Abandoned Cars on our Land

Mrs_Constant_Worry

OK - we have left this problem and need to deal with it. We have an old yard/field some miles away from our home and rarely visit as our neighbours are very good.

We discovered 2 years ago someone had broken farm gate padlock and parked about 20!! cars in there on hard standing. The farmer thought it was something we were doing.

We changed lock and put up notice saying Private Land, etc, etc so many days to remove vehicles and contact numbers. No-one came forward.

Filled in relevant forms from DVLA for 4 of the cars. No luck recorded letters returned. Last year having put the word out someone said they thought they found the culprit and he said get them to ring me - mobile number did not work.

We have stored these cars for over two years now and the reason we went there was thinking about trying for Planning

Could it look like we are going to be out of pocket trying to deal with this as it would be against the law to get them scrapped because we don't own them. They are suppose what we used to call 'bangers'?

BeenThroughItAll

Mrs_Constant_Worry wrote: »

OK - we have left this problem and need to deal with it. We have an old yard/field some miles away from our home and rarely visit as our neighbours are very good.

We discovered 2 years ago someone had broken farm gate padlock and parked about 20!! cars in there on hard standing. The farmer thought it was something we were doing.

We changed lock and put up notice saying Private Land, etc, etc so many days to remove vehicles and contact numbers. No-one came forward.

Filled in relevant forms from DVLA for 4 of the cars. No luck recorded letters returned. Last year having put the word out someone said they thought they found the culprit and he said get them to ring me - mobile number did not work.

We have stored these cars for over two years now and the reason we went there was thinking about trying for Planning

Does it look like we are going to be out of pocket trying to deal with this?

Start dismantling them and selling the parts on eBay. If the owner comes forward to complain, send them an invoice for 'Vehicle Storage' for the exact amount of money you've made off the sales, plus an amount to cover transport of the remaining vehicles to an alternative location (perhaps a local scrapyard?) of your choice where they can pick up the remains.*

Or sell them to a banger-racer for cash, then pretend they've been stolen.**

*This may not be legal. I don't know.
**Neither may this.

bod1467

I'm not 100% sure of the legal position, but it something has been abandoned on your land for 2 years and you have taken steps to try and find the owner(s) but without success, then you can pretty much do what you like with the items.

Marktheshark

Get them towed out on to the road, as long as you do not damage them.
The council will have the problem then.

PasturesNew

Have you checked the boots for bodies??

Foxy-Stoat_3

What cars have ya got and where abouts are they?

arcon5

Do a search to see if they are insured or taxed. This will tell you if they are being used or not.

Mrs_Constant_Worry

Definitely not being used! Still in same position just looked at date on notice so not quite two years. If that really was the law then it might pay us to wait!

Did search online and tax out of date. Also not used as farm gate new padlock intact.

If a scrapyard would take them without Logbook trust our luck someone would come back and charge us!

We thought at one time we did have a lead and tried to trace this person, a friend of a friend who may have taken advantage, but rumour had it he died and we thought that had to be the reason. Finally we found him and he knew nothing about them. Then this other lead came up and no more contact. Whoever it is has not even attempted to contact us.

Naturally we are beginning to feel that we should be compensated for this storage well 'Parking on Private Property', etc, etc. maybe I need to sit there with a ticket machine?

Anyway thank you for your thoughts up to now.

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

You probably should take legal advice, but as they are essentially unsolicited goods, they have become yours and you can probably get in touch with a local scrap yard and sell them. Even if they are wrecks, they'll be worth something.

The major hoop will be proving to the scrap company that you are entitled to sell them.

Worth popping into a local solicitors who normally give low cost consultations. If the cars are of any significant value then it would probably make sense to hire a solicitor to ensure you have proper title before you sell them.

enfield_freddy

PasturesNew wrote: »

Have you checked the boots for bodies??

or even the bodies for boots

Mrs_Constant_Worry

Wouldn't there be a lot of smell around them by now?:(

Just thought - there is a free drop in with a local solicitors office could be an idea?

I also wondered if a Public Notice in a paper would give us the right to do something if no-one comes forward?