hassle with the council

[dunketh]

Sounds like its just the 'mess' the neighbours are complaining about.
Tbh I'd think 'stuff them its my garden' but I know the council have to appear to be balanced and have to take all complaints seriously..etc..blah blah.

Its not as if your cars are causing an obstruction and provided you're only working in the sociable hours they can't really complain.

Tidying up would be a great 'good will' gesture on your part though.

A friend of mine experienced similar problems at his new house. He's the local go-to man for brakes. The council tried to claim he was trading from his house, despite the fact we only ever gave him beer and parts costs for any job he did.

[leyther8008]

I,ve a new nick name from my neighbours 'just Bern' from when they look out of the windows to see what the screech/bang/roar is, oh its just Bern trying out his latest mod! great bunch of people to live near. I fully respect their rights to have wishing wells gnomes etc in their gardens they respect the occasional shell or wreck being outside for a while.

[Peetee]

but cann't understand why they say no welding.

If you are doing this outside there are serious issues as I can testify. I happened to look the wrong way just as a bloke started arc welding a heap on his driveway.
Thank god i wasn't driving at the time.

[paulhumphries]

If you are doing this outside there are serious issues as I can testify. I happened to look the wrong way just as a bloke started arc welding a heap on his driveway.

I suppose that comes under enviromental aspect like spraying.
You need to clarify exactly what you aren't allowed to do as "no welding" is different to "no welding that shows bright arc to public" - which can be solved by a simple screen.
Like I said before get them to put it down in writing what you cann't do and then ask your MP (not local councillor) to then clarify on your behalf.


Paul Humphries

[Orkney]

yup portable screens ok - available machine mart etc - no good if you have neighbours with 2 storey houses though who may be able to see over the screen from an upstairs window.

[paulhumphries]

yup portable screens ok - available machine mart etc - no good if you have neighbours with 2 storey houses though who may be able to see over the screen from an upstairs window.

True - hadn't thought about that.
What a cheap gazebo to stop upwards glare ?


Another story about the council.
We have a chap locally who makes welded steel gates.
He started when he was made redundant many years ago and someone commented how good a set he'd made for himself so could he make a set for them.
With assistance from the government (the old Enterprise Allowance scheme - you got £40 per week if you started self employment and had been unemployed / claiming benefit for more than a certain amount of time) he rented a small workshop but found the high overheads meant he was almost working for nothing.
In the end he gave up the workshop and started to make the gate in his own domestic garage.
Needless to say after a while someone reported him to council for running a business from home.
It backfired on them as the council visited, asked various questions, confirmed he had no customers visiiting his house so granted him permission to run a "cottage industry" business.
This was around 20 years ago and at 70 he's still making gates, albeit on a reduce scale, without any further problems.



Paul Humphries.

[8009STEVE]

We have daft neighbours near us. I was spraying some hammerite mixed with thinners on to the underside, when a lad appeared and asked if I was spraying cyanide and would the girlfriend be poisoned. I dont know if he was hoping.

[chickenjohn]

We have daft neighbours near us. I was spraying some hammerite mixed with thinners on to the underside, when a lad appeared and asked if I was spraying cyanide and would the girlfriend be poisoned. I dont know if he was hoping.

He probably thought you were spraying 2-pack (he may have meant Isocyanates), which, believe it or not, some people do spray at home, even in their gardens.

[plastic_orange]

[/quote]

He probably thought you were spraying 2-pack (he may have meant Isocyanates), which, believe it or not, some people do spray at home, even in their gardens.[/quote]

Surely not

I've been fortunate with my neighbours over the years as I used to do repair work for others at home (including neighbours) which included welding (cars used to need welding).
Only problem I've had is with my rear hedge - new neighbour complained about the height. My answer - it was there before you bought the house, but I brought it down a few feet even though other neighbour put velux windows in and his kids used to peer into our property.
What I can't stand is folk going behind your back to resolve an issue. I would go round them all to ask if there was a problem, and casually inform them that if I couldn't restore my cars, I would be turning my garage into a meeting place for my bike club

As far as I am aware, there is no legislation governing welding activities, but be aware that if you have an acetylene incident, you and your neighbours will be removed to a minimum of 200 metres from the incident for 24 hours - that would seriously p*ss off even the best of neighbours. Then you would have to hope your insurance would cough up for alternative accommodation for them etc etc.

Pete

[Peetee]

yup portable screens ok - available machine mart etc - no good if you have neighbours with 2 storey houses though who may be able to see over the screen from an upstairs window.

This is where the grey areas come in. the guy I saw welding did have a screen of sorts but screens can't cover all angles - that's what buildings are for. I would imagine the apparently heavy handed council angle is simply ensuring that all the grey areas are covered too.

[UOGMoggie]

Steve, really sorry to hear your news. My neighbours are always taking cars to pieces and putting them back together again and it doesn't bother me - and they were fine when we built my kitchen extension and knocked the house around - it's all about mutual respect and trying to get on with people isn't it?

We do have some neighbours that complain for the sake of it.

Well, in light of Steve's bad news it looks like UOG (white 71 trav) will have to go back on ebay unless anyone knows someone who can get her back on the road for a reasonable price in the West Mids area?

Matt

[DaveC]

Good luck with your house search Steve. Hope you get sorted out soon. There are plenty of people with parts stashed away in Suffolk too..