The motorhome, owned by Monica Fox and her family, is parked on the street outside their Rushden Rise home, and a mystery person has complained about it.
There are several motorhomes and caravans in Westmorland and the city council has received six complaints in the last five years about such vehicles being parked on the street in the suburb.
Christchurch-wide, 79 similar complaints have been made in the last year.
The city council says Fox’s motorhome must be moved off the street. But it is too big to fit up Fox’s driveway and she is struggling to find appropriate storage for it.
On May 9, the family was visited by a city council parking compliance officer, who initially said they had seven days to move the motorhome or it would be seized.
After Fox called the city council several times, this was extended to a month.
The motorhome has been parked outside their home since April 6.
Said Fox: “It’s not causing any issues; we can’t park it anywhere else. We didn’t think there was any problem.
“I think what is unfair is that our neighbour [who complained] didn’t have the courtesy to knock on our door [and discuss their concerns in person].”
Fox said she does not know who made the complaint. She has spoken to immediate neighbours and all said it was not them.
Fox and her family moved from London to Auckland last year, and then to Christchurch in April “for a quiet life”.
City council transport operations manager Steffan Thomas said: “No person may park a motorhome, immobilised vehicle or trailer, whether or not the trailer is attached to another vehicle, on any road for a continuous period exceeding seven days without the prior written permission of an authorised officer.
“[This] includes parking on any road within 500m of the original parking place, at any time during the seven days.”
Thomas said people can request permission to park motorhomes on the road for more than seven days while they find alternative parking for the vehicle.
“Parking compliance are currently working with the registered owner while they find alternative parking,” he said.
Fox has contacted “so many storage businesses” to see if any have space for the motorhome, but none have so far.
Many of the storage businesses she has called are north of Christchurch, a significant distance from Westmorland, and finding a business with CCTV security cameras has also been difficult.
Fox posted on the Westmorland Residents Association to explain her situation. Some residents have generously offered spaces to park the motorhome.
Fox appreciates this, but said she plans to follow the city council’s rules and attempt to find storage for it in the month given, to avoid inconveniencing others.
She would prefer if the motorhome was allowed to stay where it is.
“It’s quite convenient to have it outside of the door.”
- Matt Slaughter
