Allowing A Homeless Person To Doss Down In Garage - Legal?

[hc4361]

I have an integral garage with a shower and loo which is used for storage, not for garaging a car.
I have been letting a homeless person sleep in it if he rings my bell before 10pm. He has a shower and sleeps on a camp bed, is gone by 9am. No trouble to me or anyone else. He does not give me payment in any form.

A neighbour has threatened to report me to the council for this - am I breaking the law?

[Peter Pedant]

I think the bog will sink you
he can use it as a separate dwelling unit cant he?

[Jordyboy9]

Has anyone thought maybe the neighbor is just worried in case you are being taken advantage of,are you old?if so that could be why,if something happened to you we would all be shouting you would think the neighbors might have noticed.

[Peter Pedant]

er the neighbour would just say
you are being used .....

I have had a few neighbours say - "dat lawful dat?"
and when I give a full and clear answer: yes
all they do is go like - dat lawful dat? again

[Cloverjo]

I’m glad you happened upon a sensible person at the council, hc. You could more than likely have found someone who’d be keen to look for any rules that might have been broken.

[Spicerack]

This whole story is nonsense and I don't care what any of you say, no-one wants a doss-house in their neighbourhood.

[TonyV]

Spicerack hope you don't find yourself homeless one day.

[seekeerz]

Cannot comprehend the malicious nature of some people, you're to be complimented for your humanity.

[vetuste_ennemi]

There is a way of producing extra income when there's a high demand for accommodation and you own a garden. It's called "bed in a shed". I see many examples quite close to me (in West London).

Usually illegal in the planning application sense.

Let's hope that that a "concerned citizen" doesn't shop Good Samaritan HC.

[waterboatman]

Why would your neighbour want to report an act of kindness? What a miserable person they must be.

[Cloverjo]

Isn’t this what David Cameron proposed we all do with his ‘Big Community’ thing? Help each other out when we can?
I’d bet your neighbour voted Tory, hc. So tell him you’re just doing what DC said.

[hc4361]

Some very interesting comments, thanks for good wishes and concern.
I am neither elderly nor vulnerable and my wife is also very capable and level headed.
I have not turned my house in to a 'doss house'. If my neighbour hadn't seen him leaving the garage early one morning she would have been none the wiser.
I don't think anyone would choose to sleep in my garage if they had a better offer - it is unheated, has a concrete floor, no window and is used to store my washing machine, tumble drier, two large freezers and other household goods.
Although he is able to get out of the garage he can't get in unless I or my wife unlocks the garage door. He can't get in to the house from the garage as he doesn't have the key to a very heavy fire door.

I have never seen him drunk or under the influence of drugs - that doesn't mean he never uses them, though. I really don't know.

He occasionally accepts a bowl of porridge in the morning or soup at night, never asks for it.

We are not being 'good' - he doesn't put us out in any way.

We had seen him begging at the supermarket a few times and he helped my wife out by changing her wheel when her car had a puncture. Simple as that. Next time we saw him it was bitterly cold so I offered him use of my sofa but he refused, he did agree to shelter in the garage.

[elliemay1]

That is such a heart warming story hc. You and your wife are lovely people

[Calicogirl]

Good for you HC- genuine human kindness, and Spicey are you no better than that? Kindness is an admirable trait and lack of it the exact reverse. I'd be proud to have a neighbour who showed such decency, and it's hardly a dosshouse is it? :(

[Rockrose]

Hc you like my mil neighbour are very kind people x

[hereIam]

Hardly a doss house Spicey.

[murraymints]

a little kindness and compassion goes a long way when the heart is heavy and desolate..hopefully your visitor will get back on his feet soon.... you are a good people xx