Silver Range Rover Car probe over fears of 'slum van-lords' on Downs

A SILVER Range Rover has been spotted dropping off caravans on the Downs in the middle of the night.

- Alex SEABROOK

Several of the caravans which are parked around the Downs appear to be rented out to the tenants living there, with a few landlords potentially “making an enormous amount of money’.

Some caravans have been towed away by Bristol City Council, but locals say these are quickly replaced by the same vehicle each time. The council has been sent pictures of the vehicle, including from doorbell cameras, but is powerless to take action due to a legal loophole.

Letting out a caravan isn’t illegal, and there is no national register of ownership so finding the identity of the landlords is almost impossible. Questions about “van-lords” renting out caravans were put to the public health and communities policy committee on Friday, November 21.

Ian Woodward, a local resident, said: “There are slum van-lords running businesses on the Downs. Every time you move a caravan away, the same vehicle pulls another caravan straight in to replace the one that you've taken away. You're not doing anything on slum van-lords running businesses.”