Home Workshop???

[sebandbay]

At home (a detached house with a drive for 6 cars) i have what i refer to as a "workshop" ( a single garage containing my tools). This "workshop" is used for the maintenance of my vehicles, ie, cars, motorbikes, jetskis, etc.

On a single occassion I have had a friend bring his pickup truck around for some FREE OF CHARGE welding repairs.

Since then I have received a letter from the local council after a complaint from an annoyed neighbour stating that under no circumstances am I to repair other peoples vehicles at my property.

Can anybody advise on the details of this legal restraint as I find it unbelievable?

T.I.A

[bednobs]

wouldn't it be better to ask the council to explain their decision?

[pusspuss]

maintenance of my vehicles, ie, cars, motorbikes, jetskis, etc. How many cars bikes etc have you got ? if you are fixing them up to sell they may want to charge you extra council tax ie class you as a business.plus are you allowed to run a business from your property ?ps what bike have you got

[sebandbay]

I have tried that, but the helpful lady dealing with this has gone on holiday and nobody else at the council office is able to discuss her / my case in detail. Therefore I am left curiously hanging.... hence refering to answerbank.

[gouldc]

Probably someone with more time on thier hands than necessary - try telling them that Jeremy Kyle is repeating and they should disappear for a while.

In all seriousness, whilst I note that you are not doing this work for payment, I'm sure that there are petty bylaws in regards to COSHH, etc, that could restrict what you do on your own property.

That said, I once again assume that you're not panel beating until the early hours or tipping oil down drains, so maybe the council have been told something more than you're actually doing.

Some people are so petty sometimes

[daffy654]

Maybe your neighbours are just sick to death of the noise coming from your home when you are tinkering with your vehicles and saw an opportunity to drop you in it with the council.Try talking to the neighbours about it.I know it would drive me insane to have to put up with the sort of noise you must make when fixing one of the vehicles!

[sebandbay]

Daffy and any other idiot confused with the content of my question.... Where in my question does it say that i would appreciate the OPINIONS of morons, I have asked for the details of the legalities. I have stated that the "workshop" is used for maintenance. For example, changing oil, sparkplugs, filters and repairing various electrical faults. I am not panel beating a 747 throughout the night. Also the word maintaining would refer to a degree of logevity in ownership, not doing up to sell.

So to reiterate.... It would be greatly appreciated if somebody could come back with the facts as to whether or not I can, with no regularity, repair a friends car on my drive.

[bushbaby_de]

Hi there, it doesn't matter if you are accepting payment or not, or even if all the vehicles are your own - if you are carrying out an activity at a domestic property which has the characteristics of a business use it may be considered an unauthorised change of use in planning terms and you can be prevented from carrying the activities out, because of the nuisance caused to other householders. I say this as an ex-enforcement officer. The desired result is to stop the nuisance, not to claim extra payments. When the lady returns off holiday you will probably receive a Planning Contravention Notice asking you lots of questions for them to decide whether what you are doing is reasonable at a domestic property or not. I have dealt with this situation many times so if you want to know anything else please let me know.
Katie