Right re next door - selling cars from private house

CaraMay

The local council put a Romanian family into the large end house next to us. They placed the tenants through a local letting agency and they got a 4 year lease.

The original people who moved in are no longer living there and they are selling cars from the house. The police can't touch them as they are all parked on the large front garden. At the moment they have 6.

The council are putting me into the agency and they are worse than useless. They have also put up a huge satellite dish on the house which is not allowed in the estate.

Where do I go from here?

MugMugs

Why's it not allowed? Is there a management company and have you spoken to them?

mikemac1

Contact the revenue if there is a business going on here

Maybe it's a small operation and no money will be due. But Revenue are pretty efficient anyway and they'll check it out

Though it's the council who should be doing this

No Pants

I would have thought that the council would be only delighted to send them a bill for rates if they're running a business from the house. The Revenue would probably also like to get some VAT.

CaraMay

The management company are handing over to the council and neither care about a satellite right now.

I'm thinking of keeping the registrations of the cars for sale and mailing them to the council, revenue, letting agency and police every week. Anything else I can do?

mikemac1

It's not really a garda issue. I'm not sure what you want them to do

Just to be clear. Are you saying the "Romanian" family are no longer living there?

CaraMay

I'm saying the people who moved in are no longer living there. It was leased to parents with 4 teenage boys. Now there is an older man living there with a young woman and two babies. Yes they are / were all Romanian.

ted1

No Pants wrote: »

I would have thought that the council would be only delighted to send them a bill for rates if they're running a business from the house. The Revenue would probably also like to get some VAT.

If doing less than 75k they don't have to register for VAT.
However I would contact SIMI as I believe there are regulations with regards selling cars commercially as oppose to one off car sales

I gather you've spoken to them OP, or one of your neighbours has, as you know they are Romanian. Have you asked them about the cars?

CaraMay

Deleted User wrote: »

I gather you've spoken to them OP, or one of your neighbours has, as you know they are Romanian. Have you asked them about the cars?

You seem to be only interested on whether or but I'm annoyed because if their nationality which is off topic and unhelpful. The agency told me they are Romanian if that information is of importance to you. I tried to talk to one if them before to ask him to slow down when driving in and out of our shared driveway and he just looked at me and walked away.

Well you brought it up so I thought maybe it was relevant to the thread somehow?

Is the council lease with the family or the agency?

Axwell

I have read through the posts and to be honest I am not clear on what your exact issue is? The cars are parked in their own garden outside their own house it seems - are they taking up any of your driveway or your space? Or is it that they are selling cars from their house?

Digital Society

What laws are they breaking exactly? Its no illegal to sell a car from your own home.

Please explain more what they are doing wrong?

CaraMay

They are selling 5/6 cars per week while claiming benefits. There is huge traffic to and from the house day and night with people parking on our drive and blocking the road when they are looking at the cars.

It mightn't stress you out but it does me.

I think the lease is with the council.

Report them to the social welfare if they're on benefits and making money elsewhere.

No Pants

CaraMay wrote: »

They are selling 5/6 cars per week while claiming benefits.

In that case, let the Social know as well.

Axwell

It didnt stress you out enough to mention any of that in your original post though? You said they had 6 cars and a satellite dish which is pretty irrelevant. Now its 6 cars a week and they are claiming benefits. You came here looking for advice, if you arent going to give the proper facts dont get ratty when people are wondering what the issue is.

Firstly the gardai are going to have no interest in this, dont be wasting their time. If they are claiming benefits and operating a business selling cars then report them to social welfare for benefit fraud.

https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/secure/ReportFraud.aspx

CaraMay

Have reported them this morning.

drumswan

CaraMay wrote: »

They are selling 5/6 cars per week while claiming benefits. There is huge traffic to and from the house day and night with people parking on our drive and blocking the road when they are looking at the cars.

It mightn't stress you out but it does me.

I think the lease is with the council.

How could you possibly know if they are in receipt of social welfare payments?

No Pants

ted1 wrote: »

If doing less than 75k they don't have to register for VAT.
However I would contact SIMI as I believe there are regulations with regards selling cars commercially as oppose to one off car sales

OP says they are selling 5 or 6 cars a week. At that rate they won't be long breaching that threshold.

RustyNut

Selling 6 cars a week from the front garden of a terrace house? Bill Cullen would give that lad a job.

gctest50

They are allowed put up a satellite dish ( so they can receive programmes from their home)

Mickey-mouse rules in housing estates < EU

athtrasna

gctest50 wrote: »

They are allowed put up a satellite dish ( so they can receive programmes from their home)

Mickey-mouse rules in housing estates < EU

This has been done to death already but you're wrong The European law means that they are entitled to receive home programming but it doesn't mean that they are entitled to get it everywhere. Moving to an area that specifically prohibits dishes when there are other areas that allow them means they cannot claim to be discriminated against under this law.

Digital Society

CaraMay wrote: »

They are selling 5/6 cars per week while claiming benefits.

Theres no way in the world they are selling a car every single day of the week. I can guarantee you that. And benefits at the same time.

So they cant even advertise or have a sign to say they sell cars yet every single day people show up to their house with 1000s to hand over.

If they where selling cars they are on DoneDeal. Simply go there and see if they are placing ads every day. If by some chance they are report the links to welfare

Marcusm

Axwell wrote: »

You said they had 6 cars and a satellite dish which is pretty irrelevant.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with the issues of welfare or tax; these two matters are clear breaches of planning and should be enforced by the council. THere is no planning exemption for a satellite dish ont he front of the house (irrespective of whether the management company assents to it) and you cannot have that number of "parking spaces" on the garden of a property without plannign permission.

All of this is the council's problem. They are the landlord and they are the enforcement authority. The OP needs to approach it in that manner.

CaraMay

Marcusm wrote: »

Personally, I wouldn't bother with the issues of welfare or tax; these two matters are clear breaches of planning and should be enforced by the council. THere is no planning exemption for a satellite dish ont he front of the house (irrespective of whether the management company assents to it) and you cannot have that number of "parking spaces" on the garden of a property without plannign permission.

All of this is the council's problem. They are the landlord and they are the enforcement authority. The OP needs to approach it in that manner.

Thank you for your constructive post. This is what I needed to know.

3DataModem

RustyNut wrote: »

Selling 6 cars a week from the front garden of a terrace house? Bill Cullen would give that lad a job.

He is in no position to be offerong jobs.

jd

RustyNut wrote: »

Selling 6 cars a week from the front garden of a terrace house? Bill Cullen would give that lad a job.

Bill Cullen is working for SsangYong. Bill would sell more cars working for that guy in his front garden.

CaraMay

Just found out from agency that there are 8 adults registered to live in the property - grandparents & 4 sons plus 2 wives and their 2 kids. It's a 4 bed house.

Baby01032012

That's actually 10 or am I reading it wrong? Where is problem with 8 people living in 4 bedroom house? Possibly 8 bed spaces or more if kids have bunk beds. I'm a bit lost as to what your "issue" is or what you feel is wrong?

murphaph

Deleted User wrote: »

Well you brought it up so I thought maybe it was relevant to the thread somehow?

Is the council lease with the family or the agency?

It is relevant. We know what sort of family the OP is talking about.

CaraMay

Baby01032012 wrote: »

That's actually 10 or am I reading it wrong? Where is problem with 8 people living in 4 bedroom house? Possibly 8 bed spaces or more if kids have bunk beds. I'm a bit lost as to what your "issue" is or what you feel is wrong?

I said 8 adults. Yes it is ridiculous to stick 8 adults who don't work into a house. It's like a bus station next door.

Anyway am going to ask for this thread to be closed as few responses have been directed at the questions asked.

No Pants

murphaph wrote: »

It is relevant. We know what sort of family the OP is talking about.

I'm guessing they're a close one.

R1_Pete

mikemac1 wrote: »

Contact the revenue if there is a business going on here

Maybe it's a small operation and no money will be due. But Revenue are pretty efficient anyway and they'll check it out

Though it's the council who should be doing this

Revene are pretty efficient?! Seriously.

gctest50

athtrasna wrote: »

This has been done to death already but you're wrong The European law means that they are entitled to receive home programming but it doesn't mean that they are entitled to get it everywhere. Moving to an area that specifically prohibits dishes when there are other areas that allow them means they cannot claim to be discriminated against under this law.

How about these :

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/large-height-adjustable-silver-satellite-stand-r61rn

free standing satellite dish stand

athtrasna

Probably not allowed on management company property which gardens and balconies are. Depends on each development

dharn

Is there such a thing as a designated trading area ? That house would not be one

conorhal

Contact the county council OP.

It is a residental area, you cannot run a commercial enterprise on that scale from which customers are served (a car lot in the front garden) without planning permission.
I would also contact the social welfare, if those on the lease have sublet the property they are in breach of their lease.

Mrs OBumble

CaraMay wrote: »

I said 8 adults. Yes it is ridiculous to stick 8 adults who don't work into a house. It's like a bus station next door.

It's a 4brm house, you cannot realistically expect it to be quiet!

OP, I think you have an issue if they are running a business from a residential property. But it's a planning enforcement issue.

The rest of your concerns are just nonsense.

MidlandsM

CaraMay,

Well done and fair play to you for reporting these individuals - regardless of their background.

there is a number of things you can continue to do - I'm in the motortrade, and its people like this, that affect genuine operators like me as they sell rubbish, ruin the trades reputation, claim benefits whilst trrading, deal in cash, pay no taxes, no vat, offer customers no warranty, no nothing.

Continue to:

Take regs of cars

Track down these cars on offer on DD, or adverts, and print off the ads, and prices offered - note how many different phone numbers they use. Also, note when they are removed from DD/adverts and are sold. You'll quickly be able to calculate their turnover (sales) and see if they are indeed over the VAT reg Threshold

Check with Dept of Transport in Shannon, if that address has a car sales business operating from it. A DPT. OF TRANSPORT GARAGE ID would be required to trade legally. If not, inform them of the activities from that address.

Also, write formally to you local CC, and inform them of the commercial business taking place next door, and the turnover of sales taking place. Inform them they are losing RATES.

Write formally to REVENUE -but make contact with an individual in Revenue who you can talk to personally and personally email direct - take pics of cars at the premises, document all regs/sales - and sends pics, Ad's of DD/Adverts to Revenue. Follow up with the contact in Revenue, and keep onto them, ask them for progress reports on their investigation after you furnish them with all they need to look into these peoples operations.

If there is any UK reg cars there, call CUSTOMS - and report them. These cars will have duty outstanding on them, and CUSTOMS will be around for a visit in no time.


As suggested by someone contacting the SIMI, waste of time - they are not a gov body.

Hope this help.

NickD

I don't really see the issue with 8 adults and 2 kids in a 4 bed house. To be fair it actually seems like the council is using the properties available to them properly, nice to see it really. I think we are just used to the Celtic Tiger idea that every child needs their own room (and maybe a playroom too) it was far from that I was raised, my two sisters and I shared a room and the four brothers were in another!

The cars I would have a problem with, although if he can manage to sell 6 cars a week, more power to him! Maybe he should consider opening a garage though, rather than using your shared driveway.

MidlandsM

NickD wrote: »

although if he can manage to sell 6 cars a week, more power to him! .

whilst on Benefits?

athtrasna

NickD wrote: »

I don't really see the issue with 8 adults and 2 kids in a 4 bed house. To be fair it actually seems like the council is using the properties available to them properly, nice to see it really. I think we are just used to the Celtic Tiger idea that every child needs their own room (and maybe a playroom too) it was far from that I was raised, my two sisters and I shared a room and the four brothers were in another!

I would think that there's a chance it's overinhabited by PRTB/Council standards. We had a large 4 bed house that we rented (all above board) for a while and it was listed as max 8 bed spaces.

mb30

Thank god I'm not living next door to you. Wouldnt it be alot less stressful if you just kept to yourself and minded your own business. If these neighbours selling cars were Irish and spoke with Foxrock accents you'd wish them well.

athtrasna

mb30 wrote: »

Thank god I'm not living next door to you. Wouldnt it be alot less stressful if you just kept to yourself and minded your own business. If these neighbours selling cars were Irish and spoke with Foxrock accents you'd wish them well.

And let the neighbour turn a residential area into a commercial enterprise against the law, earn money as a little nixer (also against the law) while screwing the system? I'd rather have the OP as a neighbour thanks!

No Pants

mb30 wrote: »

Thank god I'm not living next door to you. Wouldnt it be alot less stressful if you just kept to yourself and minded your own business. If these neighbours selling cars were Irish and spoke with Foxrock accents you'd wish them well.

So, if the house next door had six cars parked in their garden and didn't pay the due taxes, therefore undercutting legitimate local businesses who do have to pay rates and taxes, you'd be okay with that?

minidazzler

Romanian and Romani, know the difference, or you could be a....

No Pants

minidazzler wrote: »

Romanian and Romani, know the difference, or you could be a....

dyslexic?

Lambofdave

mb30 wrote: »

Thank god I'm not living next door to you. Wouldnt it be alot less stressful if you just kept to yourself and minded your own business. If these neighbours selling cars were Irish and spoke with Foxrock accents you'd wish them well.

More like than god we aren't living next to you, with an attitude like that.

NickD

MidlandsM wrote: »

whilst on Benefits?

No, not while on benefits, that was why I suggested he open a garage. If he can manage to sell six cars a week (which I suspect may be a slight exaggeration) then he clearly doesn't need benefits.