural. On a drive in a town situation is likely to be different in terms of enforcement action.

anaspiringhobbit

Woolsery said:

The location of this 'owned outright' house matters. There's quite a few folks living off grid in caravans in the area where I live and someone was living in one behind our big barn before we purchased, but we're rural. On a drive in a town situation is likely to be different in terms of enforcement action.

Thanks, her house is in a suburb estate of a town - quite a well to-do residential area (the ‘good’ side of town), with plenty of other touring caravans/motorhomes parked up on the driveways, alongside decent cars. Possibly not occupied though, but who knows!

Grumpy_chap

I don't know what the rules are, but enforcement is likely to be influenced on whether anyone complains.

How you behave could therefore make a big difference - noise etc.

I should imagine that the type and condition of the caravan will make a difference also. Someone is doing this in my road, but a 71 plate large coach-built campervan so it looks ok.

ka7e

Some houses/estates have covenants that state a caravan cannot be parked on the drive.

It would appear a guest bringing a caravan on site and sleeping in it is treated differently to owning a caravan and having someone sleep there .The former seems to be legal, but f your friend owned the caravan , she could only allow residents of her property sleep in it as an extension, anyone else and it becomes a separate dwelling and needs PP.

A motorhome might be OK - you can even park it on the road as long as it has an MOT and is taxed (there is a whole community of van-dwellers in Bristol). You would not be allowed to drink alcohol/take drugs - even if you don't have the keys on your person, you can still be charged with being in charge of a vehicle while under the influence.