Do you know your obligations when transferring or scrapping a vehicle?

Orkney Islands Council is reminding vehicle owners of their obligations for keeping vehicle ownership details up to date and dealing with end-of-life vehicles correctly, off the back of increasing issues with abandoned vehicles issues in the county over the last few years.

Scrap cars and abandoned vehicles can be an eyesore in the community. If disposed of incorrectly they can also be harmful to the environment. Failing to update vehicle ownership details with the DVLA can cause headaches – and fines - for the registered owners.

David Brown is the Council’s Environmental Health Services Manager. “It’s really important vehicle owners make sure they know what to do with a car that’s come to the end of its useful life.

“Manufacturers of most vehicles are obliged to provide a system whereby end of life vehicles can be disposed of free of charge. Such schemes include CarTakeBack and AutoGreen. These schemes may not be suitable in all circumstances and you may find it more convenient to dispose of your end of life vehicle via a licensed scrap metal dealer.

“If you choose the scrap route, you must ensure that the person or business you engage to dispose of your vehicle has the relevant licence.

“It’s also really important when a car is passed onto another person - whether that be for use in a field, or as a household or business vehicle, or to a scrap dealer - that ownership is properly transferred, by using the V5C form issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).

“The V5C is the paper document issued by the DVLA to the registered keeper of a vehicle – ultimately this will be the person who is held responsible for the vehicle.

“The consequences of not ensuring these details are kept up to date is that the registered keeper may be liable for substantial costs if the vehicle is subsequently reported as abandoned and the Council arranges the removal and/or disposal of the vehicle.”

For further information about disposal schemes with manufacturers, contact:

CarTakeBack scheme - Email the scheme or visit their website www.cartakeback.com or telephone 08000717191.

Rewarding Recycling (Autogreen) - Email the scheme or visit their website www.rewardingrecycling.co.uk or telephone 08005422002

For more information on end-of-life or abandoned vehicles, contact Environmental Health at Orkney Islands Council on telephone 01856873535 extension 2801 or email the team.