Problem Neighbours (Texaco Garage/Spar shop)

walshc

Dear All, not sure if this is the right place for this, but I am sure you will tell me....I think the following issues may have an impact when we try to sell this summer.
We moved into a house beside a garage (always risky I know) but the price was right. Since then two things have happened:
1. They have installed super bright lights which shine into our house (and many other houses on our street). I questioned them about the lights and they say they need them for fuel deliveries. To begin with, they were only used for fuel deliveries, but they are on most of the time now. I have rung them a few times to ask them to switch it off, but each time they eventually switch it off, only after I threaten to report them to the local council. They are always extremely rude.
2. They got a 24 hour license for selling alcohol- this was granted between when we put an offer in for the house and when we completed. We are a few miles from the town centre, but get plenty of people passing. We are now getting groups of people outside our house drinking alcohol bought from the garage. Also, we get plenty of rubbish on weekends from people buying stuff from the garage.

I am reluctant to complain formally to the council on either of these matters in case it shows up when I am selling the house- any suggestions on how I should try to resolve this? The garage staff and manager are very rude- probably the rudest shop staff I have ever witnessed- to everyone, so I don't see any point in talking to them,
Thanks for reading! any advice welcome

silvercar

They got a 24 hour license for selling alcohol- this was granted between when we put an offer in for the house and when we completed.

I'm surprised this didn't show up on your sellers information pack when you bought.

If you don't want to risk a formal complaint for fear of having to declare it to potential buyers, make a complaint anonymously.

Dylanwing

Keep a log of all incidents, and then report them to the Council. If they will not be reasonable, I can't see any other option other than putting up with it.

walshc

silvercar wrote: »

I'm surprised this didn't show up on your sellers information pack when you bought.

If you don't want to risk a formal complaint for fear of having to declare it to potential buyers, make a complaint anonymously.

Thanks- didn't how up on sellers pack. I would be surprised if the council would take action against an anonymous complaint-anyone have any experience of this?

maninthestreet

Try writing direct to Texaco and/or Spar themselves, detailing your complaint, along with times/dates, including when you complained to the manager/staff and the responses you received from them.

mr.broderick

Just walk over to the pumps tonight at 3.47am pull out a hose spray petrol over the immediate area then throw a match on it.

paintpot

Are they selling alcohol to underage drinkers, perhaps you could contact the police anonymously or otherwise if this is the case?

Debt_Free_Chick

mr.broderick wrote: »

Just walk over to the pumps tonight at 3.47am pull out a hose spray petrol over the immediate area then throw a match on it.

:T Yep - that would solve it. :rolleyes: No garage .... and probably no house, either. Might be minus some of the family too :rolleyes:

Debt_Free_Chick

walshc wrote: »

1. They have installed super bright lights which shine into our house (and many other houses on our street).

Call the Planning Department at the Council to see if planning permission is needed for this. If it is, then there should be some conditions that control when the lights can be left on. If they are there for deliveries only, then having them on 24/7 would seem to be excessive. They know when they're getting a delivery and can leave them off until that point.

If no Planning Permission is required, then call Environmental Health and ask whether excessive use, unnecessarily, amounts to a nuisance (as I think it might). Let EH look into it.

2. They got a 24 hour license for selling alcohol- this was granted between when we put an offer in for the house and when we completed. We are a few miles from the town centre, but get plenty of people passing. We are now getting groups of people outside our house drinking alcohol bought from the garage. Also, we get plenty of rubbish on weekends from people buying stuff from the garage.

Environmental Health, again, for the rubbish and for nuisance of people loitering outside the garage/house.

I am reluctant to complain formally to the council on either of these matters in case it shows up when I am selling the house- any suggestions on how I should try to resolve this?

IIRC you only need to declare disputes with your neighbours - complaining about them doesn't count. If your neighbour was beating his wife, would you fail to call the Police for fear of putting it on the Seller's Information? :rolleyes:


Anyway, if you complain and the nuisance issue is sorted out, you can put this on the form as a "success" - but it's still not a dispute.

Debt_Free_Chick

walshc wrote: »

Thanks- didn't how up on sellers pack. I would be surprised if the council would take action against an anonymous complaint-anyone have any experience of this?

They possibly will - but if you make it anonymously, how will they let you know what they've done about it?

If you give your details, they WILL NOT reveal them to the garage or anyone else. They will just say "we've had a complaint" .... or they may just pretend it's a routine visit. Nothing to worry about if you give your details to the Council.

cattie

I don't know if this will avoid you having to use the official complaint route that you understandably want to avoid, but wonder if it would be any use contacting your local councillor or mp & explaining that you don't wish to make an official complaint yourself to the council, & your reasons why not, but asking if there is anyway they could intervene on you & your neighbours behalf without actual names being mentioned?