Scrapping a car is a terminal decision. Once you’ve made that choice to confine a car to the crusher and it’s been recycled, it’s hardly reversible. So, what do you do if someone has taken your car and sent it to the scrapyard without you knowing? Let Scrap Car Comparison guide you through everything you need to know.
Why might someone want to scrap your car without permission?
Scrapping a car is a relatively quick and easy way to get rid of a vehicle that you don’t want anymore. Rather than trying to find a buyer in a used car sale, who may be searching for a specific type of interior or will be going through your service history with a fine-tooth comb, a scrap dealer simply wants to get his hands on a piece of unwanted metal that he can recycle and do with as he pleases.
As a result, scrapping a car is a much faster approach. Simply work out the car’s value based on the current scrap market, pay that figure and job done. This is why scrapping used to be a popular choice among car thieves – a quick quid and, if being paid for in cash, possible to be untraced.
It’s for this reason that the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 came into force, clamping down on questionable practices from unscrupulous scrap dealers. Not only were specific regulations put in place with regard to safety, but it also became illegal to pay cash for any scrap metal.
Can someone scrap your car without your permission?
These days, if someone was to attempt to scrap your car without your permission, they’re going to face a large number of roadblocks, any one of which could deter them. For starters, there’s no paying cash anymore. Any payment for scrap metal must be paid by either bank transfer or cheque – both of which are easily traceable by the relevant authorities.
In addition, anyone selling scrap metal to a merchant these days must provide personal identification and proof of address, while a scrap car seller will also be required to provide the V5 registration document. All of these are kept on file for up to three years at the registered ATF (Authorised Treatment Facility), providing a paper trail to track down any dishonest customers.
If the person making the sale has no V5 registration document or cannot provide the keys, then the yard may make a Hire Purchase Information (HPI) check, which for starters they’ll charge for, and will also reveal if the car has been stolen, written off or has any outstanding finance agreements.
Steps we take to ensure your car isn’t scrapped without your permission.
Here at Scrap Car Comparison, we are committed to ensuring that only the best practices take place when it comes to scrapping cars. We only deal with registered ATFs, so you know that any sale made with our buyers is going to be fully above board. However, there are a few other measures we have put in place to ensure that a sale is made correctly.
To start with, customers will be asked to provide a verbal confirmation that they are legally able to make this decision. All our terms and conditions are recorded as part of our call process, so there will be evidence to prove they have accepted these. In addition, a sale and collection will not be made without the V5 registration document, a form of identification or the vehicle’s keys.
If you are making a collection on behalf of someone else, then you will need the above plus written permission from the registered keeper on the V5.
Get the very best price with Scrap Car Comparison
If you’re concerned that someone is going to try to pull the wool over your eyes and scrap your car without you knowing, you should rest safe in the knowledge that the chances of it happening are incredibly minute. However, if you want to guarantee it won’t happen – why not do it yourself first?
Scrap Car Comparison uses a network of specialist buyers up and down the country, meaning you’re never too far away from the very best deal. Not only that, we’ll even arrange for them to come and collect your car directly from your driveway.
Get started today using our quick and easy online quote generator and find out just how much your tired old car could be worth.
