Untaxed Vehicles

[Ian 3]

I'm as much for getting these off the road as anyone but is this legal?:-

I run a small repair and restoration business on a (confirmed by our landlord) privately owned business park, i've had a small van parked outside there for about 4 weeks waiting for a repair and return to the customer, i came in this morning to find the vehicle had been uplifted and moved to an untaxed vehicle pound some 50 feet from my premises, after contacting the landlord they confirmed they had no agreement with any company of this type but wouldn't help any further. Can these companies just stroll onto privately owned land and uplift anything they like?, the company claims it can but i'm not sure, as well as myself there's a rover breaker, a VW breaker and a busy bodyshop on the site, there must be at least 40 untaxed cars there but they're either for breaking or trade cars being repainted, the van they took is a cat c salvage vehicle so i couldnt sorn it if i wanted to.
Any advice would be appreciated

Ian

 

[NOMONEYBUTAMERC]

As far as i can see they are guilty of trespass and theft. In the same league as wheel clampers .

 

[grober]

Get the owner of the van to report it stolen. When the police visit the " scene of the crime" tell them you have spotted it in the compound and suggest its been illegally removed without your knowledge? Either your landlord or the vehicle pound people are being economical with the truth - time to make life awkward for them?

 

[brucemillar]

+1 for grober's post.

If the car is off road (not on the public highway) then it does not require tax. There may be an argument regards SORN but that should not detract from the theft of your customers property from Private Property.

 

[A-AvantGarde]

+1 for grober's post.

If the car is off road (not on the public highway) then it does not require tax. There may be an argument regards SORN but that should not detract from the theft of your customers property from Private Property.

+1 report it...

 

[flango]

We are on a privately owned business park too but if you look in your tenancy agreement or equivalent you will see the roads on a private business park come under the road traffic and highways act and are not classed as private roads therefore normal rules apply and what has happened is unfortunately perfectly legal.

 

[Burger]

+1 for grober's post.

If the car is off road (not on the public highway) then it does not require tax. There may be an argument regards SORN but that should not detract from the theft of your customers property from Private Property.

I thought the law had changed in that every single vehicle now had to be taxed or sorn'd. No alternative?

Just checked. First paragraph seems to make it clear... http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/motoring/owningavehicle/howtotaxyourvehicle/dg_10021514

Regards,

 

[stevieb15]

Get the owner of the van to report it stolen. When the police visit the " scene of the crime" tell them you have spotted it in the compound and suggest its been illegally removed without your knowledge? Either your landlord or the vehicle pound people are being economical with the truth - time to make life awkward for them?

I fear the police will conclude its a civil matter and suggest you consult your solicitor.

 

[carat 3.6]

When you say "parked outside", was it parked on ground that is rented by your unit, or on the site road?​

 

[Ian 3]

it was parked right outside my roller door, they gave me it back after four hours of phonecalls and pleading but it doesn't bode well for the other businesses there, the landlord gave me confirmation that it was private land and they never sought permission or were allowed on the park

 

[carat 3.6]

Glad you got it sorted.

If you have any more vehicles there that are not taxed, just remove the number plates and old tax discs.

 

[bolide]

I would have thought that kind of behaviour would lead to a rather robust response from the more hard-nosed tenants. Do they share the same landlord as the rest of the estate? If so there's an obvious (and legal) way to approach the problem

Nick Froome

 

[carat 3.6]

If so there's an obvious (and legal) way to approach the problem

If the car is parked on private ground then there is nothing ilegal about it.

Not entirely relavent but an intresting read: http://retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=125488&page=1

 

[grober]

My guess for what it's worth----- is the company who owns the business park [ or their solicitors ] will have "had a quiet word" with the guy in charge of the car compound. The salutary lesson is that any vehicle that is sat around for some time in plain sight with nothing happening to it inevitably becomes the subject of those of a " if you're havin' the battery I'm havin' the tyres " mentality.

 

[bolide]

If the car is parked on private ground then there is nothing ilegal about it.

You miss my point

My guess for what it's worth----- is the company who owns the business park [ or their solicitors ] will have "had a quiet word" with the guy in charge of the car compound

You get my point exactly. The landlord should ask the clampers to "play nice" and the problem will go away

Nick Froome

 

[Ian 3]

I would have thought that kind of behaviour would lead to a rather robust response from the more hard-nosed tenants. Do they share the same landlord as the rest of the estate? If so there's an obvious (and legal) way to approach the problem

Nick Froome

i've been in touch with the landlord and, as i said, they confirm it's private land but wont commit any further, the clamping company have the biggest pitch on the site so probably pay the most in rental, funny thing is, they couldnt get their wagon started last week and i lent them my jump starter, never again!!!