Car Abandonment
Car abandonment is when a car has been left in a public location, typically the side of the road, or in a private car park, for a long period of time. Car or vehicle abandonment can be a cause of nuisance parking by blocking driveways, obstructing pedestrian crossings and roads. To add to this, the sight of an abandoned vehicle can be an eyesore, a target for antisocial behaviour and arson or cause further parking disputes.
Understanding Vehicle Abandonment
Vehicles depreciate in value quite fast, making it difficult for the owner to make any profit on a sale, cars can also cost money to dispose of and to declare as SORN, there are also stolen vehicles in circulation with cloned plates, so instead of disposing of it lawfully, some car owners choose to abandon their vehicles.
Useful Information
What are the vehicle abandonment laws?
Local authorities, such as councils, the DVLA and police are responsible for disposing of abandoned vehicles from public land under the Refuse and Disposal (Amenity) Act 1987, Section 99 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, and the Removal and Disposal of Vehicle (England) Regulations 2002.
Under the Amenity Act, it is illegal for a car owner to abandon their car, leading to potential prosecution by the local authority. A penalty charge notice of up to £2,500 and/or a sentence of 3 months in prison could be imposed upon conviction. However, a fixed penalty notice of £200 can be issued to the owner as an alternative to prosecution.
In addition to the total amount of the PCN issued, the owner is liable to cover any costs incurred by the local council or police force in removing, storing or destroying the vehicle.
Do authorities have to remove an abandoned vehicle?
Authorities cannot charge the landowner or occupier when removing an abandoned vehicle off their land, they must also give the landowner (or occupant) 15 days’ notice that they propose to remove the vehicle. They cannot remove the vehicle if the landowner or occupier objects during the notice period, however, this does not apply if the vehicle is abandoned on a road or highway.
With this being said, authorities are not required to remove an abandoned vehicle from open land if the cost of transporting it to the nearest highway is overwhelmingly high – for example, the move requires special machinery.
What should you do with an abandoned car?
If a vehicle is left abandoned, it is important to report it to your local authority, as they can be dangerous, cause an obstruction and may have been involved in a crime. Make sure to note down the make, model and location of the car to provide your local council or the police with as much information as possible.
Can landowners remove abandoned vehicles?
Dealing with abandoned vehicles on private property can be challenging, especially if you live in a rural area or run a business with car parking spaces designated to your staff and visitors/ customers.
However, under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, it is only legal for Authorised Bodies to move a motor vehicle on private land.
It is sometimes difficult to tell if a vehicle is, in fact, abandoned. It’s always helpful to go through the following checklist if you believe a car has been dumped outside your house or business.
- Has the vehicle been moved in the last 3-4 weeks?
- Is the vehicle missing a number plate?
- Does the vehicle have any flat tyres or wheels missing?
- Are any windows broken?
- Without touching the car, can you tell if the doors or bonnet have been left open?
- Are there any visible signs of damage or vandalism?
- Are there litter or weeds underneath the vehicle?
For aid with removal of abandoned cars on private property, contact your local authority.
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Creative Car Park offers parking solutions that can help prevent abandoned vehicles on your property through the use of intelligent ANPR systems. Our systems are integrated into the DVLA database and allow us to contact the registered vehicle owner, informing them of the vehicle’s location, the abuse of parking, and abandonment, along with contact details for us to arrange actions and recourse.
We provide unique parking solutions to improve your parking experience tailored to meet your personal and business needs, offering enforcement solutions that can be used in combination with each other to help provide maximum parking security.
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