Each year, almost 3 million vehicles are abandoned in England. Nuisance, unsightly abandoned vehicles on private commercial land can be annoying, unsafe, block access and cost businesses money by taking up valuable parking space. Working with local councils and enforcement agencies, FirstLine Recovery quickly and efficiently remove abandoned vehicles and complete all necessary legal paperwork to make sure removal is as quick and painless as possible.

While there is no legal definition of what can be considered an “abandoned vehicle”, there are guidelines to help to justify removal. Where a vehicle has been stationary for a significant amount of time, is missing number plates, has smashed windows, missing wheels or flat tyres, is burned out or is otherwise unroadworthy, it’s safe to assume the vehicle has been abandoned and can be removed. In all cases FirstLine Recovery will issue all legal notices and warnings. We will liaise with local police where required until the vehicle can be safely removed and impounded, sold or destroyed. We’ll provide a DVLA Certificate of Destruction (CoD) where the vehicle needs to be scrapped.

We don’t always need to involve the police in vehicle removal cases, but where it is necessary we advise strict adherence to their advice. Cases of eviction or physical removal usually require police attendance, and in some cases this can delay removal if their assessment of the situation concludes that eviction is not appropriate at that time. This is usually in cases where the owner of the vehicle has responded to eviction notices and is aggressively opposing vehicle removal. In these situations, FirstLine Recovery will continue to act on your behalf until the vehicle has been safely and legally removed.

FirstLine Recovery are available to remove abandoned cars and other vehicles in London, Surrey, Sussex, Essex and Kent. Our fleet is equipped to move vehicles of all size and condition and includes all terrain vehicles for those abandoned off-road.

If you’re not sure if a vehicle has been abandoned, but you have noticed it has been stationary for a long time and it’s becoming a nuisance, contact our office. FirstLine Recovery Office Team will quickly assess the situation and make a recommendation based on the information you provide.