Abandoned and untaxed vehicles

If you suspect a vehicle has been abandoned, is untaxed or a nuisance vehicle, please inform us and we will deal with the problem.

How to report an abandoned vehicle

Reports are welcomed from anyone regarding abandoned, untaxed or nuisance vehicles anywhere in the borough.

Please use the online form or tell us about a problem vehicle by telephone, email or post.

What we will need to know

We will need to know the following information to be able to deal with the problem:

• the vehicle's location
• what condition it is in
• its registration number
• its colour
• the make and model.

What happens next

We aim to remove all nuisance vehicles within three working days of them being reported. Our inspectors first visit the vehicle within one working day of the report in order to decide the appropriate action to be taken.

We then aim to remove vehicles designated as abandoned within one working day of the inspectors' decision.

Untaxed vehicles will be impounded as soon as possible.

There may be some delay in removing vehicles if:

• they are blocked in
• they need emptying of rubbish
• their location or circumstance requires police support for their removal
• the vehicle is on Council housing or private land, which in some cases means that we need to issue a 15-day notice on the vehicle or to the owner's address.

Vehicles in poor condition

If the vehicle's condition is poor and there is no tax disc, a 24 hour notice is put on the windscreen. If the vehicle is not claimed within 24 hours it will be removed and destroyed within the next few days.

If there is no tax disc but a bona fide owner comes forward and claims the car within the 24-hour notice we refer the matter to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) for tax infringements.

Vehicles in fair condition

If the vehicle has no tax disc and hasn't been moved in some time but is in fair condition, we put a seven-day notice on the the windscreen and try to establish ownership by contacting the DVLA. This may take up to three weeks. If no owner is found, the car will be disposed of.

Any complaints?

We log all complaints, so if you have a query regarding a previously reported vehicle, please call us.