Can I store a caravan on my driveway?

JTQ

May 7, 2005
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The only restrictions might be any covenants with the property deeds.

These might be placed by the developer or to comply with local authority planning consents.

It can be tricky territory and emotive with neighbours, best done with knowledge of the legal rights on that property and some insight on how things could unfold.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Yes it is legal but as said covenant might be in your deeds, but once the development has completed they then become more difficult to enforce, but you don’t want to cause upset with neighbours. If there are caravans, motor homes and business vans parked up where you live then it would seem the covenants aren’t enforced, but that doesn’t mean a neighbour may not take issue.
 
Oct 17, 2010
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As PTA says, you will need to read your property deeds to see if a covenant prohibits it.
Mine do, but I was able to write to the builder, who gave me a letter given me permission.

If there is no prohibiting Covenants go ahead.

Bah......... Must type faster.
 

JTQ

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you might want to consider that when you take your caravan on holiday, it's a dead give away to any opportunist house breaker

Basically, only if your property is already been "cased out"; a casual "opportunist" thief is unlikely to know you store one, any more than if the car is not in the drive the property is unoccupied.

Experience is, they first knock on the door, then asking if you know where a Joe Bloggs lives locally if you respond. That simple.
 
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May 7, 2012
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There cab be two problems, the local authority and any restrictive covenants on your title deeds.
Sometimes you will find the local authority have rules for the area which may prevent you keeping a caravan but more likely restrict the placing to behind the building line.
A restrictive covenant is usually placed on the land by a previous owner and in general the only party who can challenge you is that party. Others with a similar covenant in the area will not have any rights and to enforce the covenant the party in whose favour it is has to show that enforcement is reasonable. Most new builds will have one but once the estate is completed the builder will have no interest in it and so it is unlikely to try to enforce it as it would no longer benefit them assuming they are still in business.
The situation is sometimes complex , if you have any doubts get a solicitor to check if there are any restrictions.
 
Jan 3, 2012
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When we brought our new detached home we was not allowed to park a caravan at the beginning but after four years + a lot of people did and they park them on there driveway
 
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The only restrictions might be any covenants with the property deeds.

These might be placed by the developer or to comply with local authority planning consents.

It can be tricky territory and emotive with neighbours, best done with knowledge of the legal rights on that property and some insight on how things could unfold.
In a few places, there are By-laws restricting the parking of caravans - thedse are legally enforceable.
 
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When we brought our new detached home we was not allowed to park a caravan at the beginning but after four years + a lot of people did and they park them on there driveway
This is the point I made. My daughter is on a new estate which s now complete and two neighbours have a caravan parked there with no problem. For the builders there is no benefit now in pursuing them as they have no further interest in the estate and the covenant would in all probability be unenforceable.
 
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JTQ

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Can't understand anyone moaning about caravans. If you don't like the look of something, don't look at it.

Maybe they can't look out of their home without seeing it?
I can well understand such things as a caravan too closely in view offending people. We are not big fans of one either side of us just 6 metres away on many C&MC sites.

The near universal inclusion of covenants on new build estate properties, against siting caravans on drives etc, rather hints that they are perceived as a negative attraction.
 
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Maybe they can't look out of their home without seeing it?
I can well understand such things as a caravan too closely in view offending people. We are not big fans of one either side of us just 6 metres away on many C&MC sites.

The near universal inclusion of covenants on new build estate properties, against siting caravans on drives etc, rather hints that they are perceived as a negative attraction.
Actually I think the clause is there you make the development attractive to any new buyers. Once everything has been sold, I don't think the developer cares one jot about any covenant.
 

JTQ

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Actually I think the clause is there you make the development attractive to any new buyers. Once everything has been sold, I don't think the developer cares one jot about any covenant.

I have little doubt that is the case, but that does not alter my comment that vans parked there "are perceived as a negative attraction".
The developer one has to assume thinks so, whilst he thinks or is worried at all about it.
 
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I am not at all convinced they are bothered at all as I have never heard of a builder taking action. The wording they impose is a standard one and I doubt anyone has considered if it was needed, it was just their as a routine condition.
 
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Maybe they can't look out of their home without seeing it?
I can well understand such things as a caravan too closely in view offending people. We are not big fans of one either side of us just 6 metres away on many C&MC sites.

The near universal inclusion of covenants on new build estate properties, against siting caravans on drives etc, rather hints that they are perceived as a negative attraction.

Most of these new estates aren't exactly in areas of great natural beauty. The sight of a caravan upsets people, why, because it spoils the undulating views of tarmac and bright orange brickwork?
 
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I am not at all convinced they are bothered at all as I have never heard of a builder taking action. The wording they impose is a standard one and I doubt anyone has considered if it was needed, it was just their as a routine condition.
On a new estate in West Sussex, the builder did follow up a number of possible covenant transgressions reported by a "concerned resident" including:-

  • Noise (children in the local school at play time, which had existed before the estate was built) Parents walking there children to and from school.
  • Parents parking on public roads and in undesignated parking spaces.
  • People using a public recreational area for exercise.
  • The neighbour, claimed my son was running businesses from his property - (which he wasn't).

All of which were dismissed, but the following were investigated further and action taken,

  • Large vans and vans with sign writing on them parked overnight at properties
  • Caravans on roads or driveways (some of which were there only when being loaded or unloaded)
  • Garden sheds which were taller than the garden fences.
  • Failure to cut garden grass
 
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All of which were dismissed, but the following were investigated further and action taken,

  • Large vans and vans with sign writing on them parked overnight at properties
  • Caravans on roads or driveways (some of which were there only when being loaded or unloaded)
  • Garden sheds which were taller than the garden fences.
  • Failure to cut garden grass

I suspect it never went near any court as it would have been civil and cost the developer a fortune to pursue any claims.
 
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Presumably this was before the estate was completed as after that the covenants would be unenforceable as the builder could show no right to object after that.
 

JTQ

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Presumably this was before the estate was completed as after that the covenants would be unenforceable as the builder could show no right to object after that.

Whilst agreeing a developer is unlikely to seek to enforce such covenants once they have sold every property off, they surely still have the "right" to do so?

One situation where that might occur is a local developer wanting their developments to maintain their excellent community image, even though finished that development, so making their new ventures similarly attractive to that local community?

Though I suspect the big national developers would have no such interests.
 

PTA

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When we bought our last caravan we posted a note through all our neighbours' houses telling them we would like to keep our 'van on the drive on a fairly regular basis and to please let us know if it concerned them.. Not a single neighbour objected.
Mind you, we have lived here for 20+ years and know our neighbours very well.
 

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