Nightmare neighbours changed title to Lord & Lady after caravan threat

Stars of 'My Nightmare Neighbour Next Door' have been ordered to remove a caravan from outside their house - and reveal they have changed their title to 'Lord and Lady'.

Lillie Goddard and her disabled mother were apparently living in the static home alongside her £170,000 property.

She previously had a shipping container in the garden in Swindon in Wilts - and has faced years of complaints from neighbours.

The row also featured in the Channel 5 documentary 'My Nightmare Neighbour Next Door'.

A court has now ruled the static caravan must be removed from their garden - which also heard the couple's name is 'Lord and Lady Goddard'.

Speaking at the property last week Mark said his wife bought the English aristocracy title several years ago.

At Swindon County Court a judge ruled that their “quiet residential area has been inconvenienced” by the caravan.

The couple must now remove the caravan by August 5, or the council will remove it.

There was initially not enough room in the garden for the caravan, which arrived in July 2019, before a wall was partially removed to accommodate it.

But Swindon Borough Council claimed that this broke several covenants - legal rules contained with the deeds of a property - which set out what can and cannot be done with the land.

Caravan and container outside the homeSWNS Jon Mills

Council prosecutor Daryl Bigwood had told the court that there are three covenants that were breached - which state that the property cannot be used to cause annoyance to the council or neighbours, that no structure is to be erected without the permission of the council and no caravan is to be parked on the property, except in a position approved by the council. He said that the couple breached all three.

The court heard that the static home “affected the amenity of the area”, residents were asked to move their cars to make way for it and that the council has “been put to some expense”.

Lady Goddard, who represented herself via video link, claimed that the covenants did not apply to her.

She said that as the council sold the house in 1997 to another buyer, and she was not aware they existed, they did not apply.

But deciding on the case, District Judge Peter Hatvany said that it was “clear” the covenants did apply, and found that they were breached.

He said: “She has made attempts as to where it can be moved. She simply doesn’t know how she can comply.

“She has very limited finances and is worried about that.

Lady Goddard will have to meet the council’s costs of £5,000.

Speaking at home, 'Lord Goddard' said his wife resides in the caravan with her disabled mother - but she is "making arrangements" to have it moved following the court's decision.

"I've not done anything wrong myself, not personally", he said.

"The problem is, [my wife] has misinterpreted the law. It could have been dealt with a lot differently.

"She offered to put a fence up there, it would have been fenced off and you wouldn't see anything - but the council wouldn't allow it.

"I know Lillie's not perfect, but it could have been resolved completely differently had people come up to her and spoken to her normally."

Lord Goddard said Lady Lillie's disabled mother is going to be moved to another of their properties in the Swindon area once the caravan has been removed.

The newly employed coach driver claims the only 'nightmare neighbour' in his street is the woman who continuously reports everything he and Lady Goddard get up to.

Councillor Gary Sumner, the cabinet member for strategic infrastructure, transport and planning, said: “I am really pleased the court supported our application for an injunction as the caravan, and container before it, had been causing real issues for local residents.

“This has been a long, drawn out process which has been going on for many years and it is a shame we have had to go down the legal route to have the caravan removed. I look forward to seeing it finally taken away so residents can begin to put this whole episode behind them.”

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.