House guests sleeping in a caravan on your driveway ?

Jul 18, 2006
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So, is it legal, as long as it is a temporary visit.

Just out of interest, could you have people staying in a Caravan on your driveway indefintely. Family, lodgers, or if you are doing building work or decorating.

Does anyone know the answers ?

If so Answers on a postcard ...

Just kidding. Seriously we have family who if they stayed it would be really useful if they could stay in a Caravan (if we had one, as we haen't yet !!) on our driveway, but I wasn't sure of the "legal" implications.

Thanks
 
Jan 19, 2008
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I can't answer the legal implications Rubix only to say I have done it. We only slept in the caravan though while eating etc. in our house. It was not the ideal situation because our drive slopes and it was like sleeping on a hillside. Everytime I moved throughout the night I ended up on top of my wife and she thought I was going through a funny period of my life that made me fruity. She said not since our honeymoon night had I had to climb off of her so many times. hehheh! ;O)
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Rubix,

We have done this a number of times especially over the new year, we park the caravan on friends drive stay over night, never had any problems much better than having to drive home.
 
Jul 18, 2006
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Thanks Lord B, I thought it would be ok as a temporary thing either for you (if it's your house) or family, or freinds staying for a few nights, just wasn't sure if you were to have a lodger or the like.

All it takes is some jobsworth to report you and the men in blue will be round your house, quick as a flash, as there arent't enough 'vans being nicked or robberies being commited, if ya 'na wot I meen !!!
 
Nov 26, 2006
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I suspect that almost everybody who has a caravan in the drive does this from time to time.

Our neighbours have relatives with a caravan who bring it and park it on the drive when they come.

If it was being used as permanent accomodation, then there are probably legal implications, but not for occasional use unless there is a covenant on the property forbidding it.
 
Jul 18, 2006
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Gill,

I hadn't thought of taking the 'van to someone elses house. Cheaper than a hotel, as long as they will let you hook up to their mains supply, job done. But hey, they are friends :)

Thanks
 
Dec 16, 2003
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Try this -

"Provided it is only parked temporarily (in the same way you would park your car) and it remains moveable you should not have any problems as far as planning law goes. Watch out for covenants on the house however, some newer housing estates specifically prohibit caravans".

As long as it is just temporary use I believe it is covered by the above. We had family use our vans many times but no one could see the van.

I know of three homes that have been refurbished by the owners in the past year and they have used a caravan to sleep in at times and one is still being used with two awnings on it now.
 
Jul 18, 2006
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oldfogey,

I agree about the long term legal angle. I bet John Presscott would up your council tax as clearly your home has "been improved" by adding extra rooms (Bathroom, lounge, bedroom(s) and a kitchen) it may even double !!!

Does anyone know what Gypsies and "travelers" do when it comes to council tax, while we are on the subject, as they just seem to be able to pull up and live ???

(Awaiting barage of abuse) hey only two days till the weekend.
 
Jan 3, 2007
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Rubix....I don't think, in the stricktest letter of the law, it is ok to accomodate your caravan, even on your own land for a few days, due to planning regulations etc.

However, it is only ever going to be raised as an issue if you have a neighbour that complains and makes a fuss. This is the only time the authorities might stop you.

We have used our van, parked in the back garden, on a few occasions when we have had family stay with no issues. In reality nobody knows anyway and as you say it is usually only for a couple of days.

Of course you could always claim "Traveller" status and say you were being persecuted....then the local council will support you all the way...lol

Mal
 
Jan 3, 2007
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oldfogey,

I agree about the long term legal angle. I bet John Presscott would up your council tax as clearly your home has "been improved" by adding extra rooms (Bathroom, lounge, bedroom(s) and a kitchen) it may even double !!!

Does anyone know what Gypsies and "travelers" do when it comes to council tax, while we are on the subject, as they just seem to be able to pull up and live ???

(Awaiting barage of abuse) hey only two days till the weekend.
Gypsys and Travellers only pay council tax if they are sited on a recognised council run site. This is usually set at band A.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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We used to always stay in the parents cravan when we visited years ago when they owned one. They in turn still stay in their parents van when they visited them. Our own caravan is stored at our parents house which is an hour away, again we often stay in our own van at their house...so far they have not charged us!
 
Mar 29, 2005
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from the law section on here

And finally ....

A caravan stored in its owner's garden may be used as a spare bedroom to accommodate non-paying guests. Friends can bring their own caravan and stay within the garden of a house.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Further to Michael's comment, using the caravan for sleeping is OK. The occupants should not cook in the 'van, the phrase is "within the curtilage of a dwelling" - it must not be a separate accommodation unit itself.
 
May 21, 2008
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From alegal point of view so long as your not having guests on say a weekly basis then it is perfectly fine.

Just watch the way you hook up power though because should you forinstance have a fire and the cause is attributed to the power supply you put to the caravan, then you will find your insurance man running faster than the hammster.

The council will not be the thorn in your side, more frequently it's neighbours who dob you in.

I must say I have a strop on with one of mine 4 doors up the road and round the corner who has tried to stop my having my caravan on our drive by quoting that the road is actually not wide enough to allow safe egress.

I'm currrently parking one of our cars outside his house on the wide access road and because it's the highway and the correct width the police are not prepared to take action especially because the bloke is a pain in the butt to them too.

What he didn't bargain for was me being a contankerous old sod at just under 50. I might lett him off in June, may be.
 
Sep 13, 2006
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Someone in our locality leaves their oldish TA caravan on the road outside their house, it has been there for years and I do not think anyone has attempted to steal it.

They must have the right connections and/or background!
 
Dec 16, 2003
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Steve, we had a similar problem where we lived before. A guy in the village got complaints about parking a vehicle outside his house from people that lived near him.

He was a ham radio enthusiast and would deploy his very tall wind up aerial tower flying a skull and cross bones and some nice lingerie at times and a camera pointing and the offending neighbours and stopped parking the pickup outside his house and would leave it outside the complaining neighbors.

The police found it quite ammusing as it was road legal they could do nothing about it.

The man from the council objected to the camera that was infact just a dummy casing, the camera was removed and the skull and cross bones flag would be swapped for a cross of St George and some very large ladies under wear on a regular basis.

The moaners got the idea in the end and kept quiet.

As the aerial tower was wound up and down nothing could be done about it and the flags of course were a safety measures re heavy winds !

A Surrey village also has a house with walls competely painted loud colours, the owner had problems with the council and neighbours we believe over some issue. So got out the paint!
 

LMH

Mar 14, 2005
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When we kept our other caravan on the drive, we did occasionally have guests sleep in it.

I also found that it was a haven for when I fell out with my husband and sometimes spent the night in it with my trusty dogs.

Lisa
 
Jan 19, 2008
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When we kept our other caravan on the drive, we did occasionally have guests sleep in it.

I also found that it was a haven for when I fell out with my husband and sometimes spent the night in it with my trusty dogs.

Lisa
Tut! Tut! old relatives of mine always told us to never go to sleep on an argument, I don't know why but I found it a ****** trying to keep awake all night while she snored her head off and broke wind everytime she turned over :O(
 

LMH

Mar 14, 2005
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When we kept our other caravan on the drive, we did occasionally have guests sleep in it.

I also found that it was a haven for when I fell out with my husband and sometimes spent the night in it with my trusty dogs.

Lisa
Ha, ha!!!

You see the problem we have is that I'M always right.

Lisa x
 
Sep 13, 2006
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News article BBC West today

I tried to find a link but could not

A woman in Burnham on Sea has been housing a homeless man in her caravan on her drive.

Apparently she has to apply for planning permission for him to stay there because it has become a permanent dwelling.

I am assuming it is OK for for short periods but not if a permanent dwelling.
 

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