Used Car Sales/Servicing Garage cash in hand out of hours

[BlimeyCharlie]

Got a bit of a bee in my hat about this.

Live near to a garage that operates a used car sales/servicing type business. This is in a residential area, not an industrial estate.
Normal (publicised) hours are Mon-Fri 08.30-17.30 and 10.00-16.00 on a Saturday.

No problems until recently.

Now one of the mechanics has started to come in early in the morning, and stay later at night (is 20.00 late?).
The problem I have with this is the blaring radio, the jack hammers, ramps banging up and down, revving engines etc etc.

I accept this during 'normal' hours, that is life.

I've asked this mechanic to maybe turn the radio down/off or keep the big workshop doors closed 'out of traditional/normal hours' but it seems he is not capable of doing this.
The reason he comes in/stays later is to work cash-in-hand for his mates etc etc, using the ramps, tools and so on. This is fact, because he is stupid enough to tell me.

My questions are these;
Do garages in a residential area have to conform to any 'law' enforceable by the council regarding noise etc?
Can the garage basically make as much noise between 06.00 and 22.00 (social hours) as it likes?
Does the garage need a 'licence' for the radio?

The garage owners are aware he is staying late etc but are a pair of arrogant tw*ts so not much use asking them.

My thoughts are to speak to the Tax Man and see if he is interested in this cash-in-hand arrangement, which bypasses VAT and accountability of the individual (the mechanic) to register as self-employed and disclose his additional income. The garage owners should be charging VAT and generating invoices etc so this is easy to prove. They are employing the mechanic who is 'dodging' charging VAT. They are accountable in every sense.

The main problem I have is 10 hours of Radio 2 each day. Interesting to note that when it is 'dinner time' the workshop doors get closed, so the mechanics can have some peace and quiet.

Is this something the council should follow-up, as well as tax man?

I sound like a right tw*t who is a killjoy, but a little bit of respect for other people and I'd not care a jot.

Thanks in advance. Radio 2 fans welcome to comment.

[BlimeyCharlie]

Basically, the garage is run by the owners between 08.30 and 17.30 properly, employing the mechanic(s) and charging VAT etc.

Now there is a second way the premises are used, as explained above, with the consent of the owners, who go home at 17.30

The owners have gone home, and then the mechanic runs the show, cash in hand, making as much noise as he likes.

Thanks again. Comments welcome.

[roofer]

Yes, he's breaking the law. It a Council problem.

[347Andy]

I'm pretty certain that they would need a PRS licence for the radio and I would also be pretty certain that they won't have one.

[Tango13]

Many years ago I looked at buying an industrial unit bizarrely situated in the middle of a housing estate but didn't due to restrictions as to working hours, not noise or type of use, actual hours worked.

Might be worth a call to the local Council?

[davepoth]

All I would say is: Try to make sure at least one other person has asked him to be quiet before you start talking to the taxman/council. If he knows it's you that has done it, and he knows where you live, and he's an unsavoury type, he might make your life difficult.

[pim]

Ring the council,you shouldn't have to put up with this.

Maybe not the same, bit similar problem we had in our cul de sac a few years ago.

Bloke starts running a small business from home.Customers cars parked in the front garden and every where else for our inconvenience.Rackett from morning till night.

This is a residential area we had it stopped.Council had a word.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Jeez I hate to be "that bloke" on the internet but really? Someone's trying to do a wee bit of extra graft to earn some extra cash and you want to dob them in to the taxman?

As above, it's a council issue. There no doubt will be restrictions on their trading hours, perhaps something you should know about since you presumably purchased a property next to them. If there isn't (or they aren't breaking them) then presumably the radio is quieter than their air guns/other tools so maybe put it down to one of life's lessons;

Don't purchase a residential property next to a commercial entity. Or, if you do, accept that some inconvenience may occur and factor this into the decision making process.

NIMBY

[snobetter]

£1.3 - £1.6 billion cost to the UK from benefit fraud, £34 - £120 billion the cost of tax evasion, per year.

http://www.theweek.co.uk/62461/benefit-fraud-v-tax...

[BlimeyCharlie]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Jeez I hate to be "that bloke" on the internet but really? Someone's trying to do a wee bit of extra graft to earn some extra cash and you want to dob them in to the taxman?

As above, it's a council issue. There no doubt will be restrictions on their trading hours, perhaps something you should know about since you presumably purchased a property next to them. If there isn't (or they aren't breaking them) then presumably the radio is quieter than their air guns/other tools so maybe put it down to one of life's lessons;

Don't purchase a residential property next to a commercial entity. Or, if you do, accept that some inconvenience may occur and factor this into the decision making process.

NIMBY

I agree with you in some ways but if you read my original thread properly I wrote that I accepted noise etc during 'normal' hours.
The garage was there when we moved here, and actually saw it as a bonus in some ways.

As with many times, it is one individual who spoils things though.

I'm afraid I've met people like this before, and the only way to beat them is to be one step ahead. At the end of the day he is making a big 'macho' stance by acting in this manner, so if he were to lose his job and so on then he can go work somewhere else. Won't be my problem.

I did ask him politely too.

[BlimeyCharlie]

davepoth said:

All I would say is: Try to make sure at least one other person has asked him to be quiet before you start talking to the taxman/council. If he knows it's you that has done it, and he knows where you live, and he's an unsavoury type, he might make your life difficult.

Good point, and thanks for saying. Good advice and I agree.
I will keep quiet for now, but as can be seen by posting here I'm doing my homework before doing anything, I will take my time.

He might get a girlfriend and instead decide to spend time with her? Or his Mum and Dad might cook his tea a little earlier in the evening now winter is coming.
So the problem might go away.

People eh?

[BlimeyCharlie]

All sorted.

No need for any drama, Ross Kemp or any stress whatsoever.
Everyone is happy.

Faith in human nature restored.

Thanks for comments earlier too.

[sherbertdip]

Sorted in a day?

Well done, and what did you do?

[andymc]

sherbertdip said:

Sorted in a day?

Well done, and what did you do?

kept quiet

[SiH]

BlimeyCharlie said:

All sorted.

No need for any drama, Ross Kemp or any stress whatsoever.
Everyone is happy.

Faith in human nature restored.

Thanks for comments earlier too.

Did you hammer frozen sausages into his socket set? Or perhaps the answer was throwing a can of Red Bull at the radio... Or maybe it was a good old dose of VBRJ! Do tell!

[Jasandjules]

snobetter said:

£1.3 - £1.6 billion cost to the UK from benefit fraud, £34 - £120 billion the cost of tax evasion, per year.

http://www.theweek.co.uk/62461/benefit-fraud-v-tax...

But mainly from really rich people....

[MoggieMinor]

If he's stupid enough to be upsetting nearby residents while he's doing his moonlighting/beer money work etc then he deserves all he gets.

All he has to do is work quietly, keep the radio down and everyone is happy.

Not hard is it? Unfortunately there are some people who are too selfish and thick to understand it.

[The Mad Monk]

BlimeyCharlie said:

his Mum and Dad might cook his tea a little earlier in the evening

OMG!

You didn't tell us he was a Northerner!!!

[mattyc69]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Jeez I hate to be "that bloke" on the internet but really? Someone's trying to do a wee bit of extra graft to earn some extra cash and you want to dob them in to the taxman?

As above, it's a council issue. There no doubt will be restrictions on their trading hours, perhaps something you should know about since you presumably purchased a property next to them. If there isn't (or they aren't breaking them) then presumably the radio is quieter than their air guns/other tools so maybe put it down to one of life's lessons;

Don't purchase a residential property next to a commercial entity. Or, if you do, accept that some inconvenience may occur and factor this into the decision making process.

NIMBY

As the OP has said he does not mind the noise during working hours.

I will come and start using an air gun and reving my car outside yours until 10pm each night, I am sure you will be fine with it.

[schrodinger]

Jasandjules said:

snobetter said:

£1.3 - £1.6 billion cost to the UK from benefit fraud, £34 - £120 billion the cost of tax evasion, per year.

http://www.theweek.co.uk/62461/benefit-fraud-v-tax...

But mainly from really rich people....

Not quite. That article suggests £4.4bn as cost of evasion, not £34bn. Still substantially higher than benefit fraud, but nowhere near the higher numbers.