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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Can I report this car? And if so WIBU to do so or should I just leave it be?

54 replies

doesthismakemeanarse · 31/08/2021 10:57

Residential street, outskirts of London.
No parking restrictions but also not all houses have driveways (or driveways big enough for all cars in household) so there is still an element of demand for on street parking, which is limited because due to width of road, need to allow other vehicles to pass through etc people can only park on one side, not both.

about 5 doors down lives an elderly lady (at a guess in her 80s). Her DH died a few years ago now - he was a bit of a tinkerer with 'vintage' cars, and usually had 2-3 in various states of disrepair at any one time. SInce he died, there's been 2 shells of cars - think no wheels, missing doors etc on their drive under tarps, and another one that looks physically intact on the road.

Obviously it's completely up to her what she does with the cars on her drive, but the one on the road is a really big old car, 50+ years old, you could fit 2 small modern cars like a Fiat 500 or similar in it's space. According to the Gov.uk website it's MOT ran out in 2017, and I'm pretty sure it hasn't moved since then - there are weeds growing round it. It does seem to be taxed but I guess that's just a formality given it's age. It doesn't seem to be a runner, and whilst I could understand them maybe wanting to keep it for sentimental reasons or a family member, but I'm not sure it's fair to keep it on the street occupying effectively 2 parking spaces indefinitely.

I'm not unsympathetic, and I certainly wouldn't complain if all the cars were on her driveway, but taking up a road space (or two) essentially permanently just seems a little unfair - or is that me?

OP posts:
Lockheart · 31/08/2021 11:04

If it's not in roadworthy condition (if it hasn't moved in 3 years then it won't have an MOT, for a start as you point out), then it shouldn't be being stored on a public highway. It needs to be moved to other off-road storage if they want to keep it.

Tee20x · 31/08/2021 11:04

Have you spoken to her about it? Perhaps she has been wanting to get rid of it but doesn't know how to or have the means to?

Otherwise you can report to the local council as an abandoned vehicle which will then be removed - but I'm not sure whether this will incur a cost for the owner of said car.

Mamamia7962 · 31/08/2021 11:04

If it's taxed it's legal. And if it wasn't, why would you want to sneakily report it. Wouldnt it be more polite and neighbourly to talk to her about it.

Lockheart · 31/08/2021 11:05

@Mamamia7962

If it's taxed it's legal. And if it wasn't, why would you want to sneakily report it. Wouldnt it be more polite and neighbourly to talk to her about it.
If it doesn't have an MOT then no, it is not legal to have it on the road.
Lockheart · 31/08/2021 11:07

@Mamamia7962

If it's taxed it's legal. And if it wasn't, why would you want to sneakily report it. Wouldnt it be more polite and neighbourly to talk to her about it.
You also need insurance to park a car on the street, as well as an MOT (and tax).
Original poster
doesthismakemeanarse · 31/08/2021 11:10

I haven't ever spoken to her, she is very elderly, and doesn't seem to leave the house - I was on nodding terms with her husband as he was often outside doing stuff to the cars but I didn't really speak to him, I very rarely saw her even before he died. I don't want to distress her but surely the car can't stay there indefinitely?

OP posts:
Original poster
doesthismakemeanarse · 31/08/2021 11:13

I think the tax thing will be because of it's age - there's no cost to tax a car, and I'd imagine as there's no cost it may well just auto renew. It definitely has no MOT, I've checked. Can't check insurance AFAIK (I think you can only check the insurers database if you've had an accident or something can't you, which clearly isn't the case), but it wouldn't surprise me if it's not insured.

OP posts:
SusieBob · 31/08/2021 11:14

Just talk to her. Maybe she wants rid but doesn't know how.

sirfredfredgeorge · 31/08/2021 11:15

From the information, it's exempt from an MOT and exempt from TAX, if they keep paying to insure it (which won't be much), it can legally remain parked on the road just like any other car.

Aprilx · 31/08/2021 11:16

@doesthismakemeanarse

I haven't ever spoken to her, she is very elderly, and doesn't seem to leave the house - I was on nodding terms with her husband as he was often outside doing stuff to the cars but I didn't really speak to him, I very rarely saw her even before he died. I don't want to distress her but surely the car can't stay there indefinitely?
You say you are not unsympathetic and yet you go straight to reporting rather than speaking to her.

She may want to get rid and doesn’t have a clue how to go about it, perhaps you could point her towards a scrap car company that will collect it.

DynamoKev · 31/08/2021 11:16

It may be mot exempt.
If it’s taxed, it is most likely insured as dvla cross checks against the insurance data on MID.

Local authorities have the power to issue notices to move even legal vehicles that appear to be abandoned.

OhSmellyCatSmellyCat · 31/08/2021 11:16

i would probably just leave it and not say anything. I wouldn't want to cause her any distress and although its an inconvenience it's not causing a real problem

sirfredfredgeorge · 31/08/2021 11:17

Local authorities have the power to issue notices to move even legal vehicles that appear to be abandoned

Which if it's parked outside the registered keepers house isn't likely to happen is it.

LegendaryReady · 31/08/2021 11:18

@doesthismakemeanarse

I think the tax thing will be because of it's age - there's no cost to tax a car, and I'd imagine as there's no cost it may well just auto renew. It definitely has no MOT, I've checked. Can't check insurance AFAIK (I think you can only check the insurers database if you've had an accident or something can't you, which clearly isn't the case), but it wouldn't surprise me if it's not insured.
No cost tax doesn't happen automatically. I have a car that has no tax charge but you still need to physically tax it. I know this becuase I got a letter pointing out the error of my ways when I transferred it from DH's name into mine.
Lockheart · 31/08/2021 11:18

@sirfredfredgeorge

From the information, it's exempt from an MOT and exempt from TAX, if they keep paying to insure it (which won't be much), it can legally remain parked on the road just like any other car.
I did wonder about the historic exemption for MOT, but if they keep taxing it then perhaps it's post 1981 and not quite old enough to meet that exemption, which is why I would guess it needs an MOT.
NapoleonOzmolysis · 31/08/2021 11:18

Report it to the council and let them deal with it. You can do it anonymously in our area, there's a form on the council website.

sirfredfredgeorge · 31/08/2021 11:22

which is why I would guess it needs an MOT

But how could it have current TAX if it has needed but hasn't had an MOT for 4 years?

You keep Taxing cars pre 1981, it just doesn't involve any money.

dworky · 31/08/2021 11:23

Unless you are going to report those with multiple cars or vans which take up two spaces, YABU.

DynamoKev · 31/08/2021 11:24

@sirfredfredgeorge

Local authorities have the power to issue notices to move even legal vehicles that appear to be abandoned

Which if it's parked outside the registered keepers house isn't likely to happen is it.

It could do - I have known people to be issued with such notices for vehicles parked outside or near their own home.
DynamoKev · 31/08/2021 11:26

@sirfredfredgeorge

which is why I would guess it needs an MOT

But how could it have current TAX if it has needed but hasn't had an MOT for 4 years?

You keep Taxing cars pre 1981, it just doesn't involve any money.

If over 40 years old, it doesn't require an MOT
DynamoKev · 31/08/2021 11:27

I did wonder about the historic exemption for MOT, but if they keep taxing it then perhaps it's post 1981 and not quite old enough to meet that exemption, which is why I would guess it needs an MOT.

Op claims it's 50+ years old so unless heavily modified it will be MOT exempt.

Lockheart · 31/08/2021 11:29

@DynamoKev

I did wonder about the historic exemption for MOT, but if they keep taxing it then perhaps it's post 1981 and not quite old enough to meet that exemption, which is why I would guess it needs an MOT.

Op claims it's 50+ years old so unless heavily modified it will be MOT exempt.

Yes, but if this chap liked restoring vintage cars then I think there's a chance it's been modified enough to need an MOT despite the age.
Moelwynbach · 31/08/2021 11:31

It only needs an MOT if its driven I think. If its taxed there is nowt you can do. I'd stop worrying about it and move on. These things get under your skin after a while and start driving you mad.

DynamoKev · 31/08/2021 11:32

Yes, but if this chap liked restoring vintage cars then I think there's a chance it's been modified enough to need an MOT despite the age.

Restoring isn't the same as modifying, but of course we are all speculating. No-one inspects cars to see if they are modified so no doubt there are plenty that shouldn't be MOT exempt but are claiming the exemptions anyway.

DynamoKev · 31/08/2021 11:32

@Moelwynbach

It only needs an MOT if its driven I think. If its taxed there is nowt you can do. I'd stop worrying about it and move on. These things get under your skin after a while and start driving you mad.
No - it needs an MOT to be on a public road (unless exempt which it almost certainly is).
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