Untaxed cars

Markopolo

Markopolo

Markopolo

Associate
Joined
10 Jan 2008
Posts
190
My neighbour has 6/7 cars. Normally I wouldn't go looking at this kind of thing but he is a menace and his cars are routinely taking up most of the parking spaces round here. I decided to look one of them up (it is damaged at the front) and discovered it is untaxed and has been for years. This made me curious and I checked the rest. They are all untaxed/nonMOTed.

I thought that it was pretty hard to get away with being untaxed these days, what with ANPR and the various databases but he seems to getting along fine.

I was planning to report the vehicles as untaxed.They are all parked on private property (when I bought the house I discovered that I owned the road too). They are mostly moved at night and are parked up reversed tight against a wall with the front plates removed. Having spoken to several other neighbors they have said that they have reported his cars several times but nothing can be done (due to the private road and blocking viewing of his plates) unless he is caught driving them. Anyone else come across this before? I've done a bit of googling but come up blank.
 
If they are parked on private property, with permission of the owner, then they are legal untaxed - if you are the owner and dont like him parking on your road then get them removed.
If they are taking up most of the parking spaces, an he doesnt own them, then whoever does can have them removed - if they are on public spaces they need to be taxed as they are not 'off road' - thats how I see it as a layman
 
Yeh, need to complain to the owner of the road. Also check if any lease agreement exists which allows him to do that.
 
Chances are there will be easements / covenants which prevent you from preventing access on the road. How much do you want to spend on legal fees, because it would come down to the interpretation of the wording in the deed on this.
 
Markopolo said:
My neighbour has 6/7 cars. Normally I wouldn't go looking at this kind of thing but he is a menace and his cars are routinely taking up most of the parking spaces round here. I decided to look one of them up (it is damaged at the front) and discovered it is untaxed and has been for years. This made me curious and I checked the rest. They are all untaxed/nonMOTed.

I thought that it was pretty hard to get away with being untaxed these days, what with ANPR and the various databases but he seems to getting along fine.

I was planning to report the vehicles as untaxed.They are all parked on private property (when I bought the house I discovered that I owned the road too). They are mostly moved at night and are parked up reversed tight against a wall with the front plates removed. Having spoken to several other neighbors they have said that they have reported his cars several times but nothing can be done (due to the private road and blocking viewing of his plates) unless he is caught driving them. Anyone else come across this before? I've done a bit of googling but come up blank.
Click to expand...

If you also own the road id serve notice to remove them and set a timescale of 28 days.. then tow, store at his expense and crush
 
~Divine~Wind~ said:
If Op owns the land then surely he has some legal fallback to get them removed?
Click to expand...

They will, but it is a lengthy process.

The person that has put their vehicle there could argue they have a right to use of the land, presumably they will have a legal right to use of that land under some kind of lease agreement. You would have to refute that right. BDEE's post above comes into play.

You can't just give someone 28 days and then tow it away. That could actually be theft (taking a vehicle without consent). Crushing it is even more laughable.

Here's the answer where it is clear the person parking has parked on private land they have no right to park on:

https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q441.htm
 
Last edited:
If it is really bothering you then a quick check with a solicitor could clear things up in terms of what is and isn't allowed.

the police might well be useless initially - they're a bit lazy when it comes to things that they could take action on but there is some level of doubt involved so are rather fond of avoiding additional hassle with the old 'Its a civil matter' type excuses

Firstly he at least needs to make a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) when taking the vehicles off the road - if he's not done that then the DVLA might be interested.

Secondly it would be interesting to find out what laws apply - for example just because your local supermarket car park is 'private property' doesn't mean that you can allow an underage driver to practice driving on it or that you can get away with speeding.

On the other hand if you've got your own 'road' i.e. a long driveway on a big stately home that only you own and that isn't accessible to the public then perhaps traffic laws don't apply.

Question might well be does the public have access to your private road? Is it a dead end with a gate at one end or at least some sort of sign saying 'private road, no access'? Or is it much like any other road aside from the resident's are responsible for maintaining it? Given that you said you didn't realise you also own it until you moved in I'm assuming it might be the latter?
 
dowie said:
Given that you said you didn't realise you also own it until you moved in I'm assuming it might be the latter?
Click to expand...

I bet the OP doesn't actually own it in the absolute sense.

The OP either has a lease agreement that allows them to park there.

or

They are indeed the freeholder of the road, but lease agreements have been issued to each of their neighbours which gives them use of it for peppercorn rent lasting up to 999 years. I don't think it will be this as the OP then becomes responsible for maintenence.
 
~Divine~Wind~ said:
If Op owns the land then surely he has some legal fallback to get them removed?
Click to expand...

I think the OP means that he (along with his neighbours) collectively own the road?

Unless it is a small development of a few large houses and they essentially use his driveway for access

muon said:
I bet the OP doesn't actually own it in the absolute sense.

The OP either has a lease agreement that allows them to park there.

or

They are indeed the freeholder of the road, but lease agreements have been issued to each of their neighbours which gives them use of it for peppercorn rent lasting up to 999 years. I don't think it will be this as the OP then becomes responsible for maintenence.
Click to expand...

sounds more like he and the neighbours own the freehold - unless they're using what would otherwise have been his driveway
 
Has nobody asked the important question- what cars are they and for what reason does his neighbor feel the need to keep them and most of all why he feels the need to move them around constantly?
 
Markopolo said:
My neighbour has 6/7 cars. Normally I wouldn't go looking at this kind of thing but he is a menace and his cars are routinely taking up most of the parking spaces round here. I decided to look one of them up (it is damaged at the front) and discovered it is untaxed and has been for years. This made me curious and I checked the rest. They are all untaxed/nonMOTed.
Click to expand...


So what is the actual issue here?

The fact that he's a menace is irrelevant. What is relevant is whether he has actually done something to you in the past, and rather than sort it out there and then, have now decided do don a keyboard and go on a mission to get him in trouble with authorities.

The fact that he takes up "most" spaces is also irrelevant. What is relevant is whether you have enough space for your own car(s).

Man what a horrible situation to be in, parking your car legally in private land minding your own business, while having a bunch of neighbours counting your cars, talking about you and planning ways to snitch you up.

What's this guys number so I can let him now his neighbours are bitching?

As you said you/neighbours have already reported him, so what's with the active mission? How about simply not caring and minding your own business? (Apparently even the police seem to be doing just that :D)
 
Last edited:
muon said:
I bet the OP doesn't actually own it in the absolute sense.

The OP either has a lease agreement that allows them to park there.

or

They are indeed the freeholder of the road, but lease agreements have been issued to each of their neighbours which gives them use of it for peppercorn rent lasting up to 999 years. I don't think it will be this as the OP then becomes responsible for maintenence.
Click to expand...

A bit more detail - there are 13 houses in our cul de sac and 14 spaces. Each house has a space which they own. I own my space, the guest space and the road. I have checked one of the neighbour's deeds and it makes no mention of the road at all. I would have thought that we would all share ownership of the road but that appears not to be the case.

Our menace neighbour doesn't care about which spaces he uses. I and others have tried discussing it with him but to no avail. Everyone else on the cul de sac parks reasonably. Due to the pressure he is putting on parking here people often have to park 5-10 minutes away from their house. Sounds like a little thing but it gets annoying when it's daily.

:rolleyes: I have considered getting a mac to protect myself from him, I have heard they can be gotten hold of easily? :rolleyes:
 
Surely if you own your space and the guest space then if he parks in them you can have his vehicle removed because it's on your property. Likewise if he blocks you access to the spaces you own. Anything else and I imagine there isn't much to be done.
 
Markopolo said:
Due to the pressure he is putting on parking here people often have to park 5-10 minutes away from their house. Sounds like a little thing but it gets annoying when it's daily.
Click to expand...
So this menace neighbour must also have to park the car he drives daily 5 to 10 minutes away from his house ?

Markopolo said:
A bit more detail - there are 13 houses in our cul de sac and 14 spaces. Each house has a space which they own. I own my space, the guest space and the road.
Click to expand...
Who the hell builds an estate of 13 houses with only enough parking for a single car to each house
And why do you own the only extra spare guest parking space available when there 12 other houses on the estate ?

where would any visitors to the other 12 houses park ?
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom