Crime Reduction - Helping to Reduce Crime in Your Area

Tackling fear of crime & disorder in the community

Dealing with Abandoned Vehicles

Local authorities have a statutory duty to remove abandoned vehicles from the streets, and are therefore your first point of contact. No one should try to take physical action themselves.

Local authorities, the police and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) all have powers to remove abandoned vehicles – after 24 hours by local authorities, or immediately by the police where it is dangerous, or immediately by DVLA where it is untaxed.

Abandoned vehicles which the local authority considers to have some value can be removed immediately and the registered owner is given seven days to respond before their car can be destroyed. For vehicles which the local authority considers to have no value, there has to be a 24 hour notice period before the car can be removed. Vehicles abandoned on private land, are served with a 15 day notice. Within that time the owner can object to the vehicle being taken away. If there is no objection the local authority will remove the vehicle. Local authorities also have the power to recover the costs of removal, storage and disposal from the person responsible for abandoning the vehicle.

You can help as an individual or a group by taking an active interest in vehicles parked in your area and report the abandoned ones to the local authority as quickly as possible. Only report the abandoned vehicle to the local authority once, as multiple reporting is unhelpful. When you phone up, check with the local authority about how long the process will take and how quickly they can take action against the vehicle.

Where you have a local neighbourhood warden scheme, or police community support officers, targeting of car removal can be made a priority. Where there are no warden schemes, tenants or residents’ associations can also do regular checks such as collecting evidence on the scale and location of the problem. This can also be done on associated issues such as arson, abandoned vehicles being a danger to children and the vehicle becoming a focus of criminal activity.

Some local authorities have set up free disposal services for unwanted cars or have "abandoned vehicle hotlines". Where this is not the case, groups can negotiate a contact officer in the local authority to act as a "hotline" person.

Any evidence collected should be made available to local authorities, who in their role as a member of the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership can look at involving others, such as local schools, in addressing the problem.

You, as an individual or as part of a group, can usefully monitor the success of achieving speedy removal of abandoned vehicles and the extent to which the problem has been brought under control, and bring the results to the attention of the local authority.

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Last update: Thursday, October 26, 2006