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

Serve the notice, wait the number of days, have a company come and collect it on a flatbed and leave it at their address, on the street outside. Have the delivery company photograph the condition of it at drop off. Job done! It'll cost you which is annoying, but you need a way out of the stalemate.

I'm sorry you have such awful relatives OP!

And this is why they’re taking the piss. stop being a wet lettuce call a towing company and get it towed to their house this week. It’s quite simple!

That’s illegal and she thinks the relatives are bat shit enough to go legal if she does that

I am guessing this is a close relative? You probably should go down a legal route.

Why not?

Because it’s a faff? Yes but less so than what you’re currently putting up with not being able to move house!

Because you’d feel bad? Don’t. They’ve brought this on themselves.

Agree this is wet lettuce territory....
I also bet your relative is male..

Honestly if its an old car slip the lock
https://www.wikihow.com/Open-Car-Doors
Release the hand brake and just pop it on the road

Message and say its on the road nmfp.

(Not my fucking problem)

They are being so unreasonable and it makes me really cross that you can be held to ransom in this way. Surely if you say either move it by Friday or it will be towed at your expense, there can be no comeback from them? Yes they may not pay the bill (is that what they're hoping?), but they had notice. It's totally unreasonable to expect you not to sell your house so they continue to get housing for their car! (What car is it? A Jaguar E-type? drool)

I want to know what legal mechanism I can use to protect myself. If I tow the car it opens me up to legal problems

I originally thought I could do this through torts notice but that doesn't seem to cover being able to tow the car back to their property. I certainly don't want to end up with a criminal record if they decide to retaliate. I quite honestly wouldn't put it past them

This is what Google says about torts if wanting to use it to the owners property-

You cannot legally serve a standard Torts notice and privately tow the vehicle to the owner's property yourself. In the UK, forcibly moving a vehicle without the owner's consent or a court order risks allegations of criminal damage or theft. The legal process depends on whether the vehicle is considered abandoned or simply a trespassing nuisance. 1, 2, , 5]

It may have been an expensive classic car ten years ago, but ten years mouldering away in a garage, the engine never turned over, the electrics not checked for mouse nibbling - it's scrap.

I agree with others - put it in writing that they have 28 days to remove the car from your property, or you will scrap 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."
Can I suggest - you weren't firm enough with them all these years? And they knew you wouldn't be, knowing they could brush you off and their car would stay in your garage. So this time - you have to be VERY clear. No polite requests, no 'sorry can you', no ambiguity at all.

For example : 'If the car is still on my property on <date>, NamedScrapyard will be collecting it and I will forward you their invoice, they have quoted me £xxx for their services and I have provisionally booked it's removal.'

And do it.

PS : just googled to see likely charge - first result came up was https://www.sellthecar.co.uk/. You enter the registration number and they will tell you how much they will pay you for the car.

So I now suggest that you send them, in writing:

'If the car is still on my property on <date>, https://www.sellthecar.co.uk/ have offered £xxx and will be collecting it the day after. Whether you pick it up or they do, this car is exiting my garage.'

The only way is to serve the correct legal notice, if they choose to ignore it then you will have to dispose of it. That is on them.

You've not watched Bangers & Cash, have you?

Don't waste money on solicitors just tell them shift it within a week if they dont pump up the tyres up and dump it on their drive.
No excuses move it

No I'm past feeling bad. I just want the car off my property and back on their property without facing any legal problems myself

Can you just open the garage door and hope it gets stolen? (Tell them it is now open too)

How can you sell or scrap a car you don't own?

So why the preference for towing it back, rather than selling/scrapping it after giving them sufficient notice that that’s what you’ll do?

The way PPs have said - by giving proper notice, and giving any proceeds of a sale back to the owner. You don’t have to just live with anything someone dumps on your property!

agreed this is what I did. A scrap dealer towed it for free.

If you think it's likel to cause trouble, consult a solicitor. They will probably advise the Torts process, sending notice and scrapping the car. If your relative wants to stop that, they can easily collect their property. As long as it's out of your garage, its not your problem.

Sell to a scrap yard/ it’s as much hassle as organising a tow truck - let them know that’s your intention as you think it worthless

Yes close relative so trying to deal with this in the least nuclear way possible. I've asked nicely, I've asked firmly. I've told them in needs to be gone within the month. Just get excuses of why they can't move it to their property, or that they're going to sell it (never actually seen any evidence of them trying to sell it) then they avoid the subject at all costs.
My patience has run out and I want to follow a legal route as they can be retaliatory and I want to make sure I'm protected

What about if you send them an invoice for storage? Nominal fee for the last 10 years, rising to £1000 per day from X July 2026?

You need some proper legal advice, @Avacadosprinkles, just contact a solicitor.

Oh, I see what you mean @WhatAMarvelousTune

I find it VERY hard to believe that if you:

• send a letter before action stating how long they have to remove it from your property
• state clearly your intention to return it to them should they not remove it
• state that by not contacting you or removing it themselves, they accept that if you move it, it may be damaged

That ANY court would then find you liable for anything, should you be forced to move it and they attempt to claim damage. Courts work on the 'reasonable man' principle, and giving them fair warning and clearly setting out your intentions is pretty bloody reasonable.

That doesn't mean they couldn't try - but they'd have to put in the time, effort and money to do so and almost certainly won't and would struggle to find any legal representation who'd agree to take their case.