Top Tips for Scrapping Your Old Car

What is the best way to get rid of an ageing car? Here are some guidelines you can follow to dispose of your vehicle properly.

Scrap My Car

Your car must be legally scrapped by an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF). All car scrapyards must bear a licence issued by the Environment Agency, to ensure that the abandoned vehicles and its specific components do not harm the environment, and are appropriately recycled. Otherwise, it’s illegal to scrap your car anywhere else.

In an ATF, all hazardous materials must be removed, and the parts that can be reused are salvaged before they are crushed and recycled. The ATF can either scrap the automobile entirely or repair it and sell the vehicle themselves.

Bear in mind that only ATFs can issue a Certificate of Destruction (COD) for your scrapped car. Recycling your car elsewhere is a criminal offence.

Don’t forget to inform the DVLA

You would not want to be liable for any road taxes once you’ve passed the vehicle on. Inform the DVLA that you’re no longer responsible for the car, and make sure that you complete the relevant paperwork.

Send a copy of your COD to the DVLA. Otherwise, you will be liable for any tax or traffic offences. As a bonus, the DVLA will automatically refund any unused road taxes. Check with your insurers if you may have a financial return for your scrapped car as well.

Be wary of unscrupulous traders

Do your research and check for authorised scrapyards. Some facilities misrepresent CODs as a ‘Destruction Certificates’ or ‘Certificates of Collection’. Other companies offer payments that are generously higher than other legal companies.

Bear in mind that the Scrap Metal Dealers Act of 2013 states that it is illegal for anyone to pay cash for your scrap car. Transactions must be made by cheque or a bank transfer. By law, you are also required to show ID and proof of address if you are taking your car to scrap merchants.

How much will you get when you scrap my car?

Since the prices of scrap metal typically fluctuate, the costs that scrapyards offer may vary. To gauge how much your car is worth, get an online quotation from a reputable source.At LKM our quote system is up to date with the current prices.

Scrap your old car at LKM

If you are looking to scrap your old car, we can help.

LKM is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of total waste management solutions. We have over 35 years of experience in the waste recycling and scrap metal industries. We buy and sell a range of materials and find flexible, innovative, and cost-effective solutions for our clients.

We are an ATF registered with the DVLA, and we have the capacity to process over 1,000 cars monthly. Once your vehicle has been depolluted and scrapped, we will issue you with electronic and paper copies of your COD.

We keep ourselves up to date with global metal prices, giving you the best possible price for scrapping your car.

Get in touch with us today for a free, no obligation quote or to book your car for collection. Call us on 01795 229 750 or get on online quote here