Advice needed please

pantherkaz

Would very much appreciate help and advice regarding vehicle recovery.

I live at the top of a very small cul de sac where my Son has been parking his vehicle. Then due to the vehicles engine breaking down he Sorn his vehicle and did not renew his Tax/MOT due to repairs cost.

Yesterday a recovery vehicle plus 2 gentlemen I believe from our local council came to seize the car, no one came to inform me so I went outside to them to explain the vehicle was my son's to which I was told that it was being seized but took his car without leaving paperwork.

I spent today trying to track down my son's vehicle, eventually found the vehicle recovery company who had it and was told if my Son collected it within the first 24hrs it would cost £100 plus £160 if he didn't tax it. I explained it was a non runner and was then told on top of the charges he would have to arrange his own vehicle recovery to collect it.

What I want to know is.....
Have they the rights to seize the vehicle without prior notice?

How can recovery Co. statement charges and charge these amounts without paperwork etc in the first 24hrs.

Where does my Son stand while waiting for the paperwork to arrive because if I hadn't phoned the police I wouldn't have known it had been seized.

Sorry for the essay but I've tried to explain as best as I can.

MovingForwards

It was probably reported as being abandoned. Therefore no notice is given.

Without tax you are not allowed to park, or use, a vehicle on a public road.

Where you son stands is a very expensive lesson in keeping a vehicle. He is best of just getting them to scrap it and pay all the resulting fees.

He may even receive a fine from the DVLA for having no tax and a vehicle on the public road.

Sorry, but there is no pretty answer.

a.turner

pantherkaz wrote: »

Would very much appreciate help and advice regarding vehicle recovery.

I live at the top of a very small cul de sac where my Son has been parking his vehicle. Then due to the vehicles engine breaking down he Sorn his vehicle and did not renew his Tax/MOT due to repairs cost.

Yesterday a recovery vehicle plus 2 gentlemen I believe from our local council came to seize the car, no one came to inform me so I went outside to them to explain the vehicle was my son's to which I was told that it was being seized but took his car without leaving paperwork.

I spent today trying to track down my son's vehicle, eventually found the vehicle recovery company who had it and was told if my Son collected it within the first 24hrs it would cost £100 plus £160 if he didn't tax it. I explained it was a non runner and was then told on top of the charges he would have to arrange his own vehicle recovery to collect it.

What I want to know is.....
Have they the rights to seize the vehicle without prior notice?

How can recovery Co. statement charges and charge these amounts without paperwork etc in the first 24hrs.

Where does my Son stand while waiting for the paperwork to arrive because if I hadn't phoned the police I wouldn't have known it had been seized.

Sorry for the essay but I've tried to explain as best as I can.

SORN as in statutory off-road notification, the clue is in the name.

Noree

If a vehicle is declared off the road, then it should not be ON THE ROAD. Even if parked.

On your driveway/private land, then no probs

a.turner

Noree wrote: »

If a vehicle is declared off the road, then it should not be ON THE ROAD. Even if parked.

On your driveway/private land, then no probs

The only stipulation for tax is a road maintainable at public expense. You can park it in a public place if it's not a road.

z1a

"Where does my Son stand while waiting for the paperwork to arrive"

Behind the letterbox!

a.turner

z1a wrote: »

"Where does my Son stand while waiting for the paperwork to arrive"

Behind the letterbox!

Won't help much though will it?

Can't tax it without an MOT, can't MOT it as it's in the pound. Can't get it back cause it's not taxed or MOT'd.

worried_jim

a.turner wrote: »

Won't help much though will it?

Can't tax it without an MOT, can't MOT it as it's in the pound. Can't get it back cause it's not taxed or MOT'd.

Going to be expensive! If it's a knacker get them to scrap it.

Car_54

pantherkaz wrote: »

Would very much appreciate help and advice regarding vehicle recovery.

I live at the top of a very small cul de sac where my Son has been parking his vehicle. Then due to the vehicles engine breaking down he Sorn his vehicle and did not renew his Tax/MOT due to repairs cost.

Yesterday a recovery vehicle plus 2 gentlemen I believe from our local council came to seize the car, no one came to inform me

Why would they come to inform you about someone else’s vehicle.

Aylesbury_Duck

z1a wrote: »

"Where does my Son stand while waiting for the paperwork to arrive"

Behind the letterbox!

Tied to his mother’s apron strings as well.

OP, why are you dealing with this? It’s your son’s responsibility to sort out. The recovery people, the police, the DVLA don’t have to deal with you at all. Why have you spent a day dealing with it on his behalf?

foxy-stoat

Geeeze, 7 years ago you tried to sort out your son's debt problems, 4 years ago you tried to reclaim your sons bank charges for him, now your trying to help him with getting his car back for keeping it on the road under a SORN.

You have options, pay whatever the recovery people charge, the car will have to be scraped now as they wont release it without insurance and VED, as it doesnt have an MOT your stuck.

Buy your son a new car, pay for the insurance, VED and fresh MOT, maybe a full tank of fuel as well. Get him to tell you if it breaks so you can pay for it to be repaired. Repeat until he can stand on his own 2 feet.

They have every right to seize it, charge the keeper, and crush it. It is the law and has been for a while now.