Taking ownership of abandoned car

[Rob]

So there's an abandoned 2009 Clio sitting in our car park. Been there for 3 months, PSNI say car is not registered (how?!), online shows no tax/insurance/MOT... Council say that they will slap a 7 day notice on it for us and after that it's ours to do with as we wish.

Is there any way I can get it log booked and into my name? It's a decent wee car on the face of it and I would like to gift it to a 17 year old I know. It was taxed and MOT'd last year so hopefully it'll go back on the road no bother.

Also, does anyone know what kind of hassle it will be to get a key for it?

 

[CharlySkunkWeed]

So there's an abandoned 2009 Clio sitting in our car park. Been there for 3 months, PSNI say car is not registered (how?!), online shows no tax/insurance/MOT... Council say that they will slap a 7 day notice on it for us and after that it's ours to do with as we wish.

Is there any way I can get it log booked and into my name? It's a decent wee car on the face of it and I would like to gift it to a 17 year old I know. It was taxed and MOT'd last year so hopefully it'll go back on the road no bother.

Also, does anyone know what kind of hassle it will be to get a key for it?

Following.

There's an empty place I work that stores the cars that the council "seize" after the notice period. Doors unlocked etc, some still in decent shape. I've always wondered what happens to them, especially when they at the very least have alloys and parts that could be sold off, not that they're "scrap" in any way (even if the engine is blown).
I sent an email enquiry to the council but never heard back. When you say after 7 days "it's ours to do as we wish" do you mean the Council said its theirs ? Or did they say it's yours to do as you wish ?

@karl7900 you know where I mean. Have you ever heard what happens to them ? Or if you can intercept if they go to auction or scrap ?

 

[Graham]

So there's an abandoned 2009 Clio sitting in our car park. Been there for 3 months, PSNI say car is not registered (how?!), online shows no tax/insurance/MOT... Council say that they will slap a 7 day notice on it for us and after that it's ours to do with as we wish.

Is there any way I can get it log booked and into my name? It's a decent wee car on the face of it and I would like to gift it to a 17 year old I know. It was taxed and MOT'd last year so hopefully it'll go back on the road no bother.

Also, does anyone know what kind of hassle it will be to get a key for it?

Likely signed to trade, meaning no registered keeper.

Apply for a v5 as a new keeper, once that arrives a lock smith can gain access and sort a key since the paperwork is all in your name.

 

[CharlySkunkWeed]

Likely signed to trade, meaning no registered keeper.

Apply for a v5 as a new keeper, once that arrives a lock smith can gain access and sort a key since the paperwork is all in your name.

I always thought the v5 wasn't proof of ownership. Lol, Google contradicted itself slightly.

 

[FM155]

Pay for a good check on it to see if there's outstanding finance on it or anything else too but other than that, probably crack on.

 

[purplea4T]

So much bad advice in one place. You know you’re not the owner and the council haven’t the legal ability to tell you what to do with the car.
Realistically you should contact DVLA for the LRO details and send them a recorded letter stating your position on the car. If you apply for a V5 without the new keepers slip, DVLA will write to the last keeper to ask if the transfer is legitimate - however if the car is showing as “in trade” this isn’t possible.
If you take ownership of the car and the previous owner sees it being driven, they can report it then as stolen - it is, you have deprived the owner of the vehicle and are absolutely entitled to it back. This is theft by finding.

 

[Rocko]

This is theft by finding.

So "Finders Keepers" has been a lie this whole time?!

 

[purplea4T]

So "Finders Keepers" has been a lie this whole time?!

Unfortunately

 

[NI_Volvo_Nut]

Is there not something in law about notifying the previous owner if a car is left on your property? As is if you dont remove it in 3 months its mine? Not for the OP to do but surely clowncil need to do this and the worker the OP spoke to is talking through his back passage?

 

[purplea4T]

No, you can’t just decide that it’s yours - you can charge fees for storage but can’t take it upon yourself to claim the property.

 

[Rob]

No, you can’t just decide that it’s yours - you can charge fees for storage but can’t take it upon yourself to claim the property.

The fees are about equivalent to the value of the car to be fair, it’s worth less than a grand

 

[purplea4T]

The fees are about equivalent to the value of the car to be fair, it’s worth less than a grand

But the owner/registered keeper must be made aware of the storage fee, but with no keeper who do you notify? It’s not worth the hassle to attempt to do it the right way but I wouldn’t put myself in the firing line of any further action by doing it the wrong way.
What would you do if you took “ownership” of the Clio, went to the expense of getting keys, new V5, and giving it to someone and the kosher owner arrives, says “hey boys, I parked a Clio here 3 months ago, was walking down the street, got hit by a bus and was in hospital ever since”?
At least with the council taking it, there is an insured body that has the legal right to remove it.

 

[Rob]

Is there not something in law about notifying the previous owner if a car is left on your property? As is if you dont remove it in 3 months its mine? Not for the OP to do but surely clowncil need to do this and the worker the OP spoke to is talking through his back passage?

Council will take it off our property and scrap it after 7 days if we want them to.

 

[Bryan]

Back in the day when I was like 17 or 18 I used to collect scrap cars and cash them in. There was an abandoned Fiat Panda or Seat Marbella (can't remember) left at the Moira roundabout. I put a flyer on it for scrap cars so if the owner wanted rid of it they would give me a ring. I later got a call from some enforcement agency telling me I had to remove my "advertising vehicle". I hadn't a clue what they were talking about but then figured out it was the Panda. I explained that I had just noticed it and put a flyer on it and was awaiting the owner to ring me. He said they clearly didn't want it so if I could make it go away it would make his job easier. I obliged and winched it on the trailer and weighed it in. On the way home from doing that I got another call from the same number. Turns out he had found an untaxed Renault 5 in one of the estates in Moira. It belonged to a deceased relative of the lady in the house it was sitting at. He said she wanted rid of it as well so again I lifted that and cashed it in. I should have kept it though as it was a very low mileage example.

Those were the days....

 

[purplea4T]

Back in the day when I was like 17 or 18 I used to collect scrap cars and cash them in. There was an abandoned Fiat Panda or Seat Marbella (can't remember) left at the Moira roundabout. I put a flyer on it for scrap cars so if the owner wanted rid of it they would give me a ring. I later got a call from some enforcement agency telling me I had to remove my "advertising vehicle". I hadn't a clue what they were talking about but then figured out it was the Panda. I explained that I had just noticed it and put a flyer on it and was awaiting the owner to ring me. He said they clearly didn't want it so if I could make it go away it would make his job easier. I obliged and winched it on the trailer and weighed it in. On the way home from doing that I got another call from the same number. Turns out he had found an untaxed Renault 5 in one of the estates in Moira. It belonged to a deceased relative of the lady in the house it was sitting at. He said she wanted rid of it as well so again I lifted that and cashed it in. I should have kept it though as it was a very low mileage example.

Those were the days....

Theft by finding again. You had no lawful authority to remove any vehicle, and of course someone would tell you to fire away, it’s you getting caught with the car at the end of the day.

 

[Chris tii]

 

[Bryan]

Theft by finding again. You had no lawful authority to remove any vehicle, and of course someone would tell you to fire away, it’s you getting caught with the car at the end of the day.

They were there and watched me load it up. It had no windows or number plates and was clearly dumped.

 

[VVVXXX]

If in trade, the traders details who put it in trade will be with the DVLA

 

[hippyross]

There is an s8 laying in kilcooley for five months if anyone wants it

 

[Boksic]

@southsky sunrise what do you think?

 

[purplea4T]

There is an s8 laying in kilcooley for five months if anyone wants it

Good luck with that I’d a note through the door ages back

 

[karl7900]

@karl7900 you know where I mean. Have you ever heard what happens to them ? Or if you can intercept if they go to auction or scrap ?

It would be NET (Neighbourhood Environment Team) issues the notice as far as I remember. The vehicle is then lifted and stored at the aforementioned council yard then scrapped after a year if no fees or fines are paid. I'd say whichever council worker @Rob has spoken too is either not involved in the process or a lazy NET officer looking to avoid a bit of paperwork but the vehicles are definitely not up for grabs once lifted.

 

[hippyross]

Good luck with that I’d a note through the door ages back

There was a post on a local bangor page because its was blocking a disabled person's house. Apparently it's getting moved now.

 

[DJMCA]

I always thought the v5 wasn't proof of ownership. Lol, Google contradicted itself slightly.

This

Always confused me, how else would you prove ownership? I watched those debt collector programmes and they wont accept a V5 as proof, looking for receipt of sale. Cant remember the last time i got a receipt for a 20yr old car thats £500 quids worth

 

[CharlySkunkWeed]

This

Always confused me, how else would you prove ownership? I watched those debt collector programmes and they wont accept a V5 as proof, looking for receipt of sale. Cant remember the last time i got a receipt for a 20yr old car thats £500 quids worth

If you look at my screenshot, I then googled what paperwork is proof of ownership and it says the v5