Abandoned Vehicles

[tiggerblue10]

Not sure which cat. to put this in so putting it here.

I've had several issues with abandoned cars near my house over the years. I posted about an abandoned car before on AB and kind of got shouted down for reporting it unnecessarily and causing the owner grief.

Anyway, there is a car parked outside my neighbours house which has been there for well over 6 months now. It has 2 flat tires, a wing mirror dangling from its wires and an open sun roof. It has been in that state since it was left there.

One of my neighbours said she reported it to the council a few months ago and said that another neighbour had reported it twice before as well. She also told me that some builders working on a house 2 doors down from me had contacted the authorities to find out who it belonged to for it to be moved to enable transport of building materials and skips. The builders were told that it had valid tax from Feb 18 and that they couldn't do anything about it.

Parking is a nightmare on my road and very often I have to park far from my house if I don't get home till late. I've also seen another car at the end of the road with a 7 day removal notice on it although the 7 days has been and gone!

I know it probably differs from council to council but what would you class as an abandoned vehicle and how long would you wait before reporting it?

[chelle7272]

Bane of my life at work as it's private land we can never get them moved :(
Yes I would class it as abandoned if several months have passed despite it having tax. (we have one SORNed and left for 10 months!)
Also as it is in a dilapidted state.

[wolf63]

Don't the Police deal with stuff like that? Good luck in getting rid of it.

[Old_Geezer]

If taxed it's not abandoned, although one should check with the owner and police stolen vehicle records. Flat tyres do tend to imply the owner has either abandoned it or had it stolen though. The council should check.

Had some 'citizen' pretend my TR7 was abandoned once and the 'wonderful' council insulted me by shoving an abandoned notice on it's windscreen. Told them exactly what I thought of their malicious offensive action, and since they then decided to do it again I had to tell them again.

[chelle7272]

OG you can report it as abandoned even if it is taxed if it has not been moved. Our local authority websie has priocess for bth. They don't often follow it up though!

The police are not responsible unless it is an obstruction or in a dangerous condition

[spathiphyllum]

you could bend the truth and inform local authorities that the neighbourhood children are using it for a hide out and gaining access via the sun roof and you're worried because no one has checked what is in the car

[tiggerblue10]

The back end sticks out slightly but not enough to cause an obstruction. It is a bit awkward when I'm trying to reverse and park behind the car when facing it so I always turn my car round and reverse in from the other direction.

[tiggerblue10]

Would the council not have made contact with the owner when the builders made enquiries?

[Old_Geezer]

I'm sure they can chelle, but when a near classic car in good condition is parked on the same street as the owner resides the reporter ought to have more sense than pretend it's abandoned and the council ought to be obliged to do proper checks not simply put day glow stickers over the windscreen to embarass the owner.

[Old_Geezer]

Doubt it tigger, they usually can't be bothered to do a proper job if my experience was anything to go by.

[TonyV]

local scrap man might remove it for you?

[webbo3]

Smash the window and push it into the middle of the road (I did this with a car abandoned on my property) then call the police and say you saw some kid mucking about.

[TonyV]

Webbo hope there was no cctv then, you were committing a criminal act, however if some one took it of to the scrap yard and weighed it in then hay ho

[webbo3]

No cctv in my cul de sac, no way was i going to pay to get it removed.

[TonyV]

ok Webbo your advice might be ok then

[tiggerblue10]

Believe me I'd love to do that Webbo but somehow don't think it will go down too well with the police.