Abandoned vehicles can be unsightly or dangerous with a negative impact on your estate which in turn can attract anti-social behavior and make your premises look un-professional.

You as a landowner/Managing Agent should not permit any abandoned vehicles on your land and it is important to keep sites free from these. This is to maximise the parking capacity and to keep the estate safe.

It is illegal to abandon a vehicle on a road or any other land. The same law applies to abandoning caravans, trailers or parts of motor vehicles.

What is an abandoned vehicle?

A vehicle is considered abandoned when a local authority considers it to be so. (Refuse Disposal Act of 1978). The term “vehicle” in this context means a motor vehicle, trailer or parts of either that forms part of a motor vehicle or trailer. This includes any item contained within any previously stated vehicle. This means that a vehicle is abandoned when an authorised officer at the local authority decides that it is abandoned.

What are the problems caused by abandoned vehicles?

There are many problems caused by abandoned vehicles which includes:

• Attracting vandalism
• Negative effect on local environmental quality
• Vehicles can be the result of, or lead to a crime
• Risk of injury
• Leaking dangerous fluids

What to do if you see an abandoned vehicle

For these reasons, Court Enforcement Specialists takes abandoned vehicles very seriously. With your help reporting these vehicles we can hopefully cut out a troublesome case in abandoned vehicles. If you notice a vehicle that you think is abandoned on your Land, please contact us we will investigate the issue and take appropriate action on your behalf.

Removal of Abandoned Vehicle

If the abandoned vehicle is removed to the Treatment Facility we only operate under strict environmental policies, any abandoned vehicles will be removed legally & professionally.

We only use Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATF) which will remove any hazardous materials before the vehicle is recycled.

Once the Abandoned Vehicle has been through the Treatment Facility you will recieve an official scrap car DVLA certificate of Destruction (CoD).

For vehicles that cannot be lifted or dragged, Court Enforcement Specialists have a number of jacks and trolleys to manhandle vehicles into position for recovery. With the combined mechanical handling equipment at the disposal of Court Enforcement Solutions, there has never been an instance where a vehicle has not been removed.

Action taken for an abandoned car

Abandoning a vehicle on any land in the open air, or any other land forming part of a highway, is a criminal offence under Section 2 of the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978. It is punishable by a maximum fine of £2,500 and/or three months in prison. The owner of an abandoned vehicle that is removed, stored and or destroyed by the local authority, is liable for the storage or disposal costs. The local authority, instead of prosecuting, issue a fixed penalty notice for £200 to the owner.

The courts also have the power to disqualify a defendant from holding a driving licence where he or she has committed a relevant offence, in this case, abandoning their vehicle. Disqualification can be instead of, or as well as, dealing with the defendant in another way.

Lastly, an abandoned vehicle, once it has reached the end of its useful life, can also be classified as ‘hazardous waste’, thus also making the action of abandoning such a vehicle an offence under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.