Abandoned Car on Private Road

o202

Hi,

Hope this is the right forum for this. Just need a bit of advice, to ensure I've go things right and to check the best course of action. Before anyone says it, I know I've been a bit naive and it's gone on far too long but time to get it sorted. (We're expecting in the New Year and its a bit of an obstruction)

I've got a bit of an issue with a car that has been abandoned on the private road outside my house in such a way that it makes parking in my communal garage impossible and access to my front gate a bit awkward. Also, our area is within a permit zone and should mention the car is untaxed, I assume uninsured and no permit so is gathering tickets from the council.

It's been there so long I'm note entirely sure when it showed up but its been there at least 6 months - To give a bit of history:

At least June/July 16
The vehicle was previously owned by the neighbour renting next door
From about a week after it appeared, it broke down with a faulty gear box, neighbour advise he was going to get it shifted/repaired

a month goes by...
Chat with neighbour, gearbox is expensive. Uneconomical to repair, don't worry he's going to scrap it.

September
Another chat, when's the car going? Soon.. soon

October
More than patient with this joker, another chat.... Oh he's sold it, they'll be coming to pick it up. Obviously sceptical by now but gave him benefit of the doubt.

Throughout October, bits of the car start going missing. First a headlight, then the other. Then one night pretty much everything but the kitchen sink - Now at a point where it has 4 flat tyres, no seats, no steering wheel, no dash, no lights all round and worst of all no neighbour.

Local teenagers and other miscreants hanging about it, having a play (as its doors are unlocked)

November:
Neighbour re-appears - 'The guy who bought it, paid him, has stripped it and !!!!!!ed off'
Sick of this, reported to council who subsequently passed it to Police. Also reported it to DVLA.

A week or two goes by which brings us to today:
The rest is probably best taken from the email I sent the council:

Previously this car was reported to yourselves under reference: XXXX

I received an update at the end of November advising this matter had been passed to the Police to investigate and resolve.


As no apparent action had been taken by the Police on 12/12 - I called 101 to see if there was any update, the operator advised that there was no report on their system for this vehicle and that they believed this was the councils responsibility to resolve however they advised they would request an office take a look into this. I received a callback later that day to advise they would send an officer out to look into this matter.

The Police have come out a couple of times in the last week, most recently today and spoke to my partner and my neighbours regarding the man renting number XX and the associated car. I believe they are looking for him in connection with other matters however today advised my partner they would likely be unable to do anything with the car due to it being parked on a private road.

Looking into this matter myself I've found that the Council do have a responsibility and power to remove abandoned vehicles from private land as per:

w w w. gov.uk/guidance/abandoned-vehicles-council-responsibilities

and the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978

I have not seen the neighbour from number XXX in over a week but at the last time I did speak with him he advised that he didn't mind that I'd reported the vehicle as he insisted that he had sold it. This contradicts what the Police have advised, although they couldn't give direct details they have advised the Registered Keeper has not changed for the last 3 years for this car.

My partner and I are expecting a baby in January and this vehicle limits the ability to put my car in my garage due to it's awkward angle and likely will cause issues getting in and out of my property with a newborn.

Please can yourselves and the Police work out who is responsible for removing this vehicle and get it removed ASAP as I've already stated it's causing not only a nuisance but seems to be being damaged further and attracting unsavoury attention, most recently the removal of the front bumper. Taking into account the lack of seats, interior, steering wheel, seats etc. and major components such as bumpers, lights and what looks to be engines components I would surmise that the car is only fit for destruction.

As a side note, your parking wardens keep ticketing this abandoned vehicle as it does not hold a permit if that in anyway could expedite the process.

Any tips on how to force someones hand to get it shifted? Or am I stuck between a rock and a hard place?

Any help appreciated.

GTE_Boy

Ring a local scrap yard.

worried_jim

Push it onto the public highway and park it there, then call the council again.

pappa_golf

with a wife and child , you now go up the counsil garage waiting list , you will now be entitled to a 3 room garage with a garden

pull the damm thing onto the road . let the police/council move it , NOBODY will go near if its on private land

o202

pappa_golf wrote: »

with a wife and child , you now go up the counsil garage waiting list , you will now be entitled to a 3 room garage with a garden

pull the damm thing onto the road . let the police/council move it , NOBODY will go near if its on private land

Thanks for the advice. To clarify, I don't expect any handouts, just mentioned it as I was hoping I may get some understanding from the council a perhaps a sense of urgency from them,

I'm well aware I could get someone to move it myself to the end of the road but I'm just concerned I may be in someway committing an offence either by moving the vehicle, should any damage be caused to it or simply putting an uninsured, untaxed vehicle on public road or would I then be guilty of an offence under the very act I've quoted: Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978 S2?

I've taken a read of w w w.askthe.police.uk/content/Q441.htm which seems to cover the whole moving it assuming I've no intention to deprive the owner of it but then wouldn't cover my other concerns.

PasturesNew

Take it apart... lob it, piece by piece, over his fence.

GTE_Boy

o202 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. To clarify, I don't expect any handouts, just mentioned it as I was hoping I may get some understanding from the council a perhaps a sense of urgency from them,

I'm well aware I could get someone to move it myself to the end of the road but I'm just concerned I may be in someway committing an offence either by moving the vehicle, should any damage be caused to it or simply putting an uninsured, untaxed vehicle on public road or would I then be guilty of an offence under the very act I've quoted: Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978 S2?

I've taken a read of w w w.askthe.police.uk/content/Q441.htm which seems to cover the whole moving it assuming I've no intention to deprive the owner of it but then wouldn't cover my other concerns.

Well that may negate a theft but not twoc. However if moving the vehicle onto a public place will see it being removed, does that act mean they'd be permanently deprived of it?

Rover_Driver

GTE_Boy wrote: »

Well that may negate a theft but not twoc.

But would it be taken 'for his own or another’s use'? a requirement for twoc

loskie

report it as flytipping
https://www.gov.uk/report-flytipping
or
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/abandoned-vehicles-council-responsibilities
you may have already seen these. Councils do have a habit of avoiding their statutory responsibilities nowadays. They can be reported for this to their regulator.

building_with_lego

I think I would become a very polite pain in the arrse at the council, ring them every morning and email them too; the same email- don't go making work for yourself. Before too long they will be desperate to get rid of you

You can report via https://www.gov.uk/report-abandoned-vehicle

Our council had one reported down the road from me, within (I think) three days of it appearing with some items stripped a large poster appeared on the windscreen giving them 24 hours to move it before it would be removed and destroyed. All done and dusted within a week.

[Deleted User]

Push the car onto your neighbour's garden then inform the letting agent/ landlord that they have dumped a car there.