How to claim an abandoned vehicle
To claim an abandoned vehicle, you must provide proof of ownership; otherwise, the vehicle will be removed.
Acceptable evidence includes:
- The original purchase invoice
- The vehicle registration document (DVLA form V5)
- A certificate of insurance showing the vehicle details and the insured person's name
- A document displaying the vehicle's details along with the claimant's name and address
Contact details for claiming a vehicle will be provided on the notice attached to the vehicle.
Timescale for claiming vehicles
If we believe a vehicle is abandoned:
- We will place a notice on the vehicle asking the owner to contact us.
- Typically, we wait about 2 weeks before taking further action.
- If we do not hear from the owner within that time, a formal notice will be attached to the vehicle.
- Seven days after the formal notice, we will remove the vehicle if no contact is made.
If we believe a vehicle poses a danger, we may omit the initial notice and place a 24-hour removal notice directly on the vehicle.