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Caravan on driveway

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Comments

  • ThisIsWeird
    ThisIsWeird Posts: 7,663 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited 20 October 2023 pm31 11:03PM
    I suspect it'll come down to that HA, and whether they'll make an allowance for you and your circumstances.
    Someone would need to actually complain, or notice. So, are your neighb's ok with it? Does anyone else park a 'van outside their property? Will it be an obvious eyesore? 

    My in-laws lived on a Persimmons estate, and that also had the 'no 'van' rule. New neighbour - who asked about this before buying, and was told 'no' - went ahead and bought, and then parked the mother of all 'vans in front of their house. Mil was incensed, but found she couldn't enforce that covenant in the deeds, and her LP wouldn't take it on. Not sure if anyone tried asking Persimms to do so - them being the authors and, hence, beneficiary of the cov - but it took estate peer pressure to finally make them crack. They could very likely have stuck it out, but enough was said by a kind of unofficial estate management group to finally persuade them to park it elsewhere.

    In your case, you have a HA, so in theory they can, and quite likely will, act. 

    Hard to know what to suggest. If you ask, they may just say 'no', and I suspect you'll be stuffed. If you know your neighb's well, and it's clear they are ok with it, you could always just 'try', and wait for a complaint - and then 'fight' it. I'd certainly have a contingency in place, such as a 'van park nearby - they can't cost that much to store, can they?

    Is this a proud, tidy and well-kept estate? Bear in mind that if your 'van would or could be an eyesore, many neighb's might reluctantly say they "don't mind", whilst actually not being happy about it. My mil's estate was very tidy, all house proud owners (I couldn't live there...), and the house in question (like mil's) was on a short drive of three properties right at the entrance, and parallel to the main road - the three houses set the image for the whole estate. And I had to agree that a caravan was just not a nice feature to have, so even I would have been miffed if I lived there, tho' possibly not inclined enough to complain. In essence, even in the unlikely event that you 'get away' with it, you do run the risk or irritating many folk.

    Of course, if it isn't a particularly spick and span estate, or if other 'vans and comms are parked there, that could be quite different.
  • I agree with the early comments in this thread. The O/P does not like the answers he got about "if the rules say you can't, then you can't" but they are the  a fact. I know most property deeds for houses, especially in urban housing areas contain a clause forbidding caravans being parked on driveways---this is very common. 

    So I see no reason why it should be any different for a housing association to have the same "rule." A great many residents in many neighbourhoods regard the parking of caravans as eyesores ( which is probably why there are so many restrictive covenants across the country).
     
    I agree with the suggestion of storing the caravan elsewhere in a storage area and just collecting it when needed ( look up the nearest one in your area). Nobody wants anybody being stopped from caravanning but there are ways to own caravans which do not clutter street or area views, and that is why caravan secure parking sites were established.
    PS---I'm not sure the the actual driveway that has been built is "irrelevant" : housing associations need to give permission for a drop-down kerb before local authority can be asked to take any action : so I assume the HA would not have given permission if they had known they were going to refuse the parking of a caravan on the property---what reason was given to HA when seeking permission from HA for a drop-kerb ? 
  • Although these restrictive covenants are very common, it does require someone to be bothered to enforce them. And I understand the only person who can do this is the author.
    In mil's case, that was the builder, Persimmons, and this particular incident took place more than 15 years after they'd completed the estate. Tbh, I suspect they no longer would be bothered, as it was most likely included in order to keep the estate tidy until they'd sold them all... It was pure peer pressure that obliged this particular person to capitulate. I suspect they could actually have ignored all requests.

    In the OP's case, the HA is presumably actively running the estate on a day to day basis. And can presumably also enforce the rs. Presumably. What if the HA is not the author? I dunno.

  • lookstraightahead
    lookstraightahead Posts: 5,558 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 21 October 2023 am31 6:42AM
    Just a couple of alternatives - you could get a campervan or one of those small vans that converts to a bed (then I think you can add an awning?). Or store a caravan somewhere (we did this when we had ours - in fact you may be able to store it on an actual site that you like to go to).

    personally I think they would say no, as there's no incentive to say yes for them.
  • user1977
    user1977 Posts: 16,750 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Sixth Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper

    In the OP's case, the HA is presumably actively running the estate on a day to day basis. And can presumably also enforce the rs. 
    Read the OP again - they're a tenant, the HA is their landlord.
  • user1977 said:

    In the OP's case, the HA is presumably actively running the estate on a day to day basis. And can presumably also enforce the rs. 
    Read the OP again - they're a tenant, the HA is their landlord.

    Thanks, User. 
    Ah, I see - the HA owns the property and land thereon, so can enforce the RS should they wish, no question.
    In mil's case, Persimmons presumably couldn't as they no longer own the land the house and parking space sits on? Or, could Persimmons - as the author - still do so if inclined? Because, if they couldn't, an RS like that is worth jack; "I ain't going to enforce a no-parking RS against myself, am I?"
  • Rodders53
    Rodders53 Posts: 2,540 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Ask the HA for permission in writing.  Simples.  The answer may be OK in which case it's good; or it may be NO.  Their property, their rules.

    NB Caravans on driveways can be a target for theft.

    Properly secure caravan storage sites can have waiting lists and are not always that 'cheap', depending on location.
  • user1977
    user1977 Posts: 16,750 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Sixth Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    user1977 said:

    In the OP's case, the HA is presumably actively running the estate on a day to day basis. And can presumably also enforce the rs. 
    Read the OP again - they're a tenant, the HA is their landlord.

    Ah, I see - the HA owns the property and land thereon, so can enforce the RS should they wish, no question.

    I doubt the titles say anything about it, it will be a condition in the OP's tenancy agreement.
  • Skiddaw1
    Skiddaw1 Posts: 2,215 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 21 October 2023 am31 10:31AM
    OP, if HA refuse permission for a carvan, I'd definitely consider a camper van instead. Or how about a tentbox? You see loads of cars/vans with tent boxes around here (Lake District) and you can fit them to most vehicles.


  • You could ask your neighbours if they would object, and if they say no you could include this information in a letter to the HA.  Also a photo of the caravan you are planning to buy so that they know it won't be an eyesore.
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