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How the process works once a car enters a pound
When a vehicle is taken to a police or council impound, the pound follows a set timetable. The keeper is normally expected to claim the vehicle within around seven days and collect it within roughly fourteen. These windows can vary slightly between authorities, but the principle is the same everywhere: the vehicle cannot sit in storage indefinitely, and the pound has a legal obligation to dispose of unclaimed cars after the statutory period.
The seizure notice handed out at the roadside sets out those deadlines. Pound staff rely on that document when deciding whether a release is still possible, whether extra checks are required or whether the vehicle has already moved into the disposal route.
What happens if you do nothing
If the vehicle is not claimed within the usual timeframe, the pound normally moves it into a disposal category. This does not happen instantly, but once the window has expired, staff begin preparing the car for removal from storage. At that point, the pound no longer treats it as awaiting collection.
If you make contact after the initial deadline but before disposal has started, some pounds may still allow release. Others take a strictly procedural approach and decline once the claim window has passed. It depends entirely on the authority’s rules and on how far the process has progressed.
What disposal usually involves
When disposal begins, the vehicle is handed to a contracted agent. The pound’s role ends at that point. The agent decides whether the vehicle will be auctioned, dismantled or scrapped, depending on its condition. Vehicles in reasonable shape usually go to auction; older, damaged or unsafe vehicles may go straight to dismantling.
Once the transfer is complete, getting the vehicle back is normally not possible. The legal responsibility for it has shifted, and the pound cannot reverse that decision.
Whether you still owe fees
Disposal does not wipe out costs. Removal charges, daily storage and certain administrative fees still apply. Authorities may pursue those charges separately, even if the car has been scrapped or sold at auction.
If the vehicle is sold, the proceeds usually go to the authority or contractor, not to the keeper. The keeper does not receive the sale value because the disposal occurs under statutory powers after the legal collection deadline.
What if you were unaware the car had been seized?
If the V5C address was out of date or you were away from home, it is still your responsibility to act quickly once you become aware of the seizure. Pounds do not extend the statutory deadline because letters were delivered to an old address.
If you discover the seizure late, contact the pound immediately. There is sometimes a narrow window before disposal takes effect, but the only way to know is to speak to staff directly.
What happens if the car has finance or belongs to a business?
If the car is financed, the lender may contact the pound once notified. Their involvement does not guarantee recovery; many pounds continue with disposal unless the lender provides immediate confirmation of entitlement.
For company vehicles, the business must still meet the deadlines. Storage charges for vans and commercial vehicles are often higher, meaning delays can become expensive quickly.
How to avoid losing the vehicle
The most reliable approach is to contact the pound as soon as possible, confirm the deadlines and gather the required identification. If arranging insurance or MOT compliance is likely to slow things down, using a recovery truck usually avoids unnecessary delay and keeps the vehicle out of the disposal system.
By acting early and working within the statutory timeframe, you retain control of the outcome and avoid the situation where the vehicle passes into disposal and cannot be reclaimed.
Impound processes, time limits and costs vary widely across the UK, and authorities can amend their rules at any time. Information on this site is intended as a general overview and should not be relied on as definitive for any specific impound location.