Abandoned vehicles frequently asked questions
General
Why are there so many abandoned vehicles on the
road?
What do I do if someone parks in front of my
drive?
What is the governing legislation?
What if a vehicle is abandoned in a private car park,
such as a supermarket or a complex of flats?
What type of notice do you put on abandoned
vehicles?
Do you refer untaxed vehicles that have an owner to
the DVLA?
How long do you keep a car at the council car pound
before it is destroyed?
What do I do if a contractor has damaged my property
(eg wall, hedge, vehicle) when removing an abandoned
vehicle?
What can we do about Foreign Plated Vehicles which appear to be abandoned?
Removal of vehicles
I don't have the logbook can you still remove my
car?
I have seen vehicles illegally, obstructively or
dangerously parked - who do I contact?
Which vehicles does the council remove free of
charge?
A car nearby is taxed but in a bad condition, and
seems abandoned - will you take it away?
A notice has been displayed on a vehicle for a long
time and it has not been removed why?
My vehicle has been issued with a removal notice. What
do I do?
How long does it take for a vehicle to be removed
after a notice is put on it?
My car has been removed, how do I get my personal
items back?
General
Why
are there so many abandoned vehicles on the road?
The low value of scrap metal means it is no longer
profitable to sell old cars to scrap yards. This has resulted
in more vehicles being abandoned on the public highway.
What
do I do if someone parks in front of my drive?
If you are blocked in, contact your local Police
who have the authority to remove it.
If the vehicle is illegally parked,
contact parking services.
In all other instances, this is a dispute between the owner
of the vehicle and the house owner.
What
is the governing legislation?
The following legislations give local authorities
the power to remove abandoned vehicles from the public
highway: Refuse and Disposal (Amenity Act) 1978, Section 99
Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and the Removal and Disposal of
Vehicle (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2002.
What
if a vehicle is abandoned in a private car park, such as a
supermarket or a complex of flats?
The responsibility for removing vehicles abandoned
in a private car park lies with the landowner and must be reported
to them, in the first instance. If the vehicle is not
removed, a report can be made to
customer services.
What
type of notice do you put on abandoned vehicles?
Abandoned vehicles are given a 24-hour removal
notice.
Do
you refer untaxed vehicles that have an owner to the
DVLA?
Yes. The council provides the DVLA with details of
all untaxed vehicles that it removes from the public highway and
impounds. The DVLA then takes action against the owner to
claim unpaid taxes.
How
long do you keep a car at the council car pound before it
is destroyed?
Untaxed vehicles taken to the pound are stored
for up to 28 days. After this period the council applies
for a new registration document and arranges for the vehicle to be
destroyed, sent to auction or passed onto the Police.
What
do I do if a contractor has damaged my
property (eg wall, hedge, vehicle) when removing an abandoned
vehicle?
You will need to
contact customer services to report details of
the incident. A customer service representative will provide you
with further advice.
What can we do about Foreign Plated Vehicles which appear
to be abandoned?
These vehicles are inspected by the officers and if they are deemed to be of low value and can be treated as abandoned then we will go ahead with the 24 hour notice. If they are of a higher value there is not much which can be done. We do not have the ability to police check them, or to check with the DVLA if they have not been registered here yet. However, any vehicle in this country should be registered after 6 months or immediately if the owner intends to be a permanent resident.
Surrender of vehicles
I
don't have the logbook can you still remove my
car?
No. Ealing Council cannot remove your car without the proper
documentation. Contact the
Driver and Vehicle Licensing
Agency (DVLA) to obtain a copy of your logbook.
I
have seen vehicles illegally, obstructively or dangerously
parked
- who do I
contact?
Vehicles that are parked illegally, obstructively or
dangerously should be reported to the Police on (020) 810 12112 or
999, or
Ealing Customer Services.
Which vehicles does the council remove free of charge?
Vehicles such as cars, caravans, trailers, vans, boats and
motorcycles can be removed by the council free of charge.
A
car nearby is taxed but in a bad condition,
and is a nuisance- will you take it away?
Report the vehicle online or contact
Ealing Customer Services. An officer will
visit the location and make an assessment on whether removal is
appropriate.
A
notice has been displayed on a vehicle for a long time and
it has not been removed why?
There may be two reasons:
-
the vehicle may be of interest to the Police who are endeavouring to contact the owner and arrange for its removal
-
the vehicle may be in the process of being claimed by its owner, and it cannot be removed
My
vehicle has been issued with a removal notice. What do I
do?
Contact
Ealing Customer Services, they will take
details and arrange for documentation to be sent to you to
officially claim the vehicle. You will need to visit Perceval House
and supply proof of ownership.
How
long does it take for a vehicle to be removed after a
notice is put on it?
Damaged vehicles are removed immediately after a
removal notice is issued. Abandoned vehicles are removed within 72
hours or three working days.
What is a Green Sticker?
Where an officer determines a higher value vehicle to be classed as abandoned, this vehicle will be removed to the councils car pound, in accordance with the statutory provisions.
If the vehicle is not claimed the Council may dispose of the vehicle as it sees fit.
My
car has been removed, how do I get my personal items
back?
Contact the car pound at Brent Crescent, North Circular Road
on (020) 8825 6677. Goods left in vehicles will not be released to
individuals.
If your vehicle is being destroyed, contact:
West London Waste Authority, Victoria Road, South Ruislip,
Middlesex
Tel: (020) 8841 4546