Abandoned and Unwanted Vehicles
Just because a vehicle is untaxed, is poorly parked, or is not believed to belong to a resident does not mean it has been abandoned.
Here is information to help you report an abandoned or other nuisance vehicle and to apply for our service for removing unwanted vehicles.
Abandoned vehicles
It is a criminal offence to abandon a motor vehicle, or anything that has formed part of a motor vehicle, on any land in the open air or on any other land forming part of the highway.
The interactive form for reporting an abandoned vehicle will take you through the steps to determine if the vehicle is truly abandoned.
We will investigate whether the vehicle has been abandoned and carry out checks to see whether it has been stolen or involved in an accident. If we decide the vehicle has been abandoned on a road, we will then remove the vehicle. If the vehicle is worth more than £1000 the process to remove the vehicle will take approximately three weeks.
Further information about abandoned vehicles Toggle accordion
We can only remove an abandoned vehicle under the provisions of the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978, if it is truly abandoned.
What is an abandoned vehicle?
Just because a vehicle is untaxed, is poorly parked, or is not believed to belong to a resident does not mean it has been abandoned. If the answer is ‘yes’ to some of the following questions it may have been abandoned:
Has the vehicle remained in the same location unmoved for a minimum of 21 days?
Is the vehicle untaxed - This should not be the sole consideration but should be taken into account with other factors. Please use the Vehicle Tax Checker website to see if the vehicle is taxed.
Is the vehicle significantly damaged or in a poor condition?
Is the vehicle dangerous - left unlocked, broken windows etc?
Has the vehicle been vandalised?
A vehicle isn’t abandoned if it is:
illegally, dangerously or badly parked
recently crashed or broken down
obstructing vehicle access
obstructing utilities
untaxed but being used
uninsured/no MOT
How to report it Toggle accordion
If you believe a vehicle has been abandoned, please report it. The more detail that you can provide (location, condition, make, model and registration) and where possible a clear picture of the whole vehicle, will help the process.
If the vehicle is on private land, please contact the landowner directly. If you are the landowner and believe a vehicle has been abandoned on your land, you can write to us with the make, model, colour and registration number of the vehicle along with how long it has been there. There is a charge of £70.00 to cover the investigation and potential removal of each vehicle reported.
Untaxed/SORN vehicles
It is an offence to have a vehicle on the road without tax or to have a vehicle on the road which has a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN).
How to report it Toggle accordion
To report an untaxed vehicle on the highway, please complete the DVLA's online form
Nuisance vehicles
We may take enforcement action:
Where a person leaves two or more motor vehicles parked within 500m of each other on a road, which are advertised for sale.
Where someone carries out repairs, maintenance, servicing or other work to a vehicle or any part of a vehicle on a road for gain or reward.
We do not deal with other vehicle issues such as residential parking disputes or broken-down vehicles.
Further information about nuisance vehicles Toggle accordion
Laws relating to nuisance vehicles come under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. Further details can be found at Office of Public Sector Information: http://www.opsi.gov.uk.
We have the power to issue a fixed penalty notice of £100 to any person deemed to have committed an offence under the 2005 Act.
How to report it Toggle accordion
If you discover a nuisance vehicle, please report it.
Parked vehicle issue
We will deal with vehicles which are parked across a dropped kerb or double parked.
A vehicle that is parked dangerously or causing an obstruction or you suspect to have been stolen should be reported to the Police.
How to report it Toggle accordion
To report a parked vehicle issue, please complete the online form
Collection and removal of vehicles
We offer a removal service for vehicles that you own and vehicles that you do not own but are on your land. There is a small fee for each of the services.
Disposing of a vehicle you own Toggle accordion
If you wish to dispose of a vehicle that you own, we offer a removal service for £50 including VAT.
To apply you will need the registration or log book or some other proof of ownership to apply for the service. Please complete this Application Form and return it to us.
Removing vehicles on land that you own Toggle accordion
If a vehicle has been left abandoned on your land we can investigate the vehicle and remove I if appropriate. This service is £70 including VAT. Please complete this Application form and return it to us.
End of Life Vehicle Directive
All vehicles removed by our contractors, ASM Autos, are depolluted before being destroyed and the materials recycled in line with the 'End of Life' Vehicle Directive.