Street mechanic. Right or wrong?

My next door neighbour is also a mechanic a does repairs at home but always in his own driveway and causes no problems. Your neighbour is definitely pushing his luck with a queue. Could you not warn him in a friendly way that comments have been made and it’s beginning to annoy others.

From what you say, he may be classified as running a business from home. He may need permission from the council for this - there are all sorts of possible implications and ramifications apart from the loss of parking. Where does he do the actual repairs? On the street ? Insurance? Health and safety issues? Noise? I wouldn’t like it at all

I guess this is a case of expense versus reputation and demand.

He has become popular because he's good at what he does but can't afford a proper workshop and doesn't want to turn people away. Hence the car jam.

I don't think he's taking the mickey but it might be a good idea to point out that he's not making many friends in the street when so many cars are parked there.

He can arrange for the owners to bring them in only when he's ready for them. That's how my mechanic does it.

It’s not that simple in the UK Bradford the LA has various rules and regulations re the running of businesses from home and people in a residential street have rights as well. He’s doing this as well as working at a garage so is it evenings and weekends work? But my first question would be where is he actually doing the work?

I think you can’t have your cake and eat it- if he is repairing your car as a favour you can’t expect him not to do the same for others. Also, you can’t be sure all the cars parked there are waiting for him. They could belong to visitors to neighbours.

I know someone who was stopped by the council for fixing a few cars on his drive - they classed it as a business

What he is doing is illegal. The pubic highway is not a workshop and he could be reported and taken to court.

Oil spills and other types of environmental damage are best prevented in a fully equipped garage.

I think he may get into trouble if he hasn’t registered his business, which is clearly growing.

We have a car mechanic who has serviced our cars over the years. He picks our car up and takes it back to his garage, then returns it and drives back in his car. Very handy.

Presumably he is moonlighting. I find it difficult to believe he is paying tax on the work he is doing at home.

Drop a word in his ear that people are talking and that he could land in trouble with the local council as he could be seen to be running a business in a residential area, and the Income tax inspector might just start asking questions.

cossybabe I know of some-one who was stopped from doing work on his own driveway/in his own private garage, most of them were family cars not customers cars. He was also reported to HMRC, malicious neighbour as it didn't interfere with any-one else. He mechanic worked for a garage doing repairs & MOTs.

I agree with Bradford a quiet word is in order otherwise I'm sure some-one will start complaining as happened to our friend/neighbour.

We have a neighbour who set up a car valeting business. He even went as far as having his garden paved over. The noise from his power washer was going all day. Well someone must have complained because he has stopped doing it. It's a shame to see the garden has gone.

He is carrying out a car repair business and it will be illegal. Same as someone lining up cars they want to sell. Whilst being helpful to some he is running the risk of being reported by someone.

We had a neighbour once who started repairing motorbikes in his cellar. We had to say something when the petrol fumes started seeping out into our house via the airing cupboard! Fortunately we were on good terms with next door and he found somewhere else to work.

It was OK for him to do work when he was doing it for you but now he is working for more people it is not OK. Sounds a bit selfish to me.

Only yesterday I received an email from police as I'm neighbourhood watch coordinator. Apparently someone in our town has been prosecuted for exactly that - mending cars on a public road. It seems he had been warned and still continued. He also threatened the neighbourhood team members who approached him. 'He was fined £450 and ordered to pay costs of £1980.50 and a victim surcharge of £30.'

You ask ‘right or wrong?’

Wrong.
In my opinion.

I hope he/she pays tax on money earned,no doubt it could be cash in hand which really annoys. E

Jeez. Report him. Have him lynched. Then pay top garage prices. Please don't moan when your bill tops a thousand. You said he is a lovely neighbour. Qualified and cheap. Of course he will be popular. Have 'a word' or worse at your peril.

A victim of his own success it seems. I agree with others about running a business from home and there are H & S implications.. It does seem a shame if he is a hard working chap but he needs to be made aware of the possible problems arising from this.

You say neighbours have grumbled, which is a tad better that being really exasperated with him .
Sounds like they will eventually complain, so you don’t need to.

jenni123

“It was OK for him to do work when he was doing it for you but now he is working for more people it is not OK. Sounds a bit selfish to me.”

Who is being selfish? I was concerned for him. I think you were a bit quick there jenni123. ?

There can be double standards re work in his own drive, when so many people nowadays run businesses online from home without always registering for business rate council tax.