Buy all your VW California Accessories at the Club Shop Visit Shop

Parking a VW California on a new-build development?

There in lies the problem, you are depending on the skill of a conveyancing solicitor to interpret the “meaning” of the covenant, one persons interpretation differs from others. Conveyancing solicitors can miss things and people’s circumstances change, so what’s relevant when you buy may not apply later.
These type of covenants whereby restricting the type of vehicle etc are a dangerous precedent and can cause absolute misery, not to mention the implication if you want to sell your house some time later to Bob the builder, or someone who is a tradesman or has a sign written vehicle.
Redrow and all the other builders need to sell homes, homes are not selling like they used to, use this to your advantage before committing to their stock BS. Watch the sales persons face when you stand up a leave because they won’t change the covenant, more people need to do this to cut the crap these builders try to impose. They build houses, that become homes, funnily enough the guys and gals that build thos3 houses wouldn’t be able to park their work vehicle at home !!

I digress
Even the courts cannot achieve a cohesive response regarding what a particular covenant means. Once the covenant has been accepted by purchasing the property you are in the realms of the courts to decide what the “meaning” of the Covenant is.
When faced with similar circumstances I asked my solicitor to get the covenant removed/modified, she wrote me a sweet letter that basically said that the standard restriction could not be altered.
I then spoke to the sales lady and within a week the builder came back in writing saying parking a small camper would not be a problem, it was good enough for me. We might have been lucky that house sales were slow at the time and our neighbours were great. Don't ask don't get.
 
The only way to avoid potential issue is to obtain unequivocal written confirmation as to the actual”meaning” / understanding of the covenant, this in itself can be reinterpreted at some time later And challenged!

If you want to park a “California” on the estate, you could seek a clarification from the developer. yeah the man from Redrow he say yeas. Happy days.

However, circumstances change, say that you get clarification to park a”California” at your home from Redrow, (it’s not a caravan honest) then VW stop callings “california” a California and call it a “ Nut Bus” the clarification to park a “California” at your home could be challenged, despite the Nut Bus being identical to a California!

It’s all interpretation, now or some time in the future ?
Sometime in the future being the operative!

For example the owner of a similar converted van / caravan (or factory build) could argue that their Van is similar enough to the California, to warrant inclusion also, so why would that not be allowed,?
Pour example: why can I not park my Mercedes “Carlos fandogo” on the estate, it’s essentially the same a Cali ? It’s not fair, why, what how and when, I want the same rights a a Cali, I’m going to challenge this as I HAVE LEGAL RIGHTS YOU KNOW.

Bring on a whole load of protracted legal wrangling that you can do without, not to mention the legal fees, stress, fall out with neighbours etc etc.
 
We live on a new Redrow estate and everyone seems ok with ours and one of the sales staff lives 5 doors down from us. A couple of work vans as well but nothing too big.
 
You could of course insure yourself against the risk of a restrictive covenant being enforced against you:

 
The way some of the 4x4 vehicles are going their not far off the size of a California and a California is much prettier. A lot of new builds have “side” parking bays next to house so you shouldn’t be parking in Advance of building line.
Builders could run risk of losing sales. Good luck.
 
Thank you so much for all your replies. We get our van in less than two weeks! I am so excited.

We’re holding off on a house move for now. I think it makes sense. The property market in the areas we’re looking is grinding to a halt and there aren’t many new properties coming on. Hence, the interest in a new build. It’s been like this for several years.

Going to relax, enjoy going away in the van and see what happens with the housing market. Thanks again
 
Apologies if I've used the wrong section to post this question but we're in the process of moving house and are looking at a few new-build developments. One of the Redrow schemes has a "Restrictive Covenants" list of rules, and one being "no boat trailers or caravans shall be parked or permitted or suffered to remain on the Plot in advance of the building line or so as to be visible from any road on the Estate".

Does this apply to VW Californias? Does anyone know? Thanks in advance!
We have recently purchased a new Redrow home with the same covenant and it does not mean you cannot park your Cali, there are about three VW’s on our development. “ Be proud and park it “ ☺️
 
We have recently purchased a new Redrow home with the same covenant and it does not mean you cannot park your Cali, there are about three VW’s on our development. “ Be proud and park it “ ☺
We checked out the legal definition first
 
The V5C form class our Ocean a ‘motor caravan’. We also live in a Redrow development but have a private parking space. No trouble in the last four years. It also fits into a normal car parking space at a supermarket and is smaller than some of the larger suv’s. However, A motor home might attract more attention, although there’s one on the estate.
 
Regardless of the number of people who've had no problem with parking a Cali, one forum member had a huge problem which caused him a lot of stress, which shows that it CAN happen.
It's up to the individual whether they are prepared to take the risk of having to sell either the Cali or the house!
 
Back
Top