Help needed.....We are desperate.

Hey guys.

We are in Brisbane and wondering if anyone knows of a cheap shed and storage or a share shed going anywhere from Ormeau to Ipswich to Brisbane.

Our darling new neighbour has put in a complaint that we and friends spend time working on our cars in the backyard and apparently according to Council, you can't do this. We do not make excessive noise and the other neighbours do not have a problem, but apparently one complaint and you are gone. We have even just received an approval to build a shed in the backyard a shed to do the bits and pieces in.......well, we are cancelling it tomorrow. There is no reason to have a shed when you can't do anything in it. Have a carport to put the cars in so why do I need a shed now.

We now have three weeks to get rid of all the cars, parts etc. or find a shed that we can rent cheaply to do this in and store our bits.

Please, if there is anyone out there that can help please call us on 3805 2038 or 0410 920 488.

Any help or leads would be greatly appreciated.

Marc and Kathy

Sounds like you need to start a terorist campaign on your neigbours. BASTARDS.

Have you aprouched the complaintant as they may with draw there complaint if you can all come to a mutual agreement

There is nothing we can do by talking to him......the council have been here, taken photos of the vehicles and parts and told us what cars we can keep... Sons drive car, our baja / daily driver, the kombi we bought to do up (but she did take photos of all sides of it and said we cannot work on it and it has to look exactly the same the next time she visits) and our type 3. Everything else must be gone from the yard by the second week in January. Hence the shed hunting.

If the neighbour had approached us with the problem we would have come to some agreement.

The working on the cars is a hobby of Marcs, Michaels and Dereks.......and now that hobby has been virtually destroyed.

mate im with you on killing complaining neighbours..

I would get an opinion from legal aid on the councils stand over tactics as they cannot stop you if you are not accepting payment for works which i don't believe you would be and are not making essesive noise for long periods of time or out of hours .

I would have to agree with Andrew on this one mark.
I would say the people next door know someone in the local council. last time i saw your yard it was pretty tidy.
I would continue with the shed though. council can not tell you what you can and can't have in your own shed. you can get in shit for operating a business from your property without authorisation or making noise outside the restricted time frames.

Good point. Might give my RACQ free legal advice a go, although we were told by the council that someone else in our circumstances tried to go the court route and actually lost his 2 car storage rights (of unregistered cars) by the Judge in the judgement which went against him. He did hot rods as his hobby.

We were told that the only work we could do at home was to change oil, sparkplugs and tyres and emergency repairs to move it so it could be moved to a place where it is zoned for motor repairs. If we break something in the baja, we have nowhere to fix it! We were told we cannot replace engines or gearboxes.

Which is technically a crock, soooo many people fix their own cars........so watch your neighbours, people

organize a BBQ and invite the Hells Angels, tell them you'll put on a keg every weekend for a few months. The price of entry = lots of noise burnouts in your neighbors yard and general stand over tactics 🙂, people just have to much to loose by being pricks, perhaps you need to remind them.

Thats a croc of shit ,the council can't enforce that

Which neighbour? I'll do a burnout, lawn jobbies, egg and toilet paper their house!
Marc, sorry about the phonecall before... the telephone ariel on my truck was unplugged!
I'll take a look around near where dad and I have our workshop, maybe there's something nearby.
It sucks how d*ckheads who usually are worthless peices of sh*t suddenly have the right to tell you what you can and can't do in your own back yard.
My parents were fined a rediculous amount around 6 years back just for parking one of dads prime movers in our yard every night... apparently we couldn't do it because it wasn't zoned for industrial use... I mean wtf?
It took alot but they eventually had the fine lifted, so just fight it and you could win your right to the typical Aussie backyard.
-Staggers.

That sucks! You should be able to fight that one. I'd say you could chuck it all up at my parents farm but that's outside of warwick. Not really practical. If my neighbours ever said anything we'd be screwed, 9.5 cars and only 5 of them on the road.

Sorry to hear Marc, hope you can find a compromise!!
Like many of us on the forum, by those rules we'd all be banned from the back yard.

I'm sure they can't be that excessive.

Council by-laws only have power if they comply with the state laws that they are based upon. Check to see what the state laws are before doing anything else.

You certainly should get some legal advice.

Does Queensland have a Land and Environment Court? Councils have very bad success rates in such courts.

Also I doubt if your neighbour is complying with all the council regulations. Most of us are in breach of something. Find it and the talk to him about people who live in glass houses and the throwing of stones.

Marc.... I have a 3mX3m garden shed thats doin nothing at derek's dads place if that helps. I was thinking of selling it but if you want to use it till you get other places to store stuff its fine.
just give me a ring.

Tazz

Midlife crisis wrote:Hey guys.

We are in Brisbane and wondering if anyone knows of a cheap shed and storage or a share shed going anywhere from Ormeau to Ipswich to Brisbane.

Our darling new neighbour has put in a complaint that we and friends spend time working on our cars in the backyard and apparently according to Council, you can't do this. We do not make excessive noise and the other neighbours do not have a problem, but apparently one complaint and you are gone. We have even just received an approval to build a shed in the backyard a shed to do the bits and pieces in.......well, we are cancelling it tomorrow. There is no reason to have a shed when you can't do anything in it. Have a carport to put the cars in so why do I need a shed now.

We now have three weeks to get rid of all the cars, parts etc. or find a shed that we can rent cheaply to do this in and store our bits.

Please, if there is anyone out there that can help please call us on 3805 2038 or 0410 920 488.

Any help or leads would be greatly appreciated.

Marc and Kathy

Hi Guys,

Firstly let me say I have never dealt with the Logan City Council, my experience is with Pine Rivers Shire Council (PRSC) but I am guessing that they are a similar organisation.

A few questions for you:

What zoning is your house in ?
Is your house part of an estate which has covenants / special planning permission etc ?
What violation have they hit you with ?

Presuming they have hit you with something like the PRSC “Unsightly Accumulation Law “ which basically states that the Council Inspector can deem anything unsightly that he wishes to without qualification or justification this usually gives you 3 options:
1. Removal of the said unsightly storage
2. Obscuration from view, from ground level, ie covering, concealing etc
3. Tidying of the said unsightly storage so that it is not unsightly anymore.

Potential fixes

- Build a 1.99m high fence around your back yard such that the neighbours can not see in, make sure you check your council laws in relation to this fence height.
- Build a shed and keep stuff in it
- Buy a heap of cheap ass tarps or car covers and cover it up.
- Remove the unsightly accumulation


Ok in relation to working on your own vehicle at your place of residence you are allowed to carry out such maintenance if done so in a shed or out of sight ie the back yard with a fence around it. You are not allowed to do it in a front carport, etc. In fact under the new laws you can not conduct such maintenance in your front garage if the door is up.

Now you have mentioned the January due date, stand by for a lesson in making bureaucracy work for you.

Step 1 – Get the letter / notification that the council inspector has sent you, read it over and look for any stupid mistakes or questionable statements. Once you find some, and you will, ring them up and ask stupid questions, after you have politely confused who ever you are talking to or convinced them you are confused you simply suggest that you put your questions in writing and send them in for a written response from council.

Step 2 – You write the said letter using the telecom you had with the council employee as your reference. You ask your questions and send it away registered post. It is important that you use the details of the person you spoke to and use registered post. Log this event down along with all other details.

Step 3 – you wait for your response. Usually you ring them the following week talk to anyone who answers the phone and log their details to show you followed up.

Step 4 – your response arrives, first thing you do is ring whoever wrote the response, by now they will probably be on holidays etc, if they are unavailable, simply leave a message and log the time of call and who you spoke to. If you do get hold of them, tell them you have a few options to sort their issues with your cars and will send them a letter outlining the actions you are going to take to rectify, be nice and make then understand you are really trying to make things right. They will agree and usually consent to the fact they have to approve the actions and confirm they will achieve and acceptable outcome.

Step 5 – you write your letter and outline that you intend to buy a heap of tarps and keep the stuff covered and out of sight. In the letter they sent your originally it will have certain wording, just spew this back at them. Make sure in your letter you put some stupid date like feb, mar etc as it will take you time to carry out your rectification programme. Then send it off again registered mail.

Step 6 – they will contact you and you can stuff around a little longer, be picky in relation to anything you can think about, you basically just want to bog down the system, talk to heaps of different people who don’t know each other and leave as many messages as possible.

Step 7 – eventually you will have to do something to sort it, if you already have approval for a shed then this will keep the council at bay anyway as it shows you are making an effort.

Anyway I guess that gives you the idea.

Without getting into legal mumbo jumbo the idea is to keep in contact and maintain correspondence with the council, whilst correspondence is being maintained they can not legally proceed without terminating it.

In case you are wondering I have been through this many times, the best so far was around 2 years worth of pissing them around and eventually the neighbour who was complaining moved house.

I would also visit all your neighbours and tell them about the complaint, ask them if it was them and if they say no produce a letter which states they have no issue and you are a reat neighbour, get them to sign it and say you are submitting a response to council. This will show you who complained so you can target them, obviously only with legal methods.

Once you have found out who they are you can have fun with them. Options are not limited to but could include.
- parking your registered cars outside their house and not yours.
- Parking on their drive way, not across but on and then walking up and knocking on their door say hello and walk away, then you are just visiting. Most council laws do not have anyway way to remove a registered car which is parked on the driveway over the foot path as it is the designated property access. It is a PITA to get the car moved as it is not theory property so they can’t get you towed and the council own it so they need to do the towing, but since you are not illegally parked they can’t tow you anyway. So you get the point.
- Buy a cheap ass box trailer with rego and put it outside their house, then remove one wheel and leave it on blocks. At $60 odd dollars a year it will piss them off no end and there is nothing they can do, you just haven’t gotten around to getting the tyre fixed, maybe even throw some rubbish in for added effect.
- Etc etc etc

There is plenty of things you can do to legally piss people off and bog the system down.

Don’t give into the council they don’t actually care they are just following their own stupid rules so just play along with them.

I was going to say that exact thing!!😀

BTW my sister lives at Shailer Park -not sure if that comes under Logan City but she has 5 kids, her and her husband and all together have 9 cars at their place, agreed they're not wrecks or anything but what makes an eyesore to neighbours?

bleedin heck thats a rough deal been handed out.. follow that up
sounds like 1930's germany to be honest??

Geez Brad...and you are not even a pretty face🤪 That was all great advice and i'm going to save it somewhere in case the beaureacrats ever catch up with me😬

I have to deal with council most weeks with my work, and its does really suck. First of all, I would at all times, keep a well maintained attitude (eg don't start to rant and rave), unless you know its the persion signing the letter. As most ppl you speak to on the phone you want on your side.

do not cancel the shed yet....

Next i would send in a letter asking for clafication on exactly what by-laws you have breached, saying that you wish to get full information so any mitigation is up to standard etc... This will see of its jsut some neighbour with a friend in council.

then follow brad advice, keep phone records, ring up and ask questions and send letters saying your undertaking works to fix the issue. Without knowing the specific bylaw thats at stake here, i can't really give any specfic advice. But also if you ring up and normally talk to a higher up person in a nice way, and say its a hobby, we don't make money from it, we have jsut had approval for a shed (tell them the approval number etc) they are normally more than willing to listen. Most ppl in council are nice and willing to help, you jsut have to be nice to them, and be logical and sensible in you plans and disscussion.

As soon as you piss the council off.... you might as well give up they will jsut get more and more stubborn...

thanks everyone for the great ideas and advice.

This all happened yesterday afternoon about 230pm, the Development Control Officer that came to the house said that she was going back to her office to write up the report of our meeting then she would pass it on to her boss who will then send out a letter stating what we have done wrong and what has to be done. I am about to ring the Qld Council Ombusdman and have a talk to them.We have also sent a letter asking for a copy of the Council bylaws so we can read for our selfs.

Just got of the phone from Ombusdman when I get the letter from the council I have to write to the Councils Chief Officer explaining what I am not happy with in the letter, when I get a response the Councils Chief Officer if I am still not happy I have to write to the Ombusdman with copys of all letters sent and receviced from the Council and point out what i am not happy with and then they will check everything out and get back to me.

So it looiks like a long draw out time ahead.

As Brad said make sure I sound confused well for me that won't be hard all!!! I am always confused its just the depth that changes.


Thanks

Marc & Kathy

Wow.. the world really has gone mad!
I hope it all works out in favour of you.. and the neighbor gets something nasty coming to them for putting you though all this!
Karma is a bitch, you know..

Below is the answer we got when we ask by email for a copy of the local/council laws.

Three of us have seached through the area on the web page and can not find the part that he is quoting from.

Good Afternoon Emeline,

Council's Town Planning Scheme regulates the operation of a business in a residential zone.
You are able to access it on Council's website at www.logan.qld.gov.au in Planning & Development On-line.
You will not get an approval under the current scheme for a vehicle repair business.
Vehicle repairs on residential premises are limited to the day-to-day maintenance of a vehicle owned by an occupier of the premises which is normally driven and parked for use by the occupier of the premises.

Regards,


So I will be going down to the council and asking for a copy of the local laws regarding this matter.

Marc

Personally I would wait and do what brad suggested (reply in letter and ask for them then, and record all letters and emails), they will (should!) reference the bylaws and policies in the letter to you, and wait to see what the specific thing is they are pulling you up on.

Are you doing bodywork????
I must admit that I would be pissed of with someone working on Car's "all the time" next door to me, especially if it is bodywork, imagine bog dust and fumes from paint.
I would stop them as well

I do all the work on my cars in my garage only mechanical though and there is no noise.

My cousin had to move out of the house he was renting due to him working on his 4WD tour vehicles in the massive shed in the backyard. He knew the owners of the property and they gave him the ok to do it but a neighbour complained about the noise.(He didn't make any noise after 7pm and before 7am.) Council came around while he wasn't home and entered the property and took pics and made a list of the vehicles etc etc then hit him with a letter etc stating he had 3 weeks to remove all the vehicles and spares. He had to go and hire a shed in Beenleigh to operate from and couldn't afford to do that and rent a house so moved in with his brother. He knew which neighbour it was so for the last 3 weeks he was there he deliberately worked till very late with the shed doors open and made as much noise as he could just to upset them. They rang the council again and complained so council came out and went throught all the crap with him. My cousin politely told them to get off the property as they were tresspassing and that he had 2 weeks to comply of which he would continue working up until that date.

Unfortunately for the Logan council they couldn't really do a thing about it....

If you think Logan is bad try living in Ipswich shire as the rules there are stricter again.


I personally would ask your neighbours if they had a problem with it and if they do ask them what they would like to see done about it. Some may just want cars for spare parts hidden out of sight or something like that. If you keep things tidy and out of sight then you will not be harassed by neighbours or council for that matter.

hey Marc, these are not the idiot neighbours that yelled out shut up to that angle grinder noise they thought were you when i popped ova last weekend was it?

btw, the box trailer idea, with one tyre and full of crap is a MAD AWESOME IDEA!
invite the relatives in a carvan ova too... will sort them out 😉

mate do they have a dog ?you could allways complain about it barking all the time for some payback

Unfotunately Logan council are the WORST. A well know drag racer can't even take his car off its trailer after a race meet and roll it into the shed after a cetain time due to there laws as for Ipswich being stricter I highly doubt that(a lot of friends in ippy council) and they cant stand anyone from Logan council with they crazy rules who come over.

Yes Chris it is the nutter who yelled at the guy building the garage in the yard a few houses away on the other side of his house.

We never started any work before 8am on a Saturday even then no power tools or noise until after 9am and Sundays were always after 10am and we were always finished and packed up by 3pm. It was not every weekend and very rarely would it be both days.

If he had come and spoken to us about it we would have stopped all work until the shed was built and we would have sound proofed it aswell.
I have spoken to our other neighbours before this happen (re building the shed) and they both have said that noise is not bad and not often enough to cause any trouble.

Marc & Kathy

what a tosspot!@! sorry to hear some moron is causeing u probs mark, i would off help but i dont think u want to come all the way to gladstone to work on your car!..
hope u find something soon and can get on with your rides.

Fingers crossed i will have the green one finished for dubs by the pub so hope to catch up with u then mate..

steff......................

Once the cars are gone, perhaps you should consider an alternative hobby, such as chicken farming, or the bagpipes (fun for the WHOLE family, who knows you may be able to bulk buy units, one for each family member and a six pack for your guests to share this Xmas), maybe accordian music or polka culture including live band prcatice and ongoing dancing training.....................🥷

thanks everyone for your support.
Hopefully I will get the letter from the Council outlining their problem then we can sort this out.

Heather

Thats a great idea, I think between that and the Hell's Angles over every weekend should sort him out.

Marc & Kathy

Steff
Thanks for the offer I know I love driving my BAJA and Gladstone is a nice drive but as you said a bit far.

Hows the Buggy going having lots of fun???????

Marc

Very shortly there will a come and get what you want for free here soon, type3 and some beetle stuff.

Once we sort out the council and go through what they will let me keep as spares for the Fastie and Baja we Will put a post up with times and dates and photo's of what we have.

Like most people who drive 30-40plus year old cars when hard to get parts come up for sale you grab for when you will need them.

Thanks

Marc & Kathy

Well the postie has been and gone still no letter from the Council saying what we are doing wrong and what they want done,
I have it verbly from the inspector but nothing in writing yet.


Marc & Kathy

May take a few days before they type it up and dispatch.
Damn, so I take it I get to keep the notch?, oh well, I can always strip it and hold parts for folk when they need/ask, but I think that the shell may have to go due to space.
I can hold a few other bits for you, but not too much yet as I haven't finished my shed either

hmm now its just a matter of sitting and hoping for a red letter day...

goodluck guys. Funny enough though, it must just be the time of yr or sumfin, but the council, Specifically the brisbane city one has been bugging me... last sunday was the first time i got my first parking ticket. I made sure for the blood suckin mungrels that i was in a street, that right in front of me had a sign 2P 7am - 7pm mon-fri, but i got a ticket!!! a bloody ticket!

When i rang up, they told me i was parked too close within the vacinity of Suncorp stadium and the max time during an event there i can park is 15 mins. 'Apparently' i was suppose to read the message on some flashing signs (while concentrating on city peak hour w/e traffic.)

Feel like going to the councils lawn and burning out $50 worth...

Hey Chris sorry I can't take it but Tazz is looking of a notch spoke to him on Tuesday if you want to send him a PM.

Sorry to hear you got a ticket, The police tell you to drive carefully and watch the road and traffic and the council tell you to read pretty flashing signs about parking!!!! You can't win.

At least I got some good news yesterday I got the all clear for another 6 months from the hospital, thats the 2nd lot of 6 months in a row yaahoooooooo

Marc & Kathy

Hey Marc and Kathy,

I can't believe it - you are having trouble with your council too - they must be trying to make it look like they are actually doing something by following up pointless and unfounded complaints. Both my brother and I have had warnings from the Gold Coast City Council during the past couple of months (me: noise warning after spending 1.5 hours with a grinder over two weekends and Dave: problems with a neighbour complaining about his dog barking).

Make sure that you log any abuse that you get from your complaining neighbour (on video would be best) and in that way you should be able to prove that any future complaints and being made from an 'unstable' local resident.

If there is anything that I can do to help, please let me know - unfortunatly the storage space at my current house is limited, but perhaps I can be of more help early next year when we move into our new (bigger) house - read: bigger car storage space and better workshop area 🙂

Best of luck

R 🙂

Howdy Ross

How are Michelle and Stephen oh better not forget your other babies hope you all are well. Glad to hear that you are getting a bigger place.

yes neighbours can be a pain!! Dave has had the trouble about the dog for a while now, I can't understand the neighbour because when I have being around to Dave's place when he was not home and went under the stairs to gets some guards he was fine .

Some people have nothing better to do with there day than complain, it's sad that they have no life and can't find something to keep them happy! oh like a hobby!!!!!!
The postie just came and went today still no letter from the council.

I am waiting for the council to turn up today has I have wipper snipper and mowed the front yard so I must have made to much noise!!!


Marc & kathy

Oh careful - mowing the lawn will cause another complaint... oh hang on - it's not automotive related so it probably will go unnoticed.

... thats the funny thing about Daves dog - it doesn't make any noise. I think I have only heard it bark once in the whole time Dave has had it, and it sounded more like a low growl to me - I doubt that you could have heard it next door , let alone from where the complainant lives on the other side of the block! Just one of my two dogs would make more noise in an hour than Daves dog would in a month - thankfully I haven't had any problems yet. Some people have nothing better to do than cause trouble.

I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for the council - they are not asking for money (yet) so your letter will probably take weeks/months... if it comes at all. Sure, tidy up, but I wouldn't do anything major until you see their complaint/demands in writing....

Keep us up do date - I will be watching to see how this works out....

R 🙂

Just kick back and wait.. when you get it make sure you keep the envelope so you have a post mark not the date the letter was signed... they are tricky buggers then council guys ... but it is only a job to them and it is a passion to you so stick with it.

Rear the law you posted... youare not commercial or setting up an automotive business.

Don't forget when they write, you write, when they ring you tell them ya busy, get their name and number and ring them back, but wait a few days... String it out that way you get max value from pissing your neighbour off as he will be watching...

you should sneak over on his front lawn late one night with some roundup in a bottle and write a few nice words in his lawn 🥷🥷🥷

Howdy

yeah sure is strange about that bloke and Daves dog.

Good idea Brad I never thought of keeping the envelope it came in as proof of date thanks and yes they are very tricky little buggers.

As much as i would like to do something like that I think it only makes things a lot worse let him make silly complaints and when he is found out to be wrong sooner or later the will see him as a trouble maker

Marc & Kathy

Hi Marc,
From reading the email response, the council is saying you are operating a business. As this is a hobby, they would have a very hard time proving it and proveing it is something they would have to do in court.

I would string it out as long as possible as suggested earlier but also stick to the point that this is NOT a business (not for profit or otherwise).

Good luck

Yogie

Wait until the wind is the right way and said neighbour is having visitors and chicken manure your lawn.....

koolkarmakombi wrote:Wait until the wind is the right way and said neighbour is having visitors and chicken manure your lawn.....

😂

LOL😂

No worries Marc,
shall contact Tazz and see what we can do.
Good luck with the second 6 months free of signs etc, am into same time period myself so can (in a small way) appreciate your feelings of relief etc🙂
Hope this all works out (even if we do have to get you a few bags of Chook poo and organise a small working bee (on a rostered basis and 30min call out)

from what I'm reading on here, the council can do bugger all to you.

Keep doing what you want 👍...................I do at my house😎

hi guys
well this little rubber ducky found out more and i do not think the tenants well be there much longer marc and kathy NO ONE KILLS MARC`S DREAMS AND GETS AWAY WITH IT (i am the only one that can kill your gutter dreams and get away with it)lol

hmmm silly neighbours should have not up set marcy poo

BUILD IT THEY WILL COME FROM FAR AND WIDE

Well, the letter arrived and we have three things to do.....
According to the rules we can only keep two unregistered vehicles plus all our registered ones (they can't touch them).....Have organised for the owners to remove the extra's, so am complying with that one. 👍

As you probably saw above we will be holding a 'come and get some bits' week early in the new year. We have spoken to the council and we can keep a few bits and pieces for our registered cars, but thats it. Technically, I suppose it is time for a clean out as we do have bits that will no longer fit the cars we own, so we will be complying with that one. 👍

Luckily our daughter has a garden shed that has all of two boxes in it, so can stack it to the ceiling with bits that we want to keep as well as keeping a small amount here, which is apparently okay to do.👍

The final thing is that there is to be nothing more than glovebox handbook maintenance (you know the book that came with the car when it was new). We have spoken to the Ombudsmans office who were very good, and they have given us some things to do regarding this section of the letter. It has been explained that the car is driven off road and is no longer the same car as the handbook talks about and needs to have regular work, more that the handbook says, so now we will do as told by the ombudsman and see how it goes. 🤪

Will let you all know when and where to come and take parts and stuff away. Will probably post some photos once we have taken the stuff out from under the house and sorted it.

Oh .......and we are putting up the shed, booked the dates today.................

Midlife crisis wrote:...........The final thing is that there is to be nothing more than glovebox handbook maintenance ................. 🤪

.................

Buy an idiots guide and put it in the glovebox.That should cover you for everything!!!😂😂

That's good news.

On a lighter side. A while back one of my neighbour's houses used to rumble and thump for hours on end, starting at 8 a.m. and ending at midnight every day for days on end. I contacted the council and they could do little about it. They are a paper tiger over noise as you have to keep a diary etc. Eventually the police sorted him out.
He worked out who it was and dobbed me in over my shed being built too close to the bounday fence.
One day a couple of council rangers visited me and I showed them the approved plans. They then said that they were there to get out of the office for a while as they had checked their records and knew that my shed is legitimate.
I agree with Mick. Put a full service manual in every car's glovebox.

Midlife crisis wrote:According to the rules we can only keep two unregistered vehicles plus all our registered ones (they can't touch them)

The final thing is that there is to be nothing more than glovebox handbook maintenance (you know the book that came with the car when it was new).

The letter actually says that ? in writting ? If so I would go off my dial... who are they to say what I can and can't keep on my own land ??

I have over 80 unregistered Volkswagens in my yard and in all my years of fighting with council no one has ever mentioned a number of vehicles allowed, only that they can't be unsightly.

I am amazed they would write something like that as it would be so easy to have it over turned in court. From a legal point of view it really is a stupid thing to say, even if it is in the council bylaws.

Anyway I would be going after them on it, just for fun.

Good luck with it.

Cheers,

Okay....let me just say it is an "Show Cause Notice", was easier to type letter.

The section regarding unrego'd cars is as follows quoted from the Notice,

"A defined Industrial use namely a "Car Depot", in that up to five (5) unregistered motor vehicles are stored on the premises"

Their Remedy

"Cease to store, anymore than two (2) unregistered motor vehicles".

When I spoke to the Officer I asked for a copy of the regulations regarding the area referred to in the notices, Hopefully we will get the regulations soon to clear up some of the smoke regarding what they can and cannot do.

The next section is

"A defined Industrial use namely a "Salvage Yard", in that car parts, panels, car bodies, tyres, wheels etc are stored on the premises.

Their remedy,

"Cease the use of the premises for a salvage yard by removing the car parts, panels, car bodies, tyres, wheels etc and do not recommence this use."

The third part is to do with fixing your car. After discussions with the officer this morning we informed her that we were going to comply with the parts and cars, we were told they would inspect when it was all done and if it passed the file would be closed.

Thanks everyone for your interest and comments......it sucks that we will be giving away the bits that we have gathered over the years, but as long as it all goes to a good home and not the scrap merchant, we will be happy.

Marc and Kathy

From the limited quotes above (will have to see the whole document as there will be allot more info) but i would say as long as you don't have more than 4 unregistered vehicles, they should be fine. Also if you make them unsighlty eg in the bakc yard not able to be seen from the street and under tarps in a orderly line they should not have any complaints.

Second point, i would say have to read more of the regulations, but the quote seems valid

Third issue, i think your on the right track, your cars are 30+ years old and you do all the maintanence on them.... use a haynes manual etc....

From the excerpts you have posted from the letter it sounds like they are referring to a business use and that would seem to be clearly 'not' the case. It also sounds like the council are not sure themselves what rules/laws they are enforcing. Hopefully common sense will prevail but from the sounds of the council that seems unlikely.

Ensure you do as Brad said re records, ring and registered mail the as described. Even though you are complying. The neighbour needs a chat

Frank from reading teh very short sentance, i would say they are classing him as a business as they have more than 5 undrgistered cars, and also as a scarp yard due to the amount of spare sparts they have laying around.

out of interest post a photo of the yard.

Why don't you just do what they do in Wollongong and a) make a donation to Labor party or b) make a backhander payment to "whom it may concern"

Howdy to everyone. Hope you all had a great Xmas.

Ok here are some photo's of the back yard.

In the third photo on the left next to the house is the running gear for the 2 Country Buggys including 2 engines plus the spare wheels for my Baja.

Hope everyone has a safe and happy newyear.

Marc & Kathy

mate with that much back back yard could you build another shed too put it all in ?

The shed we are building will take up most of the back yard 7.6m x 6m of garage and 6m x 6m of carport on the front of that, 13.6m in total. The shed itself will be 3.5m off the back fence (done that way because of a sewerage line) and 1m off the side fence where the fastie is. Around the clothes line is where the side of the garage will be as it has to go across the yard to fit in. The spot where the photo was taken is the side of the house where you will drive in and turn into it. So no room left even for a garden shed because of the sewerage line.

geez, my backyard is worse than that!😂

quick guys find out boozers addy and well send em around to his place ,,,,,,,,lolol

We know where he lives and don't think it hasn't crossed our minds......I am sure he wouldn't notice anything new appearing......would you Boozer? 🙅

My parents would eviserate me if anything else showed up! 😂

And that is a bad thing????? They have probably been planning it for years and are waiting for the right moment..........we, as parents feel for them, and are willing to give them that opportunity!!! 🙄

Any update on the siutation?

well the latest is I did what the Council said and they gave me a letter saying all is good and the case is closed.

and my garage is up, just waiting for my turn at fixing the dobbers.

Marc

it looks like my old mans yard mate

Hi midlife crisis i could help you out by taking that grey beetle roof rack of your colection,Should keep the council of your back😂 cheers shane.