Neighbors Sue a Lady over a makeshift house extension

Caravan dispute
‘Lady’ Lillie Goddard has been locked in a long-running row with neighbours over a makeshift house extension (Picture: Swindon Advertiser/SWNS)

A court dispute over a caravan dubbed an eyesore was lost by a ‘nightmare neighbor’ who changed her name to Lady.

Lillie Goddard was said to be living in a static cottage outside her £170,000 home with her crippled mother.

She previously enraged locals on the Swindon estate where she lives by erecting a primitive house expansion out of a shipping container in her lawn.

The argument was highlighted on Channel 5’s ‘My Nightmare Neighbour Next Door’ after years of disagreements over the upkeep of the house.

Lady Goddard, who purchased the title several years ago, has now been ordered to remove a caravan from her garden or face having it removed against her will.

The big mobile home has been in place since the homeowners destroyed a wall to make room for it in July 2019.

The static residence ‘damaged the amenity of the area,’ according to Swindon Borough Council prosecutor Daryl Bigwood, who said that residents were asked to move their cars to make room for it.

FILE PICTURE - The shipping container which was outside the home of Lillie Goddard. 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'. See SWNS story SWBRcaravan. 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.
The council took court action over the state of land around the home (Picture: Swindon Advertiser/SWNS)

Lady Goddard appeared in court on her own behalf, but the judge denied her claim that the area’s housing covenants did not apply to her because of the terms of her 1997 purchase of the house.

‘She has made attempts as to where it can be moved,’ said District Judge Peter Hatvany. She simply does not understand how she will be able to comply.

‘She has a limited budget and is concerned about it.’

After the council bemoaned the expenses it had incurred in pursuing the case, Lady Goddard will be responsible for the £5,000 charges.

Her husband, speaking from his house, said his wife lived in a caravan with her crippled mother, but that they would obey the order.

‘The issue is that [my wife] has misconstrued the legislation,’ he explained. It could have been handled in a variety of ways.

FILE PICTURE - Local residents in front of the shipping container which has been put in the front garden of a house in Swindon. 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'. See SWNS story SWBRcaravan. 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.
Neighbours have been publicly calling for the courts to take action for years (Picture: Swindon Advertiser/SWNS)

‘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.’

Councillor Gary Sumner said: ‘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.’