Claiming an abandonded car?

--amadeus--

How do folks...

Herself works in a building that has dedicated parking for the offices and apartments. They have recently introduced clamping and are pushing hard to cut down on cars that are in teh car park and shouldn't be.

Now a couple of spaces up from her there is a 98 VM Polo. Tax, Insurance and (IIRC) NCT are all out of date and it hasn't moved in months - possibly a year or more. It's now clamped and has been for several weeks. The management company want rid and I have a feeling that if I offered to take it off thier hands they'd have no objections. But I am not sure of teh legalities.

• How long does a car have to sit in a public space to be considered abandoned?
• What steps do you have to take to contact the legal owner before claiming the car?
• Can teh clamping company claim the car in lieu of fine payment?
• How would you register the car in your own name?

All help appreciated!

Beta Ray Bill

It might be best to have a chat with your local Garda Station. As far as I am aware they are the only ones the can legally remove a Car and claim it as abandoned. I'm not 100% sure though

Darragh29

--amadeus-- wrote: »

How do folks...

Herself works in a building that has dedicated parking for the offices and apartments. They have recently introduced clamping and are pushing hard to cut down on cars that are in teh car park and shouldn't be.

Now a couple of spaces up from her there is a 98 VM Polo. Tax, Insurance and (IIRC) NCT are all out of date and it hasn't moved in months - possibly a year or more. It's now clamped and has been for several weeks. The management company want rid and I have a feeling that if I offered to take it off thier hands they'd have no objections. But I am not sure of teh legalities.

• How long does a car have to sit in a public space to be considered abandoned?
• What steps do you have to take to contact the legal owner before claiming the car?
• Can teh clamping company claim the car in lieu of fine payment?
• How would you register the car in your own name?

All help appreciated!

I know a recovery company that have this sussed down to an art. This shower have a contract to do Garda work, so when the Gardai call them to remove a car, they bring it straight to their lock-up.

They charge 20 Euro a day to store the car, so it can be left there in their yard for a few weeks, throw on 200 Euro recovery, if someone shows up for the car, they can be looking at anywhere between 500-1,000 Euro for a car that hasn't been there more than a few weeks and they won't release it until they are paid. So if the car is only worth a few hundered quid, the recovery shower own the car in lieu of their invoice... I think it's called a "lean" they take on the asset.

Tipsy Mac

A 98 polo that hasnt moved in a year, has clamping bills to pay and you dont have the key for or registration documents will not be worth touching.

TwoShedsJackson

Take the reg plates off then ring the cops.

CreepingDeath

--amadeus-- wrote: »

• How long does a car have to sit in a public space to be considered abandoned?
• What steps do you have to take to contact the legal owner before claiming the car?
• Can teh clamping company claim the car in lieu of fine payment?
• How would you register the car in your own name?

I'd be very surprised if you can just claim someone elses property,
even if it appears/is abandoned. Also, if it's on private grounds, that means it can legally stay there without tax & insurance.

Last time I got rid of my old car I had to mail the log book to Dublin council first.

Abandoned car removal

Berty

CreepingDeath wrote: »

I'd be very surprised if you can just claim someone elses property,
removal[/URL]

The Gardai can. If you consider all the confiscated items they have in their stations. Every so often the put an ad in the local papers saying they are having an auction and you can go buy all the stuff including cars.

Mostly bikes for some strange reason.

spartacus93

TwoShedsJackson wrote: »

Take the reg plates off then ring the cops.

+1

maybe not the best idea BUT if you're ever stuck with an abandonded car in your area and you want rid, get rid of the plates and call the cops. It'll be gone by the end of the day

if the plates are still on it when the guards come it could be lying around for a good while.

*you could probably get in trouble for this but i've been told to do this by guards when a car is causing an obstruction AND is clearly abandoned.*

legalbird12

The cops can and will not do anything if it is on private property. They will coem have a look at it adn just no offence has been committed so what can they do.

The management company dont want to know as if they move it and the real owner comes back they will be liable.

This is a real grey area. The car that was abandoned in our carpark was worth about 25 grand, I thought I was onto a winner but no joy.

Another problem is how will you register it? How do you get into it, criminal damage!!

Surely, you can buy a 98 polo fior less hassle.