Abandoned Vehicles - What we do
We aim to keep the environment as pleasant as possible and do all we can to deal with abandoned vehicles quickly.
What is an abandoned vehicle?
The definition of an abandoned vehicle is a vehicle with no known owner.
Cars that are simply untaxed (but in use) or causing an obstruction will be dealt with by other agencies. Please refer to the following table and report vehicles to the correct agency.
| Problem | Report to | Contact Details |
|---|---|---|
Untaxed vehicle |
DVLA |
08000 325 202 |
Vehicle causing obstruction OR Vehicle in a dangerous condition |
Police |
01322 280055 |
Abandoned vehicle OR Burnt out shell |
Dartford Borough Council |
01322 343290 |
The police, not the Council, have the power to immediately remove any vehicle which is left abandoned in breach of local traffic regulation orders, is causing an obstruction or is likely to cause a danger.
Vehicles that are correctly reported to the Council as abandoned are inspected within 24 hours and enquiries made regarding ownership and/or police interest. If the owner cannot be traced, a notice is fixed to the windscreen and the car is removed after the appropriate warning time has elapsed. This time varies according to where the vehicle is located and its condition.
When reporting a car to any of the above agencies, the following information is required:
- Your name and contact number
- Location of the vehicle – be as specific as possible, eg outside No. 6
- Details of the vehicle - registration number, make, model and colour
- Whether or not the vehicle is showing a current tax disc
- Condition of the vehicle and how long at location
Your identity will not be divulged to a third party but we may wish to telephone you to give you a progress report or obtain further information.
In brief we will:
- Inspect the vehicle to ascertain its condition, whether its location is dangerous, whether it is taxed and so on.
- Check with the DVLA to find out whether it has a registered keeper. If the owner can be found, they will be told to remove it themselves or charged if we have to remove it.
- Check with the Police as to whether the vehicle has been stolen or involved in an accident. If it has we are not able to remove it.
- If the vehicle has been genuinely abandoned and if both the DVLA and Police authorise removal, we will then stick a seven day removal order to the car and remove and either store or crush it when the seven days expire.
