There are some nightmare scenarios that drivers lose sleep over. The fear of getting into an accident is enough to keep some off the road, even after they’ve passed their test, while others worry about parking their vehicle in a dodgy spot only to find it with a smashed window, resting on bricks or worst of all, missing entirely. However, there’s another incident that can cause immeasurable stress for a car owner… even if it is often entirely their own fault. Here’s what to do if your car is towed.
If you’re desperate for someone to tow your car away to the scrap yard, then you’re in the right place. Scrap Car Comparison will find you the best price for your vehicle, offered by certified Authorised Treatment Facilities in your local area, getting you a quote in less than 60 seconds. What’s more, we’ll even arrange for it to be collected from you at no extra cost! Free collection with excellent scrap and salvage prices come as standard with Scrap Car Comparison, so call 03333 44 99 50 or use our scrap car price calculator to find out how much your vehicle is worth today!
Why Do Cars Get Clamped?
Perhaps one step down from having your car towed outright, finding a clamp attached to one of the wheels will ruin your day. Make sure you don’t end up with one of these devices holding your car hostage by staying in the know about why cars get clamped:
- Illegally Parked: Cars that are parked illegally or are obstructing the regular flow of traffic can be clamped.
- No or Invalid Insurance: If you don’t keep your insurance in check, your car can be clamped to stop it from being driven illegally.
- No Tax: Untaxed vehicles are regularly clamped if they’re found when the DVLA checks your street.
- Dangerous or Unroadworthy: If your car is in poor condition and could pose a threat to other road users, it’ll be clamped.
- Outstanding Fines: Commercial vehicles can be clamped if there are unpaid fines attached to its registration.
- Illegal Driving Hours: Commercial vehicles can also be clamped if the driver has surpassed the number of hours they’re legally allowed to drive without a break.
Read More
- A Simple Guide to Driving Offences
- Can I Drive a Car Without Insurance?
- Getting Insurance with Driving Convictions
Why Do Cars Get Towed Away?
Having your car towed is the next stage of action that can occur if simply clamping a car isn’t deemed punishment enough. Some of the offences that can lead to clamping can also result in your vehicle being towed away, with the context of the situation being taken into account to decide. Here are some of the behaviours that can lead to your car being towed:
- Illegally Parked: Cars that are parked illegally or are obstructing the regular flow of traffic can be towed.
- No or Invalid Insurance: If you don’t keep your insurance in check, your car can be towed to stop it from being driven illegally.
- No Tax: Untaxed vehicles are regularly towed away if they’re found when the DVLA checks your street.
- Outstanding Fines: Your car can be towed if there are unpaid fines attached to its registration.
Who Can Legally Tow Or Clamp My Car?
Here, we’re talking about your car being towed or clamped without your permission, so naturally we’re not going to include ourselves or situations where you might need to tow your own car (like if you don’t have breakdown cover)! But, while we’re on the topic, Scrap Car Comparison will collect your vehicle and remove it for you, free of charge when scrapping it!
Here’s a list of those who can clamp and tow your car:
- Police
- DVLA
- DVSA
- Local Councils
- Bailiffs
How Do I Find Out Where My Car Is?
Your first phone call should be to the police non-emergency line on 101, where they’ll be able to take your registration and use their records to track down your car. Now you know where your car is, you’ll have to go about getting it back.
How Do I Get My Car Back If It’s Towed?
The simple answer to this question? You pay. And it can cost you a lot. The good news is, you’ll be required to pay less if you hurry through the process, and since most people don’t want to be separated from their vehicle for long, it’s likely that you’ll want to retrieve it as soon as possible. Within 24 hours of the towing, the release fee for your car is £100, but this doubles if you’re even a day late, with an extra £21 then added on each and every day it’s stored on the impound site for.
That’s not all though. You’ll still be required to pay the fine for whatever reason it was towed in the first place. You’ll also need to rectify any issues regarding tax and insurance, so that could set you back a hefty sum in itself.
What Do I Do If My Car Has Been Clamped?
If your car has been clamped by the DVLA, you’ll need to contact them and cough up the £100 release fee before they’ll send someone out to remove the device.
If it’s been clamped by another agency, take a look through the leaflet that they should have left behind. This will give you all of the information you need to contact the clampers, along with a reference number that will allow you to pay any fines.
Can I Remove A Clamp?
Removing a clamp from your car is illegal and can result in a further fine, or even prison time! Even those clamps attached to your car by bailiffs, rather than councils, police or the DVLA, are protected, although a court can act if you believe your car was wrongly clamped.
Can I Challenge My Car Being Towed?
You are within your rights to challenge the towing of your car if you believe that it was done unlawfully, but remember that this is not something to be taken lightly. You might need to endure a court battle to win your case.
If you want to fight back against the towing companies that have confiscated your car, make sure you photograph the location that your vehicle was parked in, with signage regarding parking conditions included.
If it was towed because of issues with tax, insurance or roadworthiness, gather up as much documentation as you can to fight that claim. This could include any letters or emails regarding car tax and insurance, or an MOT certificate proving that your car is safe. Bear in mind, however, that just because your vehicle was safe at its MOT, it might not be now.
If your car is ready for its final journey on the back of a transporter, with a one-way ticket to the scrap heap, then sell it with Scrap Car Comparison and we’ll find the top prices offered by specialist scrap and salvage buyers in your local area. With free collection of your vehicle offered to every customer and a network of buyers that covers 99% of the UK, we guarantee a hassle-free service that can have your car sold in no time! Give us a call on 03333 44 99 50 or use our scrap car price calculator to get a quote now!
