Copied from the councils website! Interesting on their take on collector and site licence.

There are two categories of licence:

A site licence (may be for multiple sites within the council’s area)

A “site” is any place occupied for the purposes of the scrap metal dealer’s business; a site licence holder may collect scrap metal, but only by prior arrangement

A mobile collector’s licence (separate licences are required for each council area where collections take place)
A mobile collector must not occupy a site for the purposes of their scrap metal business, but may collect scrap metal without prior arrangement

But if the van is part of the business, which is registered at that address, then surely that piece of land is then used for business purpose. With scrap metal on its back then its also not inkeeping with a residential area.

I also think, from my research that he would need a site licence to use the land as part of the scrap metal business, which I don’t know would be issued to a terraced residential property.

I guess he’s only got a collectors licence.

I’ll tell you what worked for me with Anxiety is to distinguish yourself from the little voice in your head.

You are either conscious of the voice or you are lost in it(identified in it).

a) If you are conscious of it you can stay out of its pull – ie not get involved in its chat, fears, opinions and eventually those dissipate, as you are not fuelling them, and you become free of them.

b) If you are identified or lost with the voice, then you are fuelling it and so it continues. Fuelling it is agreeing with it, watching it, trying to stop it, not doing things because of it and so on. And then these feelings continue/intensify to a point where you feel them in your body as well such as tight chest, headaches, fatigue, anxiety, low mood, high bp….

Once the fears and feelings are released, you then don’t need to be conscious all the time.

So do whatever scares you, allow the feelings and thoughts to be fully there, and consciously don’t get involved in the thoughts/feelings. Not easy at first but it gets easier as you practice.

Counselling was nice for me – nice to have someone to talk to but it didn’t resolve my anxiety issue.

To recap I have written to the planning department and councils licencing department to seek advise.

I don’t know what scrap licence he had just had so we’ll see what they say.

The business has just been registered at the property, so I imagine to use that to use it for business would require planning as its a material change of use from a domestic garage – and would impact me!

I’ll check what tbe EA licence allows for as well.

cheers all.

The current plot has a garage on it that is used to keep a car – been like that sine it was built in the 1970s. The area around is all residential, no businesses.

If you drove past it on the back lane youd probably guess it was my garage – which it isn’t!!

No its not classed as commercial, I have a copy of the covenant when it was sold in 1976. It has always been a residential garage for a car. The garage is also totally within a residential area.

I have sent a letter to the local planning department, awaiting a reply.

Not if the garage owner had to build it on his land as I don’t think he has the width to build a wall there and park the pickup.

I haven’t the funds to build a 10m ish by 2m high wall.

I’m pretty sure he will need planning for change of use from residential to business though, business address and everything. Should be OK.

Without showing a photo it’s really difficult to show the impact! Think of it as you had a smallish rear garden with a garage in it. Someone then has a bright idea to sell the garage to neighbours across the road. This was in the 1970’s. It’s always been a residential garage since then with no issues.

Someone now wants to pull down the garage to store a scrap collecting van – the garage is too small!

The garage is very close to the rear face of the house, but no big problem as its enclosed and provides a bit of privacy to me as well.

With the garage down it will open the back of the property and the van will be totally visible from the rear of the house and if out in the back garden.

I’ll check in the business use planning and what the scrap licence allows. I would have expected the licence people to contact me if it allowed the use of that piece of land for scrap metal use. As you say it will start off with a van, then locals will be dumping their fridges there, then metal will be broken up and grinded…..But what do I know!

Thanks for the help all.

Would need 8ft high blinds if sitting in the back garden and some headphones as well to drown out any noise!!

The scrap metal licence states their home/property address.

No its his garage and there is access off the rear lane to the garage. The garage though is about 1.5m from my kitchen window and is elevated.

Wouldn’t it be change of use though. Residential garage to business/scrap?

Common man, let the teachers do their job. Kids discipline is poor today. If you don’t like it take her out of school and teach her at home yourself.

I think if you have been at the bottom and recovered, then you now know what to do, or alternatively what not to do. WORRY and identify with worry thoughts.

Seems like sleeping in the car, attendant doesnt like that and the OP walks off without the car. Attendant calls police and he is charged.

If its the above challenge it.

If you didnt move the car that is harsh. As you were at a mtb event as well so I guess sleeping in a car would be kind of expected.

I would seek advise from a lawyer as to me it wouldn’t be drink driving. I’m no expert though!

I quit my caffeine (diet coke) habit in 2018. Some of the residual low level anxiety/anxious thoughts that I had completely disappeared after around 6 weeks. So very chuffed with that.

1) In 2019 I’m going to try the 16:8 intermittent fasting plan. Hopefully this will stop me snacking in the evening and I will loose some weight.

2) Get fit. Do more sports, running, cycling, gym and hiking.

My condolence slackboy. I lost my old man a couple of years ago as well, first christmas was difficult.

You can’t continually run from your anxieties. This is just fueling your fear of the anxiety.

I would stay at home. Let the anxiety come. Feel it. Notice it is nothing more than a very uncomfortable feeling. Ignore your thoughts about anxiety. Continue to do this until you condition your subconscious/amygdalae to switch off the anxiety, as it is no longer needed as proved by your new relaxed reaction to anxiety. It will eventually go away by itself.

Do not get caught in ruminating/thinking over about your anxiety, as you cannot consciously reason with it. It is what you do when you experience anxiety that determines if it becomes chronic or not.

I had very severe anxiety from 2009 onwards for quite some years, unkniwn to me at the time I was maintaining it through by daily battle/ruminating of it.

Moving house and christmas are stressful events – try and be more conscious of what you do when you experienceanxiety symptoms and thoughts.

A lot of eating is ‘unconscious’ – you tend to snack out of habit. At least this fasting thing makes eating conscious, so you can better control it!

I tend to snack each day on a snickers, packet of crisps and a fizzy drink. Approx 500 calories a day. Cut this out and I loose 50lb in a year!!! Starting January 1st 2019.

Even after the owner adjusted the sensor and angle of the floodlight, the glare is still lighting up the bedroom and rear of the property when cats pass or the weather is windy. The angle cant be adjusted any more.

Might need another chat!!

Don’t be anyones punchbag though – If you used to box next time he throws a punch at you chin him.

Yes its probably fitted there because of availability of a cable. Also it points away from their house, into the garden. So it flicking on and off 30 odd times a night doesnt affect them as much as to where the light is pointed!!

Thanks for the feedback. We’ll see how it is tonight, Last night may have been a one off! Can’t be having a light disco in my bedroom at 3am – too old now!

Good on you OP.

Remember to alway have me time and do fun activities. It’s very easy to get caught up in an anxiety feedback circle.

I suffered from an anxiety disorder following a nervouse breakdown in 2009. Not nice but it is recovarable.

If you need some pointers as to books and websites let me know.

I remember those black widows from when I was a kid!!

Will see how it is tonight, benfit of the doubt and all that. If it continues i’ll go and see them again. Then its either a nuclear powered floodlight back towards their property, or an air rifle to practice my aiming!

Eye mask not really an option, I already have blackout curtains!

They are not like next door neighbours, but the backs of our properties are opposite, but seperated by a narrow lane.

Not too keen on having everything blackout though. I feel like their light shouldn’t be lighting up my bedroom!

I have blackout curtains but the light still comes in around the edges. It’s the constant on and off thats the main issue.

It is just the one neighbour.

Can’t help much with the seperation but have learnt that you cannot control your feelings, you feel what you feel. You can never fight (control) your emotions and win.

Santa Cruz does sell well. I recon you may well get 50%, if the bike is in very good condition with hardly no marks, is a common size (ie medium or large) and the colour is a black, white , grey …… nothing flashy or fluorescent.

Your mental health is more important than a job. Unfortunately today everyone want things quicker, cheaper whilst coping with a lot more red tape.

If you have no one depending on you as well!!

If the complaining parents managed and disciplined their daughter as much as spending time on facebook, maybe she would behave better. Kids behaviour/discipline is much worse now than when I was a kid. And as you say treat it as a life lesson otherwise.

I’d contact either his parents/sister to collect him or alternatively contact the local council to see what help they can give in terms of detoxing and temporary accommodation. Your friend isnt in a place or trained to help him come off the alcohol.

If the other guy doesnt want help, but only a place to stay and borrow money to continuing drinking – your friend needs to be careful that he isn’t dragged down with him. Difficult situation.

Although I bet you would like to help, as I would, you just cannot, especially with family and children yourself. If you lend money, I doubt you will see it again. And being blunt, if he’s been on a very good wage for a long time and doesn’t have anything to show, something is seriously wrong.

I lent some money to a family member recently, dont hear from her usually but got a big sob story etc, anyway was promised and guaranteed the money would be repaid the following week. You have probably guessed, heard nothing since….

I dont think it can be expected of you to put him up where you have children and he’s drinking and gambling. Also you didnt hear from him in six years. Sometimes people have to see and change things themselves, you cannot do it for them.

Surely if he was on six figure salary he has a property?

I’m not clued up on how the process works and whether he is guilty or not. The process may well need to change.

Putting that to one side, I am totally amazed at the crowdfunding thing. From a quick online search he seems a very wealthy person. And if he wins I would assume he would get his costs and compensation back.

There are much better use of funding/donations than to fund Alex Salmond whether he is innocent or guilty. Unbelievable.

Think of it like this;

1) your mind will chat and advise as it more or less wishes, depending on your current mental state

2) your conscious mind, which you control, cannot directly control the unconscious mind. But it can indirectly.

3) By not getting involved in the minds chatter, you consciously direct your attention onto something positive and go on with your day, leaving the mind there to chat by itself.

4) when you are stressed, not only your mind chatters, but you feel it in your body as well. Manifestations could be fatigue, ibs, difficulty sleeping, headaches, missed heartbeats, nervousness and so on. Its very difficult but you need to ignore these the best you can as well. Sometimes these symptoms can be very scary.

5) It takes a while to de-stress – it wont happen overnight. Once destressed the thoughts and body return to a more normal state.

I would probably grab him and have a good word if he was snooping around on my property – unless he was much bigger than me! Otherwise get a mate to go with you and have a word? And find where he lives.

100% yes. It woukd need to be proved beyond doubt though.

There is a front and rear dormer, about 10m long that covers a bedroom, landing and another bedroom/bathroom. So in total a length of about 20m of scaffold – if that makes any difference.