Your neighbour seems to be one of those one rule for him and another set for everyone one else, remind him that his caravan is in contravention of the deeds and propose that both issues will need to either be addressed or left as they are.
Your neighbour seems to be one of those one rule for him and another set for everyone one else, remind him that his caravan is in contravention of the deeds and propose that both issues will need to either be addressed or left as they are.
"Dear Neighbour,Originally Posted by Morning Wood
Following our recent conversation and despite my business being properly registered to and operating from my address I have, in the interests of neighbourly relations, made alternative arrangements so that in future appliances will be delivered to and from my premises by panel van instead of lorry.
In the course of examining and taking advice on the title deeds for our respective homes and shared private road, I find that your keeping a caravan on your premises is in contravention of a covenant preventing such vehicles being parked there. I therefore trust you will remove it in the near future.
As a further demonstration of neighbourliness on my part, I am prepared to leave that matter for fourteen days from the date hereof, after which action may be taken without further notice.
Yours sincerely,
PB"
The council recycling truck keeps causing pot holes in a private road near our house by doing three point turns on it and that only comes once a week. They also denied it and expected the guy living at the end to pay for it, until presented with photos at which point they came and patched the hole.
I don't think he is being out of order. If your business operation is causing cost then it seems fair to ask you too either cover that cost or change things. Personally I'd avoid getting into tit-for-tat over covenants as it'll never end well and do you really really want to spend your time that way?
Agree with some of the points raised, but disagree with others.
I don't think the OP is doing anything unreasonable provided the deliveries are only once/week. I also believe it makes a lot of sense to keep on good terms with neighbours if possible. The neighbour's concern regarding the road may be genuine, or it could simply be his way of justifying the fact that he doesn't like it. As for the potential to cause damage, I'm no expert, but if this has been going on for 5 years and there's no sign of localised damage I would contend that the road surface is bearing up to the stresses without problems. Perhaps this should be pointed out to the neighbour?
If the local bin wagon and recycling wagon also turn around once/fortnight it could be argued that the access road is already having to carry similar axle weight to the delivery lorry. It's therefore a matter of degree and frequency, it's not as if the delivery lorry is exclusively the only vehicle with high axle weight that uses the road.
I don't know how easy it is to do this, but getting a friendly civil engineer to assess whether the road is suitable for the axle weight is another possible way forward. Getting an expert opinion might help placate the neighbour if his objection is based on genuine concern, but if it's an excuse to grumble it won't do any good because he'll find some other reason to object.
As for the caravan, I wouldn't mention it. It smacks of playing tit for tat and I don't see how it helps the relationship with the neighbour. However, It might be worth checking the by-laws to see whether he is breaking any rules; caravans aren't allowed on driveways on our estate because the'd stand in front of the building line. If the relationship deteriorates this could be a useful bargaining tool.
If all else fails you could always invest in a new patio to coincide with the neighbour's mysterious disappearance
Paul
... And shortly after required all bins to be placed in a public space rather than having to travel up the private road?
Just what I was thinking. If the road isn't suitable are they supposed to build one?
I think the earlier suggestion of having the road surface inspected is a good one, if its fine then you can prove to the neighbour there is nothing to worry about, if its not ok and the lorry is genuinely causing damage then you can be glad you found out and stop the deliveries to your door, I suspect however the neighbours worry about the road surface is an excuse and his issue is that he doesn't want to see or hear a HGV beeping near his drive once a week.
Good luck with it, getting on with your neighbours is a good thing.
I'd have to ask my my neighbor, the road is effectively a shared driveway between 4 houses which the council denied using at all, possibly they made the wrong argument and would have done better to just deny liability but I don't know the detail, I mention it more to show that such infrequent use can damage road surfaces.
Good to hear the OP can resolve it amicably, always better to get on with your neighbors.
That's the ticket!! Type it up and get it sent.
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Really?, thought it was crass, petty and up its own arse, would cause more problems IMO.
mike
Yes it probably is and will cause a fair ammount of bad feeling between the neighbours. But sometimes diplomacy doesn't work with these type of individuals and it has to be met with kind. This is a guy earning a living, with deliveries I'm assuming being made throughout the day and not a night once a week. I'm sorry but this neighbour sounds like a tool! Send it! Lol!
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I have read the whole thread and wise things have been said, including the OP's 'What's you opinion?' opening, leaving room for all sorts of suggestions. One thing's not mentioned yet: at what time does the truck deliver the goods? That can be important for the neighbour; let's say it's at 6 AM, things are different from 11 AM! (I used to live across a plant nursery. And yes big lorries went in and out to deliver plants. But I knew that before we bought the house - and I didn't mind. As a side effect: it was the best burglar defense possible: all day long, men and women were working facing the front of my house. Once, a guy tried to brake into the house but was stopped in his tracks and chased off by 5 blokes from the nursery!)
The complain about the road being destroyed is only a 'tool' for him to tell you that he's annoyed. Is he at home all day? Perhaps that's his real problem: not getting out enough!
Like the others say, a survey of the road would be a good idea. However, I wouldn't mention it on forehand. Just keep quiet and have it inspected. Try to find one that works for the council as well, or for a council next to yours. Have it done while you're not at home so that he cannot connect the surveyor and you together. If he's at home all day, he'll be rushing out to ask the surveyors what they are doing. Make sure they don't mention you as the person who asked them!
Same goes for the caravan. Don't mention it until you know where you are, legal-wise. He surprised you with his complaint, surprise him with the fact that you took action without saying and that -being a good neighbour- you didn't mention the caravan as a result of his complain.
Menno
My opinion is forget the caravan. They're your neighbours after all and it's best to get on with them.
I don't think he's being unreasonable personally. He's asked you to get the drivers to reverse down the lane. Not stop them altogether.
As an opening gambit it would be all the above, yes. But if politeness and diplomacy fall on deaf ears then why not let the neighbour reap what he sows?
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