An abandoned vehicle is a vehicle without a known owner. Medway Council has a duty to remove abandoned vehicles, which are dealt with under the Removal and Disposal of Vehicles (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2002 and the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978.

The fact that a vehicle is untaxed does not necessarily mean it has been abandoned. The enforcement authority for untaxed vehicles is the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) which has its own prosecution officers. The DVLA (www.dvla.gov.uk) can be contacted on the Road Tax Cheat line 08000 325 202.

A notice is fixed to any vehicle deemed to be abandoned and the time that must elapse before the vehicle is removed depends on its location and condition.

The council takes a robust approach to abandoned vehicles. If you want to report an abandoned vehicle in Medway, you can contact the council using the details below or this online form. You will be asked to give the following details:

• a contact name;
• a contact telephone number;
• the make, model, colour and registration number of the vehicle in question;
• the exact location of the vehicle, which is important;
• confirmation as to whether there is a tax disc displayed and if so, the date on the disc;
• the condition of the vehicle, giving details of any damage or missing parts.