Nuisance

There are many issues that can occur when someone abandons or incorrectly parks their car. Neighbours parking in your space or across your driveway, and people abandoning vehicles on the street can seem like a matter for the police. However, the first point of contact is very often Lincolnshire County Council. 

Report nuisance parking to Lincolnshire County Council.

Inconsiderate parking is not considered to be anti-social behaviour.

Common Types of Parking Issues

Parking disputes

If a parking space is available on a public road, even if it’s directly outside your house, anyone is allowed to park in it, unless there are parking restrictions. We appreciate this can be frustrating, especially if spaces are hard to come by on your street. Should you wish to pursue a civil complaint, you can contact Citizens Advice Bureau or contact a solicitor of your choice.

On-street parking is managed by Lincolnshire County Council.

Designated parking spaces

If someone has parked in your designated parking space without your permission, our first advice is always to try and resolve the issue peacefully yourself. If you can’t find the driver to speak to them, try leaving a polite note on their windscreen.

If you lease a property with a parking space, please contact whoever is responsible for your building, such as the freeholder, council or managing agent. They should help you resolve the issue.

Failing this, please report designated parking space issues to Lincolnshire County Council

Someone parking on your driveway

If someone parks their vehicle on your driveway without your permission, this is a civil dispute and not something we can help you with. If it happens repeatedly with the same person or vehicle, you might want to seek advice from Citizens Advice or a solicitor, but we would always recommend having a polite word with the driver first, as there may have been a simple misunderstanding.

Someone blocking your driveway

If someone has blocked your driveway so you can’t drive in, we appreciate this can be very frustrating. If you can find the owner of the vehicle, we’d first recommend asking them politely to move it. If you can’t find them, try leaving a note on their windscreen. After all, they may not realise they have caused a problem.

If a person has blocked your driveway and is preventing you from getting your own vehicle out, this could be deemed as antisocial behaviour. In this case, Lincolnshire Police may be able to help. Please note that a vehicle that slightly overhangs the driveway may not be classed as an obstruction.

Call 101 to report a parking obstruction to Lincolnshire Police.

Illegal parking

Call Lincolnshire Police on 101 if:

• on zig-zag lines
• dangerously
• in a way that would prevent emergency vehicles from accessing

If a vehicle is parked under the following circumstances, then please report it to Lincolnshire County Council:

• opposite or within ten metres of a junction
• over a dropped kerb
• on a pedestrian crossing (including the area marked by the zig-zag lines)
• in spaces reserved for Blue Badge holders, residents or motorbikes (unless entitled to do so)
• in marked taxi bays, cycle lanes or red lines
• near a school entrance, bus or tram stop
• anywhere that would prevent access for Emergency Services

Abandoned Vehicles

An abandoned vehicle has not been moved or attended to for a long time. There may be visible damage to suggest a crash or signs the vehicle has been stolen, such as:

• significantly damaged
• run-down or unroadworthy, including being rusted
• missing or suspicious number plates
• broken window, flat tyres
• has a lot of rubbish inside it
• broken or loose ignition
• broken steering column

Abandoned vehicles can cause a nuisance by obstructing roads, traffic and pedestrians. The sight of a damaged or slowly rusting car can also be an eyesore in your community, so understandably, you might want it to be removed.

What you can do about abandoned vehicles

If you know the vehicle owner, our first advice would be to ask them politely to move it. After all, they may not be aware they’re causing a problem. However, do not take the law into your own hands by intervening, such as making physical threats or attempting to move the vehicle yourself. You may make the situation worse and even risk committing an offence yourself.

If you find an abandoned vehicle that doesn’t appear to be stolen, please report it to us online, and we will aim to trace the vehicle’s owner and arrange for it to be removed.

Report an abandoned vehicle

Call 101 if you find an abandoned vehicle that you believe could be stolen to Lincolnshire Police.

Owner of abandoned vehicles

If you are the registered owner of a vehicle we believe to be abandoned, we will send you a letter asking you to remove the vehicle. 

If we don't hear from you (the owner) within seven days, the vehicle will be removed.

We will then invoice the last known keeper for the cost of removing the vehicle.

If your vehicle is removed, you should contact Lincolnshire County Council (the disposal authority) as they will crush the vehicle after a period of time.

Vehicles with no Tax or MOT

Vehicles parked for a long period of time aren't always considered to be abandoned; the owner may be away from home or unable to drive. If the car is in good repair, legally parked, has MOT and tax, then no crime has been committed, and unfortunately we cannot take action.

Useful links:

• Check if a vehicle is taxed
• Report an untaxed vehicle
• Check the MOT status of a vehicle
• Report a vehicle with no MOT

Foreign-plated vehicles cannot be dealt with by the City of Lincoln Council; they should be reported to the DVLA or the police.