Remove my car: getting an unwanted or abandoned car taken away
SHORT ANSWER
If the car is yours, a licensed scrap buyer such as Scrap A Car Scotland will remove it free from anywhere in our Scottish coverage area, running or not, pay by bank transfer on the day and issue a Certificate of Destruction. If an abandoned car is not yours, you cannot scrap it: report it to your local council, which has powers to deal with abandoned vehicles.
'Remove my car' covers two very different situations: a car you own and want gone, and a car someone has left outside your house. The first takes a phone call. The second needs the council.
Removing your own unwanted car
Get a quote from your registration, book a collection, and the car is loaded onto a transporter or recovery vehicle. It does not need to run, be taxed or have an MOT, and collection is free. You hand over the V5C, keep the yellow motor trade section, and payment is made by bank transfer the same day.
Cars in awkward places
Back gardens, lock-up garages, tenement back courts and farm tracks are all routine. Tell us about the access when you book so we send the right vehicle. A car with flat tyres or no keys can usually still be recovered.
An abandoned car that is not yours
You cannot sell or scrap a vehicle you do not own, even if it has been sitting outside your house for months. Report it to your local council, which can investigate, contact the registered keeper and remove it if it has been abandoned.
If it is on your private land, the council is still the right first contact. If the car looks stolen or is causing a danger, contact Police Scotland.
Removing a car for someone else
A relative's car, or one belonging to someone who has died, can be removed with the keeper's consent or by the person dealing with the estate. Our guide to scrapping an inherited vehicle covers the paperwork.
Key takeaways
- Your own car: free removal, running or not, paid by bank transfer.
- Awkward access is routine; describe it when you book.
- Never scrap a car that is not yours; report abandoned cars to the council.
- Keep the Certificate of Destruction as proof the car is gone.
USEFUL NEXT STEPS
Written by the Scrap A Car Scotland team. Last reviewed 27 October 2026.