A homebuyer has sparked a furious row with his new neighbors by paving over his front yard and turning it into a showroom for up to a dozen used cars.
Farshad Kia, 45, sparked numerous complaints after displaying numerous second-hand cars in or next to the driveway of his 1930s semi-trailer in Arnos Grove, north London.
Between Mr Kia and angry neighbors, the unofficial dealership became so heated that the police were even called in to break up the row.
Barnet Council has now given carmaker Kia a written warning, it is understood, and could issue unlimited fines if it does not stop trading cars from its garden.
Before and after: How the house changed to accommodate more cars
Farshad Kia, 45, (pictured) attracted numerous complaints after displaying many used cars in or next to the driveway of his 1930s semi-trailer.
Mr Kia bought the house for £725,000 last year and soon removed all the greenery from the front garden, replacing it with a paved area that can hold ten or more cars at a time – and often it does.
Most display stickers advertising for sale and displaying a phone number believed to belong to Mr Kia.
Close neighbor Mel Campbell, 76, is among those living near Mr Kia in the fashionable suburb near Arnos Park who have complained about his actions.
Furious Mr Campbell says the car dealership’s unexpected arrival in an otherwise smart area of London has significantly devalued his own £1.2m house nearby.
Mr Campbell, who lives in the street around the corner from Mr Kia, said he was stunned his new neighbor had opened what he called a ‘shabby car dealership’ without any planning permission.
He told MailOnline: “We definitely felt we had to raise an objection. This is not an area where cars are sold.
“It’s just not what you buy into. My home is what, £1.2 million, with a seedy car dealership around the corner.
“There are more cars than you would reasonably expect. We have four cars and we have parking space for four cars.
“But he parked his cars here and rubbed our noses. Several times the neighbors couldn’t park because he parked his cars along the road.’
A paved front yard converted into a car dealership
When contacted by MailOnline, Mr Kia claimed that most people living nearby did not mind
Mr Campbell claimed it was “illegal” for Mr Kia to sell cars outside his drive and said he had to apply for planning permission – a claim Mr Kia denied.
Mr Campbell, who lives nearby on Marlborough Avenue, also claimed Mr Kia was allowing his cars to spill onto the road, making it difficult for neighbors to park.
In his letter to Barnet Council – understood to be one of many – Mr Campbell said there were 13 cars parked at Mr Kia’s unit on one day last month, nine of which were advertised for sale.
Another neighbour, who declined to be named, told us: “It’s just amazing that someone would think they could do this in a residential area. People are very proud here and it’s quite an ambitious area.
“The previous owner used to have bushes and grass in the front garden and the only vehicle was an attractive vintage VW motorhome. It looked really nice.
“But the new owner simply paved the whole thing – and it’s a really big space in the front gardens.
“Now you usually see ten hatchbacks parked with price tags on the window. It’s so tacky and mean.
“Everybody who lives here that I’ve talked to about it is furious.
Another resident, who lives nearby, said: “We’ve kept our original front garden and we’re trying to get butterflies and bees to go there – then some new guy moves in and parks ten cars in his driveway to sell.
“Every time I see it, it makes my heart sink. Which is every day.’
When contacted by MailOnline, Mr Kia claimed that most people living in the area were fine and that he had not broken any rules, further insisting that his actions were “not bothering anyone”.
But he claimed hostile neighbors who don’t like what he’s doing even forced him to call the police after one confronted his elderly father.
The 45-year-old said he had received no complaints directly from other neighbors since he started showing the cars in October last year and insisted he did not need planning permission to store or sell used engines.
Mr Kia, a businessman formerly based in the Middle East, insisted he was “not doing anything illegal” and was just trying to support his family.
Mr Kia has attracted numerous complaints after displaying many used cars on or next to the driveway of his 1930s semi-trailer in Arnos Grove
The 45-year-old, who moved to the address more than a year ago, said he maintains good relations with the neighbors, who have no problems with the matter.
He has absolutely denied claims that he parked used cars for sale along the road because he says he knows it would be illegal as the cars are tax free.
Mr. Kia said, “I am not disturbing anyone. Every house on this road has around three cars, many have more.
“Only one person seems to have a problem with it. All the other neighbors are happy with him.
“I have two disabled parents to look after, my mother has severe dementia and my father has had two strokes.
“I don’t rely on any support from the government, no carer, nothing. So I needed to do it to survive in this economy and I’m not doing anything illegal.
“They are not noisy cars, they are not modified cars. He doesn’t disturb anyone.
“I keep the unit very clean. I don’t keep cars out of the driveway and I have business insurance.’
He even claimed: ‘The neighbors told me they don’t have a problem.’
There were eight cars in the driveway when MailOnline visited.
Although the signs did not specifically state “for sale” or sale prices, interested buyers could call the number displayed on the car’s windows to negotiate a sale.
Mr Kia said the hostility he encountered over the cars led him to call the police last month when a man began abusing his family over the cars.
He said: ‘I had to call the police. It is not right. He was very rude to my father.
“I also had to call an ambulance because my father was panicking.
“I told him I was looking after two elderly disabled people but he said he didn’t care.
“He said that having used cars here devalued his property.
He added: ‘It’s very disappointing and heartbreaking, I’m trying to prevent my parents from having to go into a care home.’
A source told MailOnline: ‘The council recently served the owner with a planning infringement notice including questions about the use of the site. They have 21 business days to respond.”
Failure to respond to such notice is an offense and anyone found guilty may be subject to an unlimited fine.
Another nearby neighbor, David Bradshaw, said he hasn’t complained yet but could be moved in the future and is monitoring the situation.
The 86-year-old said: “They often have a car in front so when someone is trying to pick me up it can be quite a challenge.
Between Mr. Kia and angry neighbors, there was so much acrimony over the unofficial dealership that the police were even called.
“But I don’t mind, it’s only a problem if it spills on the road. But they are generally quite considerate.
“It is only when it gets too big that one might have to complain. I would not like such a situation to arise where it is too confusing on the road.
“It hasn’t been that big of a problem so far, but you don’t want it to become a problem unless it gets worse.”
Another local, who did not want to be named, said: “Well, it’s a business, isn’t it?
“And this is a residential area. That’s my problem with it. It is a residential area.
“It’s a real nuisance, I’m just glad I don’t live next door.
After hearing that more than one neighbor was concerned about using the driveway, Mr. Kia said he decided to remove most of the cars from his driveway.
He said: ‘I moved all the cars. I only have my personal car and two others that are not gone yet.
“Not because I’m afraid, because what I’m doing is completely legal.
“But if my neighbors are unhappy, if it’s more than one person, I think I’m a pretty fair person, and I think if my neighbors are unhappy, it’s not fair to them.
“I have to find another solution.
A spokesman for Barnet Council said: “Planning permission is required to convert the house into a car dealership. However, no planning laws specifically prohibit a person from selling a limited number of vehicles from home.
“We are currently investigating this case to see if it has a significant enough impact on neighbors and the character of the area to warrant planning enforcement action. If we think so, we will demand that sales be reduced or stopped altogether.”