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Dos and don’ts of getting rid of your old car

  Friday, 25 August 2017

End-of-life vehicle waiting to be scrapped due to wear and tear

There comes a time in the life of any vehicle when it’s no longer safe or practical to use.  What’s more, if you continue to drive an older car that’s not roadworthy, you could incur a hefty fine and some unnecessary points on your driving licence.

For thousands of drivers that may have owned just a single vehicle for many years, they may have no idea how to actually get rid of a vehicle; simply because they’ve never had to do so before.

Every year, over a million vehicles are scrapped in the UK, so it’s by no means a niche industry anymore.

So, if your vehicle is reaching the end of its life, fortunately there are many ways you can dispose of it responsibly.  More importantly, there are numerous car scrapping pitfalls to avoid.  Read on for our key points to remember before you begin the process of disposing of your old vehicle.

Don’t

  • Agree to take cash payment for scrap cars in England or Wales.  The Scrap Metal Dealers’ Act makes this illegal, so steer clear of anyone wishing to pay in cash.
  • Take your vehicle to be scrapped anywhere that’s not an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF).
  • Forget to inform the DVLA that you’ve taken your vehicle to an ATF – providing you’re scrapping the car without keeping any of its parts.  Failure to do so could result in a £1000 fine.
  • Forget to make the DVLA aware that the vehicle is off the road if you’re choosing to take parts from an end-of-life vehicle before scrapping it.  It must be kept off-road in a garage, on a drive or on private land.
  • Forget to chase up your chosen ATF to receive the Certificate of Destruction (CoD).  It should be delivered to you within seven working days, so make sure you pick up the phone to request it if it’s not forthcoming.

Do

  • Ensure you keep your personal details secure.  Vehicle owners in England and Wales are required to demonstrate their photo ID and proof of address to any ATF, so ensure you’re sharing your personal information with a reputable firm.
  • Seek to reclaim any months remaining on your car tax using a V14 form.  You should also get in contact with your car insurer and ask for a refund or the opportunity to credit an insurance policy for an alternative vehicle.
  • Ensure you provide your chosen ATF with the vehicle log book, also known as the V5C form, but make sure to keep the yellow slip (V5C/3) from within it.
  • Apply to the DVLA if you wish to take the registration number off the end-of-life vehicle for use on another vehicle.

If you’re considering scrapping your vehicle, please give ASM Auto Recycling a call today on 01844 268 940 (Option 3).  We’re widely regarded as one of the UK’s most modern and professional vehicle and parts recyclers, processing more than 25,000 end-of-life vehicles each year.

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