Deed Of Covenant

[sddsddean]

If there is a deed of covenant on your property, who do you complain to if someone is breaking it? This relates to the Covenant on our deeds which says you are not allowed to park a caravan or trailer on the driveway (I know...I'm getting petty in my old age, but it really bugs me!!). I've found loads of sites saying how to get out of a covenant, but can't find out who enforces them. TIA.

[Zacs-Master]

Surely the Landlord/s would enforce it?

[naomi24]

It doesn't sound as if they rent from a landlord, They have deeds to the property.

sddsddean, is someone putting a caravan on your land?

[naomi24]

It seems there is no complaints procedure. You need to seek legal advice.

https://customerhelp.landregistry.gov.uk/forums/general-info-and-guidance/67064ae6-892e-ed11-a81b-002248018381

[Zacs-Master]

Depends who is the freeholder of the property, sdd or a neighbour. Without knowing this, and the specific type of covenant (restrictive, positive etc) its very hard to say.

[sddsddean]

We all own freehold on our houses. Its a neighbour opposite me, so they own 'the land'. I don't mind if its there for a day or two pre/post holiday, but sometimes there for 3 weeks...and now we often get a horsebox too!

Interesting naomi...more money for the lawyers then!!

[barry1010]

These covenants are often put on by the developers of the houses to keep the area up to a perceived standard. I have seen covenants that restrict the days washing can be hung out in the gardens.

It's usually developers that uphold covenants but they lose interest after a while. A neighbour could try to enforce it but it would cost them.

[naomi24]

As always.

So is the caravan on the neighbour's land or yours?

[barry1010]

I would advise you to ignore it. It can't possibly be affecting you in any way apart from your view from your front garden or windows and falling out with your neighbours over something like this is inviting years of tension and misery.

[sddsddean]

Its on their own land Naomi.

Looks like I've got no hope then Barry...save a quiet word!!

[naomi24]

I tend to agree with barry. If it's on the neighbour's land and its presence is just annoying you, and nit restricting your light or anything like that. you might be unwise to pursue it. Not only could it cause bad feeling with your neighbour - it could end up costing you a lot of money - and there's no guarantee you'll win.

[barry1010]

I wouldn't even have a quiet word. People really do no appreciate being told what to do with their own home when it doesn't really impact on anyone else. If it were blocking your light, obstructing your access or causing any other sort of problem, then yes - ask them to be more considerate.
Otherwise, leave well alone. They might agree to move it and replace it with something that is more annoying but not specifically restricted.

[sddsddean]

We get on all right with them...I'll try and slip it into conversation sometime. Thanks all for your thoughts.

[naomi24]

Good luck.... and try to stay friends. Falling out could cause years of misery.

[Buenchico]

As Barry says, covenants are often put in place by the developers of housing estates and, in such cases, they're the only people who can enforce them.

I live on a large Barratt Homes development, built in the 1980s. Every house has a covenant which says that there must be no external TV aerials but just about every house has one. Similarly, every house has a covenant that says the front garden must be largely laid to lawn, whereas the reality is that most have been paved over to create additional parking spaces. (There's even a covenant on my house which says that I'm responsible for mowing a small area of lawn that's in a neighbouring road! I don't!).

Barratt Homes clearly have no interest in enforcing any of the covenants, so everyone here simply ignores them.