Claiming an abandoned car. Possible?
Discussion
A friend is interested in taking on an adandoned car.
The car is parked on a sideroad with a smashed drivers window and has clearly been abandoned.
Several notes have been left on the windscreen with no response, and knocking on local doors has yielded no results.
It looks as if it's sitting there waiting to be taken away by the council, which is a shame as its a special colour.
The car is parked on a sideroad with a smashed drivers window and has clearly been abandoned.
Several notes have been left on the windscreen with no response, and knocking on local doors has yielded no results.
It looks as if it's sitting there waiting to be taken away by the council, which is a shame as its a special colour.
You can't just "claim" an abandoned car. You can apply to become the registered keeper, but that does not transfer actual ownership. You would need a lien, or some sort of agreement with the owner for that to happen.
There is nothing stopping the original owner from claiming it back off you later, or even reporting you for theft (the intention to permanently deprive the owner of his vehicle)..
There is nothing stopping the original owner from claiming it back off you later, or even reporting you for theft (the intention to permanently deprive the owner of his vehicle)..
Cyberprog said:
You can't just "claim" an abandoned car. You can apply to become the registered keeper, but that does not transfer actual ownership. You would need a lien, or some sort of agreement with the owner for that to happen.
There is nothing stopping the original owner from claiming it back off you later, or even reporting you for theft (the intention to permanently deprive the owner of his vehicle)..
Ok thanksThere is nothing stopping the original owner from claiming it back off you later, or even reporting you for theft (the intention to permanently deprive the owner of his vehicle)..
Actually there is a process, but it will vary council by council.
The council have a duty to remove and dispose of an abandoned car under the clean neighbourhoods act 2005. They have to contact (or attempt to) the registered keeper and let them know that the car will be disposed of unless it is moved.
After a period of time the council will move the car and store it for a short period, then dispose of it.
Some councils are quite happy to let members of the public do the remove, store, dispose part of the councils job. They'll charge you for the privilege of saving them work of course.
Because there is no legal definition of "abandoned" most councils are pretty slow to act on abandoned cars though. The councils are worried that they'll be sued for moving & disposing of a car, they're also strapped for cash and it ain't a priority. The car will likely need to have no tax, no insurance and be in a dangerous condition before they'll consider even thinking about acting. Having a broken window does put it in the "dangerous" camp though.
Give your local council's abandoned vechicles line a call and have a chat.
The council have a duty to remove and dispose of an abandoned car under the clean neighbourhoods act 2005. They have to contact (or attempt to) the registered keeper and let them know that the car will be disposed of unless it is moved.
After a period of time the council will move the car and store it for a short period, then dispose of it.
Some councils are quite happy to let members of the public do the remove, store, dispose part of the councils job. They'll charge you for the privilege of saving them work of course.
Because there is no legal definition of "abandoned" most councils are pretty slow to act on abandoned cars though. The councils are worried that they'll be sued for moving & disposing of a car, they're also strapped for cash and it ain't a priority. The car will likely need to have no tax, no insurance and be in a dangerous condition before they'll consider even thinking about acting. Having a broken window does put it in the "dangerous" camp though.
Give your local council's abandoned vechicles line a call and have a chat.
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