THOSE much maligned White Van drivers frequently criticised as rude and reckless by fellow road users have another image problem to contend with. And this time it's on their own doorstep.

One in 20 white van men have been asked to move the offending vehicle from outside their own homes, according to new research from Lloyds TSB Insurance.

The shift-it order doesn't usually come from snobby neighbours. The chief objector is likely to be her indoors'.

Insurance company manager Paula Jowett observed: "The findings reflect the increasing obsession with house prices and appearances. White van drivers already have to put up with pressures on parking, constant drop-offs and deliveries. Now they have to contend with the 'Hyacinth Bucket' syndrome as well.

"Wives worry that a van parked outside the house could bring down the tone of the neighbourhood and even put off prospective buyers."

Ross Norman-Clarke, spokesman for the UK's 500 strong TEAM estate agency network agrees.

"It's considered to be a bit of a 'no no' to park white vans or any commercial vehicles in front of your home. Most estate agents would urge that you do not do it if you are hoping to make a sale. On new home developments it's quite common to put a covenant on select small developments, banning white vans from driveways."

But even if drivers agree to move the offending vehicle for the sake of a quiet life, they could end up in even worse trouble.

The insurers at Lloyds warn that those who park away from their property run a higher risk of having their tools stolen. Research shows that 40 per cent of white van men in London have had it broken into. In other regions, it's 14 per cent.

Lloyds' Richard Mulholland warns: "Once the van is out of sight it is likely to become a target for thieves. Despite stickers saying 'No Tools Left Overnight' almost half of skilled tradesmen leave valuable tools and equipment inside their vans.

"If their tools are stolen, the tradesman may not be able to work. That could result in more serious problems such as no income."