Advice: Neighbour in Granny Flat Using Street as a Mechanics Shop

LJamie 007 on 13/05/2023 - 10:10
Last edited 13/05/2023 - 11:58 by 1 other user

Hi guys, looking for some advice and opinions on this one.

So this is the situation - I live in a high density residential area (Melbourne eastern suburbs). I have a neighbour renting a granny flat and he is using the street in front of the house as his own personal mechanics shop. It's not a case of someone just fixing their own car up (which I'd have no problem with), he's clearly using it as a business, buying crap cars, fixing them up and selling them as well as his mates bringing their cars for him to work on.

To date it's just been irritating, having four or five shitbox cars on the street taking up the parking space and having to listen to cars revving constantly but this morning he really pissed me off, working on a car right in front of my house (I have a tiny front yard so about three metres from my bedroom) at 8am with blaring music. I'm a shift worker and don't get to bed until about 4am and the last thing I need is to be woken up at 8am by someone working on a car and blasting dance music at 8am metres away from my bedroom.

Just wondering if anyone knows if there are any regulations on this sort of thing and has any advice on what to do? Its inside the allowable times for neighborhood noise but surely there must be rules about using residential areas and public streets for this kind of thing? And renting a granny flat and parking five cars on the street?

I don't think I'm being an unreasonable neighbour, like I said, no issue with someone fixing their own car up or restoring a car as a hobby or whatever but I draw the line at the street in front of my house being used as a workshop, especially when instead of trying to minimise noise and inconvenience they're doubling down by blasting music while they're doing it.

Thanks.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • pegaxs on 13/05/2023 - 10:19
    +19

    Are the cars unregistered?? Check on your states registration portal… If they are, call police and/or council to have them removed/fined.

    InB4: "Have you tried just talking to the guy and asking him not to?" Yeah, because that always works…

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 13/05/2023 - 13:23
      +27

      Have you tried just talking to the guy

      How I imagine it to go down, based off op’s write up

      Op: gday mate I understand that times are tough and all but could you be a bit reasonable and understand that you’re being pretty unreasonable

      op gets stabbed

      Op: good chat mate good chat

      • skillet on 16/05/2023 - 15:32
        +1

        I don't think people who mend cars like to stab people. Most of them prefer to change your wipers and sometimes perfectly working rear bulbs.

    • HeWhoKnows on 14/05/2023 - 14:06
      +1

      POSSIBLE BEST SOLUTION
      Discuss issue with council and have then to install 1 hour parking (residents exempted) signs

      • Euphemistic on 14/05/2023 - 14:25

        I doubt that’ll happen quickly. There’s need to be all sorts of consultations prior to implementing, not to mention having to sort out residency permits. If the council doesn’t already have a permit system, it’s not gonna happen.

        • HeWhoKnows on 14/05/2023 - 14:29

          Not necessarily
          Council are often out to assist local residents that have issues and this is the most practical solution.
          They have offered to install timed parking in my street but I said "no thanks" and it didnt happen,
          The "residents exempted" is just an option

          Its a case of "If you dont ask, you dont get"

          So dont rule of any solution before its tested

          Besides, do you have any other "realistic and practical" ideas rather than parking trailers there as others have thoughtlessly suggested

          • Euphemistic on 14/05/2023 - 14:33

            @HeWhoKnows: Not ruling it out of the realms of possibility, just pointing out some of the reality of dealing with council.

            Other ideas? Nope. Unless the guy is parking unregistered vehicles there, it’s a public street anyone can park. And that not to say I agree with on street parking either. On street parking is a real problem in lots of areas. We’d probably be better off banning it in a lot of places.

  • Stopback on 13/05/2023 - 10:20
    +9

    Get trailers and park them outside

    • Worf on 13/05/2023 - 10:23
      +3

      Good idea… at least the noise won’t be right outside your window.

    • elgrande on 13/05/2023 - 10:40
      +5

      Agree, or buy your own shitbox to take the parking space.

  • Muzeeb on 13/05/2023 - 10:21
    +7

    If you can't beat them. Join them.

    Grab a few Great Northerns, make sure your vape is fully charged and ask him if he needs a hand wrenching.

  • Worf on 13/05/2023 - 10:23
    +2

    How much for an oil change? Jk. That would be horrendous. Solidarity.

    What municipality? I suspect there’s no laws re being a jerk.

    Are you on good terms with the landlord/owner?

  • lostgoat on 13/05/2023 - 10:28
    +7

    Confront the guy and we can have another Psycho Neighbour thread .
    Besides that I knew of similar circumstances and the guy got done for pouring oil down the drains.

    • JIMB0 on 13/05/2023 - 13:26
      +2

      There's an idea. Call the EPA and report him for dumping oil down there drain. When they come out and find oil in the drain they'll pin it on him.

      • bloom on 13/05/2023 - 20:05
        +5

        Obviously pour oil down the drain overnight yourself before he opens ‘shop’ in the morning

        • skillet on 16/05/2023 - 16:35

          Better yet, set fire to the property, problem solved.

          If you(being normal person) are not happy with them then I'm pretty sure there are also others who are not so you are not alone. You can always talk to the council if direct and gentlemen (and ladies) approach isnt in your menu.

  • 7ekn00 on 13/05/2023 - 10:32
    -6

    Noise cancelling ear buds and all your issues are solved :/

  • Bafranz on 13/05/2023 - 10:33
    +1

    Witches hats

  • elgrande on 13/05/2023 - 10:43
    +3

    Unless the cars are unregistered, it sounds like they are within their rights.. i.e. even waited till after 8am to play music etc.

    A$$hole? Probably. Inconsiderate? Yep.

    As above, park something else out the front to make it somone elses problem.

  • Protractor on 13/05/2023 - 11:00
    -4

    another neighbour pissing me off thread……………..
    God invented headbutts for a reason
    Chances are he's an Ozb reader who uses SCA and REPCO specials to do cashies. So there's that.
    Local govt bylaws may be breached. You 'probably' need council approval. You could bypass them, and call up the ATO…or AFP, ASIO , Centrelink, etc. But if you have already groaned at him or given stink eye, it's too late.
    The end result is always the same. Someone will tell the guy you dobbed him in, or he'll join the dots. Then it elevates. Let him take on so much work he drops a car off a jack onto his foot. Realistically you could save the dobbing trigger for the oil stains on the road or obvious neighbourhood pushback.

  • dtc on 13/05/2023 - 11:04
    +19

    Most Council zoning does not allow a person to conduct a business (of a kind that involves people visiting or something like a mechanic) in residential areas, so you could report to the council. If they are all his cars or he isn’t charging his mates then that’s a different issue, but probably can’t do that work on the street

    Most home insurances won’t cover his work, but that’s his problem.

    Also welcome to tradies who are fine with hitting the stereo button at 7.00 + 1 second and playing loud music all day for months (or years) on end while they do their work

  • pharkurnell on 13/05/2023 - 11:15
    -1

    Have you told him your a shift worker?

    • Protractor on 13/05/2023 - 11:23
      +13

      IMHO that should not really matter. Good neighbours would consider that any of theirs might be a shift worker.
      There's nurses etc all throughout most suburbs.
      But then again, the whole good neighbour concept was dying before covid, but expired completely during and since. This country has become every person for themselves, despite what the brochures say.

      • pharkurnell on 13/05/2023 - 11:29
        +7

        Agree with shouldnt matter…. also agree about good neighbours.. very rare breed these days. makes me appreciate the ones we had for 30+yrs when I was growing up

      • freefall101 on 13/05/2023 - 17:12

        I dunno how good it really used to be, I live in a street full of oldies and they all complain about the world has gone to hell in a handbasket with people hooning down the street (which is a rarity, and their expectations of the council to do something about it are pretty far fetched).

        But then half of them are out mowing the lawn at 7am every single weekend and would lose their minds if noise controls were put in to limit how often they do so (some of the laws around here I swear they do at least twice a week).

        • Protractor on 13/05/2023 - 18:26
          +1

          Ppl have been pissing others off every weekend with a Victa for eons. They are not necessarily the 'best' neighbours, but it's a liveable nuisance, IMO.
          Let the complainers lend them or chip in to buy them a battery powered mower.
          But if this forum is any guide, the mower cohort are a blessing.
          What have we had in the last few months re neighbours?
          Won't be improving at all now, with Big Straya impacting every corner of the nation and the US invasion in the NT.
          Even ppl in the bush are rapidly losing their every amenity to city invaders bringing the worst habits of suburbia with them, and little respect for the original residents.

          • freefall101 on 13/05/2023 - 19:23
            -2

            @Protractor: Could be worse, imagine being Aboriginal 240 years ago

            "Did you see where he parked his boat? Blocked my great view over the water. Taking up the best spots along the coast line and eating all our food too. And now he's pointing that weird stick at me, wtf…"

            My parents had a nice country block, then people moved in around them and flattened all the bush, made tonnes of noise and generally ruined their idyllic lifestyle. That was 30 years ago, it's never been that people were nice neighbours - it has always been the less neighbours you have the better because people are selfish. Always have been, always will be. Wouldn't matter if it was just general population growth in the bush, it'd still get shittier with more people.

            ThanosWasRight

            • Protractor on 13/05/2023 - 19:55

              @freefall101: 240 and still

            • hueylewis on 14/05/2023 - 07:49
              -2

              @freefall101: So did you give the aboriginals back the land your parents stole, for their nice country block?

              • freefall101 on 14/05/2023 - 11:41
                -1

                @hueylewis: No, why would they? There has been no native title claim against it so there’s no one to give it to. And they didn’t steal it, the crown did.

                If someone did put it a native title claim I’m sure they’d be very supportive of it. That doesn’t mean they have to leave though.

                • hueylewis on 09/06/2023 - 11:36

                  @freefall101: typical hypocrite, all talk no action. you believe it is. stolen, so give it back. stop quibbling about technicalities.

                  • freefall101 on 09/06/2023 - 14:40

                    @hueylewis: How am I a hypocrite? All I did was sympathise with some people 240 years ago, anything beyond that is just me living rent free in your head.

        • hueylewis on 09/06/2023 - 11:35
          +1

          hooning is dangerous and often breaks the law. mowing your lawn is legal and normal.

  • Davo1111 on 13/05/2023 - 11:36
    +11

    dude, just contact council.

  • brad1-8tsi on 13/05/2023 - 11:47
    +24

    As a mechanic that has been forced to work on the streets at times I would suggest you pay attention to what fluids may be hitting the tarmac and possibly flowing down the drain. The EPA loves that stuff.

  • Derrick Crane on 13/05/2023 - 11:51
    +4

    Easy fix. As previously stated, get your local council on the case.

  • herecomestheoost on 13/05/2023 - 13:57

    :D

  • Cave Fire on 13/05/2023 - 15:15

    Mortgage paid?

  • Mechz on 13/05/2023 - 16:26
    +2

    If the car is jacked up just push it side to side to make sure he's working safely. Otherwise get your hose out and clean your front fence and footpath.

  • Some Human on 13/05/2023 - 20:32
    +2

    Get out of bed and start mowing right near where he is working. That will annoy him for a multitude of reasons. Make sure you do this every day until he stops.

    • WT on 14/05/2023 - 08:34
      +3

      prob easier to put down a manure based fert

  • coffeeinmyveins on 13/05/2023 - 20:59
    +12

    Pretty sure you can't operate a business out of a residential address like that, and especially not a mechanic.

    How is he disposing of liquid waste? Guaranteed it is going down the drain.

    Record as much as possible, pictures, videos etc.

    Submit a complaint to council and the EPA.

    EPA can act on submissions and the more detail such as pictures of him dumping stuff the better

  • Ghost47 on 13/05/2023 - 22:07
    +1

    Report them to the council.

  • Euphemistic on 14/05/2023 - 06:35
    +1

    Not sure about the working on cars but, but surely you could wander out in your dressing gown, bleary eyed and ask nicely that he turn the music down a bit because you’re a shift worker trying to sleep.

    He may be reasonable on that front, but of course I have no idea of his appearance or manner. If he looks like a bikie that’s unlikey to be a wise move.

  • dasa on 14/05/2023 - 08:46

    As you guys are always saying supply and demand.

  • Sinnerator on 14/05/2023 - 09:33
    +3

    Also check council laws for use of granny flats, by code some councils only allow family members to inhabit a granny flat and they are not to be rented to non-family members (but we all know reality vs theory right?)

  • [Deactivated] on 14/05/2023 - 10:12
    +4

    My method would be to not deal with him directly, take whatever actions make the problem go away but in an annonymous way.
    You can't reason with unreasonable people.

  • alxr0101 on 14/05/2023 - 10:20
    +4

    Council, EPA, VicRoads or whatever they are called, bikies.

    No particular order.

  • 2esc on 14/05/2023 - 10:33
    +4

    Dont talk to him about the noise. You should only tak to him if your already on good speaking terms sadly there are a lot of nutters out there. Speak to the council.

    • Euphemistic on 14/05/2023 - 14:28

      If you approach the situation properly it’s quite possible the guy doesn’t mind turning down the music. Approach with a smile, be nice about it. Got nothing to lose with that method - except if the guy looks unhinged to start with. If he doesn’t react badly, it might just be all that is required.

      If you rant and carry on about it as you approach he’s only likely to turn it up more.

  • kale chips suck on 14/05/2023 - 14:35

    Another angle - if he's buying and selling, there's a threshold limit to the number he can sell in a 12 month period. If he sells more cars than the limit, he's required to get a car trader's licence, an LMCT. So, in addition to the issues with the EPA and council, there's that.

    Of course, the ATO might also be quite interested.

    Incidentally, the coucil side of things - there's the noise issue, the unapproved business issue and the [possibly] unregistered cars on public streets issue, all of which may contravene local bylaws. So there's at least 3 aspects to council involvement.

    If you have a trailer, put it outside your place. Or borrow one, if that's an option.

    I worked nightshift for years, so I feel your pain.

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