Cleaning cars on the streets of Central London.

[jonathangrimes89]

Basically i would like to know if its illegal to just start cleaning cars, for money, by the side of the road in London. If so what part of it is illegal would i need get some sort of trading permit, is it different on private property, what if the property owner has a parking space outside his property on public land.

 

[OssianTV]

You'd need to direct this enquiry to which ever council responsibility it it. If youre talking central london - thats likely to be Westminster City Council.

you'd definitely need some sort of insurance and street trading licence though.

 

[mobyme]

you'd definitely need some sort of insurance and street trading licence though.

Do you know that for a fact or is it just an opinion?

 

[Gaskell]

Is this a Mobile Valeting venture or are you planning on approaching people in the street and asking for business?

I'm a car valeter myself and have also wondered what licensing etc you would need to operate a valeting/car wash company in, for example a public car park.

I have motor trade/public liability insurance and have pre-arranged business on the customers property, I'm not sure of the law on say, walking round a city centre with a cart full of car cleaning gear looking for business. I'd be interested to find this out, I'd presume you must at least have a street trading licence

 

[OssianTV]

Illegal immigrants do this all the time in central london (since they have no access to legit employment or benefits, its one of very few income options)
1) they get a lot of abuse
2) its definitely illegal - you'd need insurance and permission

 

[mobyme]

2) its definitely illegal - you'd need insurance and permission

That is twice you have said that. What is your source?
I cannot see how if it's illegal so many of them work openly in front of the Police.
Surely it's the last thing an illegal immigrant would do, to openly flout the law in front of the Police,
I don't know any illegals that are doing this; but I do know a middle aged chap and a younger girl who I assume are British who have been doing this around the Earls Court area for at least the last six years.
They clean my car every time I stopover. I have never given it any thought but will definitely ask him what the situation is next time I see him.

 

[OssianTV]

Earls Court is one of the most affluent areas in London.

Try driving down the A406. Sometimes about 20 of them appear under the bridge as soon as the lights go red. Ive also seen the police putting them into vans.

In terms of flouncing the law in front of the police - how do you know that this particular man and his daughter dont have a trading license for that?

You cant f*rt in central london anymore without permission. Everything is monetised/licensed

 

[OssianTV]

trading without public liability insurance in a public area is illegal.
What if someone tripped over your bucket and split their head open?
Contact the council for advise on this

You'd need to provide details of the business, the postcodes of the streets you'd be operating in, have appropriate safety signs/high res jackets and written permission or a trading license from the council.

 

[mobyme]

trading without public liability insurance in a public area is illegal.
What if someone tripped over your bucket and split their head open?
Contact the council for advise on this

You'd need to provide details of the business, the postcodes of the streets you'd be operating in, have appropriate safety signs/high res jackets and written permission or a trading license from the council.

There you go again. Public liability isn't compulsory; it's common sense but it isn't compulsory even in a public area.

 

[OssianTV]

public liability insurance is mandatory for some types of businesses.
I HAVE SAID AT LEAST 3 TIMES NOW THAT THE LOCAL "AUTHORITY" WILL ADVISE ON THIS

 

[mobyme]

public liability insurance is mandatory for some types of businesses.
I HAVE SAID AT LEAST 3 TIMES NOW THAT THE LOCAL "AUTHORITY" WILL ADVISE ON THIS

But the whole idea of a forum is to respond to questions with answers if you know them to be correct; not guesses. If you don't know for certain you say things like "I assume" or "to the best of my knowledge".
The idea is to try to encourage people to start businesses, not to think up obstacles.

 

[Astaroth]

There are 33 councils in London (inc the City of London Corporation) and each will have their own rules.

The other issue if you are talking about a road side service (rather than the red light screen washers) is that many main roads in London are "red routes" and thus you cannot stop at all on them and there are thousands of cameras looking for anyone stopping for a second....you wont get many repeat customers when they get the £120/ £60 fines through the door

 

[OssianTV]

But the whole idea of a forum is to respond to questions with answers if you know them to be correct; not guesses. If you don't know for certain you say things like "I assume" or "to the best of my knowledge".
The idea is to try to encourage people to start businesses, not to think up obstacles.

I agree - and I know for a fact that some businesses require liability insurance - esp those that are in constant contact with the general public.

Permission NEEDS to be sought from the local authorities. Although as the next poster has pointed out there are 33 boroughs in London, only 2 or 3 will be classed as "central London". The police may also have a problem under the Terrorism Act if permission isnt clear. It was reported on Sky news recently that someone was stopped for carrying a hairdryer in a pocket and held for 6 hours...... it is getting this bad unfortunately....

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

jonathangrimes89,

putting to one side the permit situation, if you want to do it properly, get insured - the last thing you would want is someone claiming that you scratched their car and then sueing you!

If 'on the street', where is the water and power coming from?

Mobyme - if a trading license is required, insurance may be pre-requisite!


OssianTV, you are awqare that Earls Court and the A406 are several miles apart and never meet?

 

[Aspect Investments]

I know its illegal to clean your car on the street in Spain. When you go to the supermarket on a weekend you see lots of people with buckets and sponges cleaning their cars, its really wierd.

 

[OssianTV]

jonathangrimes89,

you are awqare that Earls Court and the A406 are several miles apart and never meet?

That was actually my point.

 

[Esk247]

in the borough of scarborough you have to have public liability for pretty much anything that involves the general public or traffic, you can't even put a sandwich board outside unless you're insured for that bit of land and have written permission from the council.

just get insurance any way.

do a search for mobile valeting franchises

 

[Nearglobal]

Local council will stop this

 

Earls Court is one of the most affluent areas in London.

In what way? :|

Mayfair, Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Kensington, Hampstead, Fulham, Notting Hill, Holland Park etc are the most affluent areas of London.

Wandsworth is more affluent than Earls Court.

 

Basically i would like to know if its illegal to just start cleaning cars, for money, by the side of the road in London. If so what part of it is illegal would i need get some sort of trading permit, is it different on private property, what if the property owner has a parking space outside his property on public land.

I have a guy who comes to my place to clean my cars with Zymol products. He goes anywhere in the UK and is most deff licensed.

When i'm in London and just need a quick clean there is a great little place near Putney run by a couple of Polish guys. They have an old petrol station.
I have no idea if they have a license but i will ask for you next time i go down.

 

[OssianTV]

I do know a middle aged chap and a younger girl who I assume are British who have been doing this around the Earls Court area for at least the last six years.

It was in response to the above.

I was making the distinction between living in a higher property value area, where a middle aged british chap and a younger girl who are likely to have permission from the council and those who just turn up at red lights on the A406 and start washing your car - and are regularly arrested.

There are 33 councils in London and hundreds of wards. Some are classified as affluent - others are not - based on Property value, the papers that are read, and average income.

 

[Rainbow Chasers']

No you cannot just clean roadside in bulk - the odd car for a mobile company working from a van attending a customer who parks on the road is permitted. But to sit outside and wash roadside all day is not.

One, you would need the street licence - which you would not get, as you have no way of holding the waste product (the valeters will knwo what I mean - shovel loads of crud!)

This is why people rent old petrol stations and do it there....near enough roadside - but on PRIVATE land!

 

[Esk247]

I have a guy who comes to my place to clean my cars with Zymol products. He goes anywhere in the UK and is most deff licensed.

When i'm in London and just need a quick clean there is a great little place near Putney run by a couple of Polish guys. They have an old petrol station.
I have no idea if they have a license but i will ask for you next time i go down.

you don't take your nice cars to that station do you

i hope not..i hand wax and polish mine every weekend, wouldn't let anyone else touch the beast to be honest..not even those automated car washes.