Who "owns" abandoned vehicles?
Discussion
Upon my daily journey to work I often see vehicles abandoned by the side of the road. The police put an 'aware' sticker on them, the council then post a disposal notice and eventually a subcontractor takes them away.
However, this seems to take 2-6 weeks, and in the meantime they get pilfered for bits.
In my law abiding way, I assume this is illegal, but who is the offence being committed against and would anyone ever do anything about it?
Cheers,
AdrianR
Edited by adrianr on Wednesday 25th April 16:13
I had a car nicked some time ago. It was found shortly after the insurance comany paid out, stripped. The police actually caught someone nicking bits off it but let him go. They seemed to take the attitude that it was OK to do that sort of thing. Anyway the insurance company paid for it to be disposed of as they owned it, having paid out. I would have had to pay for disposal otherwise.
You get cars abandoned all over Basingstoke these days. 
Where they're stolen I'm glad that the insurance company pay disposal. But I'm deeply p*****d off at those who just leave 'em there to rot.
Mind you. The people who own the car at the end of its life are often those least able to afford its safe disposal.
Driven were on about this. They advocated a bounty to be paid by Government for responsible car destructuion.
I personally think the cost of eventual disposal should be factored into the new price of the car (like the sodding road tax we're ALREADY PAYING). The money should go to an agency whose job is to dispose of these cars in a timely manner...I wouldn't want to see this left this up to the manufacturer who would have little or no incentive to do it.
Where they're stolen I'm glad that the insurance company pay disposal. But I'm deeply p*****d off at those who just leave 'em there to rot.
Mind you. The people who own the car at the end of its life are often those least able to afford its safe disposal.
Driven were on about this. They advocated a bounty to be paid by Government for responsible car destructuion.
I personally think the cost of eventual disposal should be factored into the new price of the car (like the sodding road tax we're ALREADY PAYING). The money should go to an agency whose job is to dispose of these cars in a timely manner...I wouldn't want to see this left this up to the manufacturer who would have little or no incentive to do it. It is the responsibility of the council to dispose of abandoned cars,providing they are not on private land. Notify the Police, if they consider it is dangerous they will arrange to have it shifted and the bill sent to the last registered keeper, if they don't respond it gets cubed, if it isn't in a dangerous state the Council stick a 7 day order on it it then gets moved.
quote:Good to know, John. I'm afraid locally to me it can take longer than 7 days to get rid. (Except when dangerous, I'm sure).
It is the responsibility of the council to dispose of abandoned cars,providing they are not on private land. Notify the Police, if they consider it is dangerous they will arrange to have it shifted and the bill sent to the last registered keeper, if they don't respond it gets cubed, if it isn't in a dangerous state the Council stick a 7 day order on it it then gets moved.
I have an old wreck that I am getting rid of, I phoned the council and they send a form which you return and they pick it up for free. On the form it says if possible the car will be repaired and re-sold via the Meridian Trust, any one know what that is? Mind you if they that that heap back on the road they deserve a bloody knighthood!
I sold a car about 8 months ago, and just gave the registration document to the new owner, and lo and behold last month I got a letter from the council saying that the vehicle was going to be towed away and impounded at a cost of 190 quid, and then 12 quid a day unless it was removed.
I just rang them and told them that I had sold it and everything was OK. I even offered to tell them the address of the new owner, but was told that it would just complicate things and cause more paperwork !!!
Jim
Seems once the sticker period elapses it's litter and no-one is likely to object to a bit of DIY recycling then.
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Some countries already pay for dead cars, and I believe there is legislation going through that makes manufacturers responsible for end of life disposal in the UK, but it's not retrospective. Also recall some salvage company saying this was likely to be big business for them as Mr Ford etc. were v.likely to subcontract the collection & disposal.
Cheers,
Adrian
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