A Perth family returned from a European holiday to an unexpected problem waiting at their doorstep.

A council ranger knocked just hours after they landed, demanding that their caravan be removed from outside their home.

The order came after a neighbour lodged a complaint, forcing the owner to find—and pay for—alternative storage.

Eddy Luquero had owned his caravan for more than three years when the council became involved.

The knock at the door came while he and his wife were overseas, with a ranger advising their son that the vehicle could not remain parked on the verge outside their Ocean Reef home.

When Eddy returned, the ranger appeared again within three hours of him stepping back into the house.

Neighbour complaint sparks costly caravan dispute. Image source: Facebook/Eddy Luquero

'My wife and I were in Europe, but our son was at home... The council ranger said they'd had a complaint from someone in the area,' Eddy told Yahoo News.

'We were back a fortnight later, and we'd literally been back in the house for about three hours from the airport, and lo and behold, the lady turned up again.'

The council’s rules were clear—unattached caravans, boats, and trailers were not permitted on verges, roads, or car parks at any time.

With little choice, Eddy relocated his caravan to a storage facility 20 minutes away, now paying $80 a month just to keep it there.

He said the new arrangement had made caravanning less convenient, turning a simple getaway into a logistical exercise.

'I've got to go over there in the car now, get it, bring it back to my house, load it up, then go,' he explained.

'I really don't understand. Yes, if I'm pulling out or pulling in, it does take a little bit to get into the correct position... but it's no problem when it's there.'

Caravan parking has become a flashpoint across the country as popularity surges and streets grow more crowded.

The community reporting app Snap Send Solve revealed it had already received 2,100 complaints this year about caravans parked in residential areas.

One Sunshine Coast resident even launched a petition after caravans blocked both sides of his driveway, with more than 500 signatures supporting tighter restrictions.

Meanwhile, Sydney’s Northern Beaches Council has been running its own investigation into how to manage the growing issue.

Traffic lawyer Avinash Singh warned that failing to plan caravan storage could quickly turn neighbours against each other.

'You don't want to be putting all your neighbours and the rest of the community offside with a caravan causing issues for parking,' he told Yahoo News.

'Sometimes, because of their size, they can even be a danger in terms of driving.'

He urged prospective owners to check their council regulations and have a storage plan before committing to such a large purchase.

Parking disputes like Eddy’s aren’t isolated—councils across the country have been fielding a surge of complaints about caravans, boats, and trailers left on verges or streets.

In some areas, the rules are even stricter, with rangers actively patrolling and issuing fines.

One recent case shows just how heated these clashes can become when neighbours and councils lock horns over space.

Read more: Is your neighbor breaking the rules? What you need to know about the council’s crackdown on caravans and boats

Key Takeaways

• A Perth man was forced to move his caravan after a neighbour complaint.
• Council rules prohibit parking unattached caravans on verges or streets.
• He now pays $80 a month for offsite storage 20 minutes from home.
• Complaints about caravan parking are rising nationwide, sparking petitions and investigations.

Would you be frustrated if a neighbour’s complaint suddenly left you paying extra just to enjoy your own caravan?

 

[Veggiepatch]

The community reporting app Snap Send Solve revealed it had already received 2,100 complaints this year about caravans parked in residential areas.
It is becoming increasingly apparent that this "Snap Send Solve" mob are becoming serial pests.

The ones who "dob in" are sometimes dealt with in nasty ways.

 

[Gezzabel]

As a neighbour, whether you like it or not, any vehicle that is legally registered, be it a car, a boat, and also a caravan too. If the owner has paid for the registration, then they are legally entitled to park their caravan, wherever they like. This of course applies in designated parking spaces, being for cars or motorcycles, or any registered motorised vehicle. I hope theses people go to court and fight for their legal right to park their van where they have legally done so. Good luck to them. Gezzabel.

 

[Free.lander]

The community reporting app Snap Send Solve revealed it had already received 2,100 complaints this year about caravans parked in residential areas.
It is becoming increasingly apparent that this "Snap Send Solve" mob are becoming serial pests.

The ones who "dob in" are sometimes dealt with in nasty ways.

council regulations across the country say --NO PARKING ON FOOTPATHS, DRIVE WAYS , WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD , NO UNREGISTERED VEHICLES ON THE ROADS AND MORE
You park you van incorrectly and expect a council response--it is as simple as that--remember your illegal,act makes every one think that it is acceptable to break the laws.

 

[glenysmb]

Yes, I am glad for the Council's response. When people buy boats, caravans etc, part of the purchase price should include storage fees. I have been inconvenienced +++ by unsafe parking of such vehicles on roads, footpaths etc for several years. Just one caravan/boat etc can cause traffic chaos on
suburban streets/footpaths, making exiting people's own properties or even trying to pass around them when driving along a street, unnecessarily unsafe.
Being a responsible, community-minded neighbour involves thinking of the impact of one's actions on so many other drivers, walkers etc.

 

[Rain72]

As a neighbour, whether you like it or not, any vehicle that is legally registered, be it a car, a boat, and also a caravan too. If the owner has paid for the registration, then they are legally entitled to park their caravan, wherever they like. This of course applies in designated parking spaces, being for cars or motorcycles, or any registered motorised vehicle. I hope theses people go to court and fight for their legal right to park their van where they have legally done so. Good luck to them. Gezzabel.

That's not correct. There are regulations and they are put in place for a reason. Vehicles - whether registered or not - cannot be parked where they cause a safety risk or obstruct legitimate walking or driving traffic, block lawful access, etc. Look at the photo. The caravan is parked on a footpath where it can potentially obstruct walking traffic. Footpaths are constructed for people to walk on, not for caravan owners to park on. I know it sometimes feels over-the-top. Laws tend to be general and applied broadly, and thus often go too far or feel inappropriate for a particular situation. And in some situations it is possible to apply for an exemption if you have a solid case. But you can't just park your vehicle anywhere you please. And neighbour complaints are taken seriously, especially if they substantiate it with explanations of how the vehicle causes a hazard.

Whether reasonable or not, the law in most parts of Australia specifically forbids parking on a verge for nature strip.

We had to move a caravan when we lived on a corner block where the road curved around the corner. It was legally parked on the road, and had it not been a corner there would have been no issue, but it was not visible to traffic rounding the corner until it was too late to swerve to avoid it. As the road was narrow, that presented a hazard. It was inconvenient to have to store it elsewhere, but we accepted that it was necessary. Fortunately, we were able to find vacant land where we could park it at no cost.

 

[Free.lander]

FACT-- councils keep raising the rates on the pretense that costs are going up
Some impose parking meters in popular areas and introduce extra bins that are never used
However every one has parking regulations and if they simply enforced those regulations then the rates increases would not happen because those who are not responsible citizens would be making the councils rich
ON my block alone there are more than 50 cars parked contrary to regulations every day, and if that is multiplied by the numbers across the council area , it is a very big windfall for the councils
The rules are there for a reason and the response to complaints is simple , if you don't want to pay a fine , DON'T BREAK THE BLOODY RULES.

 

[Gezzabel]

Veggie patch seems to have a problem with people legally parking a registered vehicle in a legally assigned parking area. What have they done wrong? Get a life!

 

[Parrot]

Rules are Rules just abide by it and you won’t have anyone knocking on your front door..

 

[Suzanne rose]

What they are doing is illegal!!
No council allows a car or caravan to be parked on the nature strip.

If that was my council ( Canterbury Bankstown) no one would need to do them in as rangers would be straight out anyway.

Rules are there for a reason, can you imagine what your street would look like if everyone parked their cars or caravan on the nature strip

our neighbour parks his boat on the road and I hate it as coming out of my driveway its a blind spot but no way I would report it and its also aloud.

Why did this man not park his caravan on the road outside his house or in his driveway instead of on the nature strip ?

 

[Free.lander]

Rules are Rules just abide by it and you won’t have anyone knocking on your front door..

so very true-- but now days people have this stupid idea that rules are only for some one else and when they are pulled up and fined , the only option is to cry the victim to get the other law breakers on side

 

[Suzanne rose]

Veggie patch seems to have a problem with people legally parking a registered vehicle in a legally assigned parking area. What have they done wrong? Get a life!

It's illegal to park on a nature strip where they have it parked. Rules are there for a reason.

 

[harden]

I must admit that all the caravans, boats and trailers parked on the road and foot path are not a good look. They are a driving hazard on the roads. I have van, which I pay for parking, a boat and 2 cars all parked in my yard. If you buy a van maybe one should take in consideration that if one cannot park/store on one's property that the cost of storing is part of deal. Driving down the road zig zagging to miss parked vans and boats is not much fun, as we all have to do in our town. If there was enforced regulations, then maybe the street sweeper would be able his/her job.

 

[Free.lander]

I must admit that all the caravans, boats and trailers parked on the road and foot path are not a good look. They are a driving hazard on the roads. I have van, which I pay for parking, a boat and 2 cars all parked in my yard. If you buy a van maybe one should take in consideration that if one cannot park/store on one's property that the cost of storing is part of deal. Driving down the road zig zagging to miss parked vans and boats is not much fun, as we all have to do in our town. If there was enforced regulations, then maybe the street sweeper would be able his/her job.

exactly correct--the only thing that pisses me off is the council is missing out on so much revenue because they want to get relected every time instead of enforcing the regulations and that neglect is actually the breeding ground of so much other illegal activity in the suburbs that the state government have to contend with. The American "who cares attitude" IS ALLOWED TO FESTER IN COMMUNITIES.

 

[Koda]

Sad as it is that’s the law in all states even cars are not allowed to park up there which is a problem when the road isn’t wide enough which most are not can you not make an area in your yard ?

 

[kerrikennel]

Veggie patch seems to have a problem with people legally parking a registered vehicle in a legally assigned parking area. What have they done wrong? Get a life!

That area the van is on in the photo has never been a legally assigned parking area. We get fined if we park our cars there! Don't buy a van if your property isn't large enough to fit it!!

 

[electricblanket]

As a neighbour, whether you like it or not, any vehicle that is legally registered, be it a car, a boat, and also a caravan too. If the owner has paid for the registration, then they are legally entitled to park their caravan, wherever they like. This of course applies in designated parking spaces, being for cars or motorcycles, or any registered motorised vehicle. I hope theses people go to court and fight for their legal right to park their van where they have legally done so. Good luck to them. Gezzabel.

You are incorrect. Those people have parked their caravan on the verge/footpath where people are supposed to be able to walk. It is NOT legal to park on the verge. The verge is for general foot traffic and should not be obstructed

 

[Judio]

Really - you think you have the entitlement to block streets, lessen visibiity of traffice and, in general, make streets messy. I have experienced over the years the amount of boats, trailers, caravans and whatevers being parked 'legally' on roads thus preventing growing families and visitors a convenient place to park. Whilst you may pay registration fees etc, that does not give you the right to just park anywhere. Woud you like your neighbours all parking on the grass verge etc?? Full marks to Council for the follow through on this.

 

[7777]

It appears that the owner of the caravan could possible renting out his caravan, and there are probably people sleeping in the caravan. So in order to make it safe for his tents, be has taken the caravan off the road, and parked it on safer grounds that being the nature strip.

 

[Leenie]

My neighbours friend parked his caravan on the street ,and lived in it for a few weeks while buying his home , no one said anything Although if you complain they somehow know who did and you are in the line of fire as ,they always get back at you somehow.