Complaint from my neighbour

[mrscalex]

Okay chaps. What would you think and say in response if you'd received this.

I hope your not thinking I'm being awkward but will you have your scrap cars parked in the court yard much longer?Hope you can understand it's not a nice view looking out of the front of my house on to it.

Also on a health and safety point of view it does concern me with the car balanced on jacks like that especially when I have my 4 year old playing out the front.

These are the 2 cars.

And this was the extent of cosmetic damage to the 2. Otherwise they are tidy cars. Not exactly scrap are they?

Parked on my private driveway and not interfering in any way with the comings and goings of other residents in the courtyard parking area. Not too sure what he's doing letting his 4 year old play unsupervised in a parking area where cars are coming and going.

 

[GazHyde]

Oh dear, sounds like he hasn't had his Weetabix this morning! Some people get wound up by the smallest things, and if that's the worst your driveway looks when you aren't working on them then fair game to you.

There are far more risks for a 4 year old than a car safely raised on axle stands.

 

[Lee]

If it's your private driveway they cannot do much but moan. Why is a 4 year old venturing onto your driveway?

But from their point of view I can understand its not nice to look at. I've had a couple of remarks from my neighbours about zeds around the zed shed but luckily all intact.

Lee

 

[Gundun]

I'm curious to know what he/she drives
My neighbor is a 80+ year old chap who destroys his car every time he tries to pull into the driveway, and it looks much worse than yours despite being regularly sent to repair twice a year...still it's a gnarly view to bear when coming home.

Unfortunately people like that are allowed to live among us as well, I would politely tell him/her that there's no risk about the jack stands and you decline every responsibility for anything that might occur involving unauthorised trespassing into your property in any case.

 

[andyglym]

My view would be to knock on the door with a bottle of wine in hand for a friendly chat with the aim to diffuse any potential pending dramas. Not like it's a MK11 Cortina with grass coming out of the roof is it. Face to face is always best (even if through gritted teeth). That aside, it sounds like they've got nothing to say and they're saying it far to loudly though keep that to yourself

 

[Antm72]

Neighbours can be funny things .Mine moans about my work van parked in a parking space.
Thing is its not causing an issue as when i spent 12 weeks off earlier in the year no one in the entire 12 weeks once needed the space !!
Moaning for moaning sake .......

If the cars are on your private drive i see little wrong with it as said if their 4 year old is unsupervised and allowed to wander on your property then i see that at that age as bad parenting.
More likely the adults moaning and hiding behind the kids either way unless its a term in some housing deed that you can not do it they have little recourse your not running a business and you own the vehicles so short of russling feathers i can't see the issue personally.
You could always say that you don't like screaming kids in the carpark as it disturbs your tv watching..

 

[mrscalex]

Well the irony is I was going to give them all a bottle of wine for Christmas as I thought it was the neighbourly thing to do. But I won't be now!

I'm only in Swindon half the week but when I am there I am nearly always at home and park my dirty great Alhambra in front of it obscuring the work anyway.

For sure I can understand it's not what they want to see but sometimes you just have to put up with it. And the 2 cars really aren't that bad. He owns a contract painting firm and there are vans/deliveries/staff milling around his place all the time. Another neighbour always stares at me through my kitchen window as she goes by. My next door neighbour has a large dog that is often barking etc etc. It's just life isn't it.

Too much going on to have a fight with them. And one of those things going on is my best mate who is terminally ill and the blue one is being rebuilt for him (as fast as I can) as he liked what I did on my first project and it gave him the buzz.

 

[Lee]

I would still do the wine bit. I always do for my neighbours because I'm always making a racket. What about chucking two car covers over the zeds?

 

[mrscalex]

Anyhow, talking of the first project which now lives in Swansea with my other half (where I am at the moment) I'm off for a lunchtime amble in her. The car that is.

Here she is on a rare trip back to Swindon, actually when I bought her home to show my mate.

 

[mrscalex]

I would still do the wine bit. I always do for my neighbours because I'm always making a racket. What about chucking two car covers over the zeds?

If I'm really honest personally I think a car under a cover looks even worse. We'll see how the dust settles but he really didn't endear himself texting me rather than talking, saying the same thing in 4 different messages repeatedly when I'd already told him they would both be gone soon enough and sending me a photo when I know what the cars look like.

I do most of my work over my Parents where all my tools are and I can use their garage. But at the time they had to be delivered to me and I had to get them mobile again from my house before taking them over for fettling.

 

[DavidM]

Keep the neighbours sweet - it's not as if we can get up and move away in a hurry - take @Andy McDonnell 's advice - a small price to pay to diffuse the situation. Don't forget to politely tell them they are privileged to be looking at - not one Zed - but two great Zeds - even though one has been slightly hurt - temporarily!

PS - including their owner.

 

[Gundun]

Too much going on to have a fight with them. And one of those things going on is my best mate who is terminally ill and the blue one is being rebuilt for him (as fast as I can) as he liked what I did on my first project and it gave him the buzz.

Stick to the wine gift, explain them why you have the blue on your driveway. Both these things should help them reflect on how unecessary that complaint was and hopefully set the record straight between you.

If it doesn't work, just ignore them.

 

[mrscalex]

Cheers guys Kill em with kindness as my other half always says.

 

[andyglym]

Cheers guys Kill em with kindness as my other half always says.

The "operation Windmill" and nailing the 4 year old to their front door option, whilst satisfying, may have some drawbacks .................

 

[Shelly]

I wouldn't let a 4 year old play out along , so surely they should be watching him , so your cars shouldn't be a bother to anyone
Some people just like to be picky
You should say I hope the 4 years old don't touch my cars as their my pride and joy
Good luck

 

[Nodzed]

Keep the wine and buy another Zed

 

[PHILIP BAXTER]

I think you should get your council tax lowered, for your outstanding contribution to the beauty of the local environment.

 

[mrscalex]

I think you should get your council tax lowered, for your outstanding contribution to the beauty of the local environment.

 

[Paul Rice]

Come the spring out in the Z with the top down the last thing on your mind will be the neighbours

 

[Redline]

The "operation Windmill" and nailing the 4 year old to their front door option, whilst satisfying, may have some drawbacks .................

I was just thinking you had been to charm school after your first post - and then this