Frequently Asked Questions on Abandoned Vehicles
Reporting an Abandoned Vehicle
The questions below deal with how our Environmental Health Department deals with abandoned vehicles and how you can complain about such a vehicle on-line.
Did You Know...?
We deal with over 200 abandoned vehicles every year.
What Can The Council Do?
South Derbyshire District Council has a statutory duty to deal with vehicles that are alleged to be abandoned on the highways, housing land, local amenity land and other areas of land controlled by the Authority.
We are not legally bound to remove vehicles from private land.
Unfortunately removing abandoned vehicles is a long drawn out prescribed procedure which is laid down by legislation that forbids us from instantly removing a vehicle we believe is abandoned. Vehicles that are found to be in a fair or reasonably good condition have to be traced through the Police, and the Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).
If a registered keeper is notified to us via the police or the DVLA in regards to an abandoned vehicle that we are looking into, it then becomes a legal requirement for the Council to then write to that person in order to ascertain if the vehicle in question still belongs to them.
Previous case history has shown that in around 90% of cases we are writing to a previous owner who has since sold the vehicle onto another party. The vehicle has not been re-registered and therefore remains in the previous keeper's name. This ultimately wastes an awful lot of time but is legally required.
We then serve a notice on the vehicle and at its expiry, then and only then can we legally remove the vehicle for final disposal and scrap.
In certain cases, where vehicles that have been reported are found to be in a dangerous condition (for example burnt out), we can speed up the process.
We urge you to report the details of any vehicle you consider allegedly abandoned at your earliest convenience. Because the sooner you inform us, the sooner we can remove it!
If you would like to report such a vehicle, please complete the online abandoned vehicle form
Reporting an untaxed vehicle which is not abandoned
If you wish to report a vehicle which is being used without a valid tax disc, please contact the Department of Vehicle Licencing Authority (DVLA) (external link) or telephone 0800 325 202
Retrieving an Abandoned Vehicle
If your vehicle has been removed by us you can arrange to retrieve it by completing the contact us form or by using the details below. On receipt of the form we will advise you of the costs involved and issue a release note.
Standard: We will respond to at least 80% of abandoned vehicles within 1 working day.
Standard: We will remove at least 70% of abandoned vehicles within 24 hours of our having the legal right to do so.
Environmental Services are proud to have been granted CharterMark
Licensing Enforcement Officer
South Derbyshire District Council
Civic Offices
Civic Way
Swadlincote
Derbyshire
DE11 0AH
Telephone: 01283 595795
Fax: 01283 595855
E-mail : environmental.health@south-derbys.gov.uk
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