Abandoned vehicles
It is illegal to dump a car that you no longer want. As well as a £200 fine from the council, you could be chased by the DVLA for vehicle excise duty (car tax) if you can’t supply them with a Certificate of Destruction, which you can only get from a licensed scrap dealer.
Abandoned vehicles are a menace as they attract attention from children and are often set alight, which is obviously very dangerous.
We receive hundreds of reports about abandoned vehicles every year. However, most turn out not to be abandoned at all. Please read the following information before you report a suspected abandoned vehicle to the council.
How to tell if a vehicle is abandoned
- A car parked in an inconvenient place (eg outside your house) for a few days is probably not abandoned. If it looks roadworthy, has a current tax disc and a number plate visible, and it doesn’t belong to one of your neighbours or their visitors (please check), you can report it to the police on 08458 505 505 because it may have been stolen and dumped.
- If a car simply doesn’t have a valid tax disc you should call the DVLA on 0870 850 0007 or report it to them online via the DVLA website, follow the link below.
- You should only tell us about an abandoned car to the council if you are sure it doesn’t belong to someone living nearby – ask around. Signs to look out for are open doors, no tax disc or number plate and if the vehicle looks as though it is not roadworthy (broken windows, tyres or other parts missing).
You can report an abandoned vehicle by following the link below.
If we agree that the vehicle appears to be abandoned, we aim to remove it within seven days (or 15 days if the vehicle is on private land), after attempting to contact the last registered owner. If it is in a dangerous condition, we can remove it within 24 hours, without attempting to contact the owner.
If you have an unwanted car, van, caravan or motorcycle, the council can dispose of it for you, for a fee of £62.50; call 01296 585235 to arrange this. However, you might find it cheaper to use a local scrap dealer, details can be found in the local Yellow Pages or follow the link 'to recycle your car' at the bottom of this page