neighbor and working on car
Discussion
Haven't read all the replies to this thread, so someone may have already said this, but as long as it's your own car and you're not working on other people's cars, there's no problem, do as you wish. BUT if you're running a car repair business from home, it's a different kettle of fish and as a minimum you'll need Planning Permission/change of Use which your council are unlikely to approve. You're OK to work on mate's car on an irregular basis but not Mon-Fri 8 hours a day.
http://www.problemneighbours.co.uk/permission-mech...
http://www.problemneighbours.co.uk/permission-mech...
I've had lots of issues with an elderly neighbour.
I'd consider myself a pretty reasonable neighbour, occasionally work on the cars but minor stuff and generally quiet and respectful, never had any issues with any of them except 1 old lady who's complain about absolutely everything, from having visitors, to using taxi's too late at night, parking on the drive, any need for DIY was met with complaints.
As others have said best plan is to just completely ignore them, they've got all day to waste complaining about stuff and I've got too much to do, to bother responding. I did once completely loose it with her (in 10 years or so) but that only shut her up for a couple of months.
In my case I ended up moving out and renting the place out, first young couple who moved in she knew as they already lived near by, she very quickly changed her opinion on them!, current tenant has also had issues, if they're young child cries the old lady will be banging on the walls and ceilings as if that going to help.
I did consider asking her if she'd like to rent my place that way she'll not need to worry about who lives there.
I'd consider myself a pretty reasonable neighbour, occasionally work on the cars but minor stuff and generally quiet and respectful, never had any issues with any of them except 1 old lady who's complain about absolutely everything, from having visitors, to using taxi's too late at night, parking on the drive, any need for DIY was met with complaints.
As others have said best plan is to just completely ignore them, they've got all day to waste complaining about stuff and I've got too much to do, to bother responding. I did once completely loose it with her (in 10 years or so) but that only shut her up for a couple of months.
In my case I ended up moving out and renting the place out, first young couple who moved in she knew as they already lived near by, she very quickly changed her opinion on them!, current tenant has also had issues, if they're young child cries the old lady will be banging on the walls and ceilings as if that going to help.
I did consider asking her if she'd like to rent my place that way she'll not need to worry about who lives there.
Of course we only have one side of the story.
It would certainly be 'illegal' to carry out car repairs on a private property as a business or for payment (a string of 'mates' being helped), or to be constantly doing up privately owned cars and selling them on - even if you claim it isn't a business.
Working on your own car occasionally during the day would be OK, but repeatedly, very loud or early or late etc. and the neighbour could well have a valid nuisance claim.
The council only cover planning and statutory nuisance under the EPA, there's a lot more the neighbour could use.
It would certainly be 'illegal' to carry out car repairs on a private property as a business or for payment (a string of 'mates' being helped), or to be constantly doing up privately owned cars and selling them on - even if you claim it isn't a business.
Working on your own car occasionally during the day would be OK, but repeatedly, very loud or early or late etc. and the neighbour could well have a valid nuisance claim.
The council only cover planning and statutory nuisance under the EPA, there's a lot more the neighbour could use.
elanfan said:
A few months back I was parking in a residents bay (as I'm entitled to do Blue Badge holder) during the day when there were plenty of spaces besides the 3 car driveways on each house. Out comes an old chap who starts remonstrating that I shouldn't be parking in 'his' space outside his house. Told him I was going to as I was entitled to, by this time my wife had my wheelchair at the car door so it was obvious I wasn't able bodied. He continued to rant and rave and I then told him to Chatterly along. Then his wife came out and started to try to pull him inside. Long and short his wife had a quiet word with mine and told her he was suffering some form of dementia (which he didn't know about) and he had become fixated on the parking outside his house and spent hours watching and waiting for people to infringe his space.
Felt a bit guilty afterwards - the guy was ill though it wasn't obvious.
Speak to the son maybe the neighbour has dementia and has become fixated on your actions. If this is the case there'll be nothing you can do, no matter what you say he'll likely have forgotten all about it.
This.Felt a bit guilty afterwards - the guy was ill though it wasn't obvious.
Speak to the son maybe the neighbour has dementia and has become fixated on your actions. If this is the case there'll be nothing you can do, no matter what you say he'll likely have forgotten all about it.
I was thinking from the start that it sounds like the guy may have mental issues. I would continue doing what you want with your car but go easy on him.
Mr GrimNasty said:
Of course we only have one side of the story.
It would certainly be 'illegal' to carry out car repairs on a private property as a business or for payment (a string of 'mates' being helped), or to be constantly doing up privately owned cars and selling them on - even if you claim it isn't a business.
Working on your own car occasionally during the day would be OK, but repeatedly, very loud or early or late etc. and the neighbour could well have a valid nuisance claim.
The council only cover planning and statutory nuisance under the EPA, there's a lot more the neighbour could use.
dude i work on my own car, i work aswell during the week, so i only have weekends, which i don't particularly wont to be doing something on my car everyweeknd , who does>? and yes ive helped my mate with a few things on his car i dont take cash for this help, i have one car(e46 m3) and id prefer not to take it to garages for anything hence why i do the work myself.It would certainly be 'illegal' to carry out car repairs on a private property as a business or for payment (a string of 'mates' being helped), or to be constantly doing up privately owned cars and selling them on - even if you claim it isn't a business.
Working on your own car occasionally during the day would be OK, but repeatedly, very loud or early or late etc. and the neighbour could well have a valid nuisance claim.
The council only cover planning and statutory nuisance under the EPA, there's a lot more the neighbour could use.
havent sold 1 car from my property or wish to even bother doing cars up and selling them.
Tom1312 said:
Sure he isn't ill?
Hardly strikes me as the actions of a healthy person.
Could well be this, my parents had a neighbour who was obssessed with things overhanging his garden - not that anything did but on one occasion he reached over the fence and loosened the bolts securing one end of a retractable sun awning to the back of my parents' house. He also fitted sloping tops to his fences so birds couldn't perch on them and got his car out of his garage every morning to park it in front of his house so that no one else could block his view. He would feed squirrels and encourage them into his house and every time I visited, he'd see my car and start hammering into the dividing wall. He was just an old, lonely, retired, ex-prison officer in his late 70s/early 80s - dementia, perhaps.Hardly strikes me as the actions of a healthy person.
MoggieMinor said:
clarkson22 said:
ive also spoke to my landlord, and no clause against working on my car and he didnt give a s
t really , told me he was a pain
Nice of the landlord to have told you that before you took the place on.... t really , told me he was a pain Guy sounds like a nutter.
I was all for ignoring him, until he caught your misses. That's completely out of line. I am the most relaxed, least confrontational person ever, but if my partner came home saying that person X had just been verbally aggressive to her, with the child no less, then I'd have to go to the door.
Don't even give him answers now. Don't justify it. Just tell the silly old man to shut up and mind his own business. Good going that you haven't sworn yet, he'll know he's getting to you if you do.
I'm not buying the illness for a second. His son, carer or family members would have popped round and forewarned you.
I was all for ignoring him, until he caught your misses. That's completely out of line. I am the most relaxed, least confrontational person ever, but if my partner came home saying that person X had just been verbally aggressive to her, with the child no less, then I'd have to go to the door.
Don't even give him answers now. Don't justify it. Just tell the silly old man to shut up and mind his own business. Good going that you haven't sworn yet, he'll know he's getting to you if you do.
I'm not buying the illness for a second. His son, carer or family members would have popped round and forewarned you.
Edited by Jonno02 on Thursday 22 September 11:11
cheshire_cat said:
Sounds like harassment to me. Phone the local police and see if they can have a word.
From bitter and unpleasant experience, I can say with confidence that the police will not be that interested. It has to be a lot worse than the odd bit of moaning for them to get involved, and even then, for them to consider it harassment and thus take further action, it has to be repeated after the police have been around for a chat.Poor bloke - he's obviously bored and has literally nothing else to do with his life.
Rather than get angry - you should feel sorry for him. Next time it happens...ask 'Are you OK?' with a concerned look on your face.
If he carries on, tell him it's happening again and would he like you to call someone.
Eventually he'll start worrying about himself and go mad, ending in him being sectioned & locked up for his own safety under the mental health act
To summarise:
He's mental - treat him like you would any mental person. Do they have lots of cats?
Rather than get angry - you should feel sorry for him. Next time it happens...ask 'Are you OK?' with a concerned look on your face.
If he carries on, tell him it's happening again and would he like you to call someone.
Eventually he'll start worrying about himself and go mad, ending in him being sectioned & locked up for his own safety under the mental health act
To summarise:
He's mental - treat him like you would any mental person. Do they have lots of cats?
Hit more stuff harder!
I'm glad my neighbors aren't like that! I invariably get someone asking me about some problem on their car when they hear me out with the lump hammer and tools on our cars! Just keep it to sensible times (I start after 8.30 with the loud stuff) and enjoy watching him fume (providing he hasn't got 'issues' as mentioned, but then you can't walk on eggshells just because of that, although it may change your response and reasoning though I suppose)
I'm glad my neighbors aren't like that! I invariably get someone asking me about some problem on their car when they hear me out with the lump hammer and tools on our cars! Just keep it to sensible times (I start after 8.30 with the loud stuff) and enjoy watching him fume (providing he hasn't got 'issues' as mentioned, but then you can't walk on eggshells just because of that, although it may change your response and reasoning though I suppose)
Honestly the best advice is just to move, the slow corrosive effect this has on family life just isn't worth it. From your posts this has already started and is only going to get unfortunately get worse.
Having been through this over several years the relief of being able to walk out of the front door without wondering what might happen next cannot be under-estimated.
Having been through this over several years the relief of being able to walk out of the front door without wondering what might happen next cannot be under-estimated.
gottans said:
Honestly the best advice is just to move
No it's not. The OP is perfectly within his rights and has been reasonable in how he behaves.If some unreasonable neighbour has and issue then that issue remains with them.
Why on earth would you make your own life more difficult because of them?
Personally I have been through more because of "neighbours" than most.
When you are wrong you are wrong but when you are in the right?
If they have an issue let them move.
We won't be moving that's for sure ..the thing is he still says 'alright' well mumbles to me if I do come out the house, but ive not seen him since last time as I've been working , but he's getting told firmly , and I don't think he is mentally Ill because he does work on his house all time he put new fences up on the other side a few weeks ago and he has been helping his son paint his house last week , he's getting ignored. God help him when I take the engine out after Christmas and roll the engine crane past him 
Presumable, by posting here you are indicating that his behaviour is unwanted and causing you some alarm or distress.
Don't lose your rag with him, keep a record of incident in a diary. Write that up ASAP after each incident.
You can make a complaint to the Police under Protection from Harassment Act.
http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/s_to_u/stalking_and_ha...
The Police should issue a warning letter and you then have him over a barrel, any repetition of the behaviour and he is the one breaking the law. You have to get warning issued first.
Edited by 4x4Tyke on Thursday 22 September 21:14
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