You can leave your car parked up for months if it’s on private land and registered as SORN. But even then, you risk long-term damage, legal issues, and money down the drain.
According to the DVLA, over 130,000 abandoned vehicles were removed by councils in 2023 alone.
If yours is gathering dust, it might be time to scrap it, claim back unused tax, and move on before it costs you more.
Leaving a car parked up for months on end without use may seem harmless, but it can lead to more trouble than you think.
From dead batteries and flat tyres to DVLA issues and legal problems, the car parked on your drive (or worse, on the road) can quickly become a headache.
In this guide, we’ll explain what happens when a car is left sitting for too long, what the laws are, and when scrapping it might be the best option.
If your car hasn’t moved in over a month, that’s usually considered ‘too long’.
While nothing stops you legally from parking a car on private land for weeks at a time, things change fast if your car is on the road, untaxed, not insured, or beginning to look abandoned.
Are you thinking about declaring your vehicle as SORN? Read our guides for everything you need to know.
Leaving a car parked up doesn’t just mean a dusty bonnet.
Here’s what can go wrong:
If your car as any of these problems, it may be uneconomical to fix, and that’s where scrapping comes in.
If your car has been sitting untouched for months, is now failing its MOT, or is costing more to repair than it’s worth, scrapping it could save you time, money and stress.
Get a free quote for your scrap car now with Scrap Local.
Choose a service & we’ll search our network to find you the best scrapyard for your enquiry!
We have hundreds of scrap car buyers waiting to buy your scrap car.
