How to get relatives car off my property

[Avacadosprinkles]

A relative has left their car in my garage for the last 10 years. I want to sell my house and they won't move it. They could move it to their own property but don't want to. It was always meant to be temporary. I have brought it up several times over the years and they just brush me off with excuses every time. I have ran out of patience. What legal route do I need to take. I don't want to dispose of or sell the car I just want to get it towed to their driveway, but Google seems to suggest I could be prosecuted for criminal damage if I do

I would send one final email giving them 28 days to remove it, stating that you have withdrawn the offer of them storing it there after 10 years and then seek legal advice with a solicitor, because as you say, it’s not as easy as just towing it back to them.

Well it’s abandoned after ten years so scrap it. Ring a company they’ll tow it and scrap it for you.

Do it
It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission
It's not like they'd actually tow it back to your house

Can’t you just park it on the street and tell them that’s where it is?

10 years? Just bloody scrap it.

It's an expensive classic car, so I don't want any legal come back from scrapping it, or dumping on the street.

Then you'll need to take legal advice.

What legal comeback? It’s not your car, as long as you tell them what you are doing with fair notice there’s no comeback.

It'll be worthless if it's been sat in your garage for 10 years. The engine will have ceased up and it'll need expensive restoration. That's why they don't want it.

I'd get a solicitors letter done, and say they have 28 days to remove it or it'll be scrapped.

You would probably be best to get a solicitor involved, have them send a letter to your relative and discuss options with you.

How long was the original agreement for, what excuses are they making for not collecting it? Infuriating to do someone a favour and then they won't just come and get their own car.

I would tow it to street parking and let them know.

Write to them and get the letter signed for ( recorded delivery I think ) that you give them 14 days to collect or it will be sold - not towed to them . I think you can sell ( potentially to a scrap yard ) ( and give them any profit ) but it’s less clear you can get the stuff delivered to them

Will they prosecute you though? Surely it’s not worth their effort? You are returning something owned by them. Are they the legal owner? Is it insured?

Tell them that if they choose to leave their car in the garage it will be included in the house sale.

Yes they are legal owner and it's insured
From their unreasonable behaviour so far I wouldn't be surprised if they did take legal action against me

From AI

Under UK law, you cannot immediately throw away or keep items left on your property. You become an "involuntary bailee" and have a legal duty to take reasonable care of them. You must attempt to contact the owner and give them a reasonable deadline (usually 14 to 21 days) to collect their belongings. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
The framework for managing this process is laid out in the Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977. 1, 2]

Step-by-step procedure:
Document and Secure: Take photographs or videos of the items and store them securely, ensuring they are not damaged. 1, 2]
Trace the Owner: Make reasonable attempts to contact the individual (via phone, email, or a tracing agent) to inform them their goods are being held. 1, 2]
Serve a Notice (Torts Act Notice): If they don't respond informally, send a formal written notice to their last known address. The notice should include:
A list of the items.
Where the items are being stored.
A clear deadline for collection (usually 21 days from the date of the notice).
A warning that the items will be sold or disposed of if the deadline is missed. 1, 2, 3]
Disposal or Sale: If the deadline passes without collection, you can sell or dispose of the goods. If you sell them, you must return the proceeds to the owner, but you are legally entitled to deduct the costs you incurred for storing, moving, or selling the items. 1, 2]

Exceptions to the rule:
Perishables: Food or decaying items can be disposed of immediately.
Vehicles: If a car has been left on your land, it may be on finance or belong to a third party. You should perform a DVLA vehicle check and contact the local police before disposing of it. 1]
For official guidance and notice templates tailored to various scenarios (like former tenants or general finders), you can refer to the Citizens Advice website for further details. 1]

To give you the most relevant advice, could you tell me:
Who left the stuff behind (e.g., a former tenant, an unknown trespasser, or a house seller)?
What types of items were left (e.g., furniture, a car, or personal documents)?

You need to look in to Torts.

rutherfordslegal.com/how-to-dispose-of-goods-on-your-premises-that-dont-belong-to-you/

Problem is , I don't want to dispose or sell the car I just want it towed to their property, for some reason torts notice doesn't cover this 3rd option

You said it is insured. Does this mean they take it out? If so surely you only have to lock garage when thy take it out.
Wha do thy expect to happen to their car when you move?

It's been dumped essentially. I think yeah, you can report it to the council as such and they're obliged to remove it?
Tell owner once and for all it's being disposed of in X days if they don't come. And you could seek legal action to get them to pay for storage?

It's OK to ask AI and it was good to state that you had, but why not just edit out the irrelevant bits?

Tell them you have seen an estate agent and are putting your house up for sale! So they will have to move the car.

Then you list it on marketplace and send the link to the owner and force their hand to come and get it, if they don’t then you sell it or scrap it. The ball is in their court.

Out of interest and just because I’m very nosy - what car is still expensive after 10 years dumped in a garage?

They don't take the car on the road, it's currently sorn but insured.
Quite frankly I think they just expect me not to put the house on the market whilst it's housing their car. I wish I was joking

If you don’t want the hassle of selling a scrap yard is your best bet - they take it away and give you £100

edit to add but only after you send the formal, recorded delivery letter outlining what you plan if they don’t collect the car