Checking Tax/Sorn

[EvianBaby]

I've looked on the DVLA website about a car that's outside my house. It looks pretty battered and the tax disc is out of date. My annoyance is it takes up two spaces.

On the Vehicle Enquiry page it says - Vehicle Status Unlicensed

Does that means it's not taxed or sorned?

If it is Sorned, is it legally allowed to be parked on public property?

[ummmm]

How do you mean 'on a public property'?

If it's on the road....no

[tonyav]

No sorn means of the public road, this car is untaxed and parked on a public road therefore it is illegal.

[Hopkirk]

Go onto your local council website and search for how to report abandoned vehicles.

That might stir things up a bit.

[shoota]

If it is kept on a road it must be taxed, MoT'd and insured. Certain other areas: ditto.
If the parking space is owned by a housing association or other landowner it becomes a bit of a grey area.
Your local council should have an abandoned vehicles department who would be interested. The Police won't get involved unless it is lost or stolen or otherwise involved in crime.

[EvianBaby]

So 'unlicensed' means untaxed and not Sorn?

When I say public property, I mean parking spaces outside the terrace of houses. The parking belongs to the council, not any of the home owners.

[rockyracoon]

Our local council are lively about picking up cars without tax, they must get a few quid fom the scrap dealers.

[EvianBaby]

That's what my brother wants to do Hopkirk. But I just wanted to check it's not there legitimately first.

(and yes, I'm too chicken to go and speak to the people I think it belongs to)

[d9f1c7]

Are the spaces on the road or are they in a bespoke parking area? Also check if the car is insured, here: http://www.askmid.com/, if not insured the police would be interested and will prbably take it away.

[Hopkirk]

Doesn't need to be insured if SORNed and off public roads.

[EvianBaby]

I suppose you'd say ther were in a bespoke area. There's actually bollards at the end making it a no through road and the spaces are set to either side of the road up to that point. Does that make a difference?

That link doesn't seem to work.

[EvianBaby]

Right, I've found out it's not insured. Does that make it worse for them?

Will I return home soon to the joy of seeing the heap of junk removed and two spaces now free?

[Hopkirk]

Well if you report it as being an abandoned vehicle, the council might agree if it is neither taxed or insured.

If he is driving it, the Police will certainly be interested.

[EvianBaby]

My brother text me, he is sitting in my house bored so decided to kill some time be reporting it. I guess he used my e-mail address as I just had an e-mail from the council saying their 'eyes and ears' team will be in touch with me soon.

I don't think he's been driving it. It's been in exactly the same spot since I went to view the house 3 months ago.

[EvianBaby]

Well, my council doesn't hang about.

When I left this morning I noticed a bright yellow sticker on the windscreen. I don't know what it said and didn't fancy making it so obvious that I was looking but I could see the emblem of the council on it.

[ummmm]

It will be a sticker giving them a warning that it will be towed in X amount of days.

[EvianBaby]

I assumed as much.

I started to feel a little guilty when I saw it. Then I remembered they've got a garage out the back they could have stuck it in.

[sunny-dave]

Yeah - get it shifted - or where am I going to park my Honda 50 ...?

[jno]

I hope you get a polite answer to that, dave

[sunny-dave]

I hae me doots :)