Community and neighbourhood issues

It's not always clear if a vehicle has been abandoned.

Signs it has been abandoned can include:

• flat tyres or missing wheels
• litter or leaves under the vehicle, mould or vegetation growing inside the vehicle - this may mean that it has not moved for some time
• smashed windscreen or windows
• missing number plates
• it contains items of waste such as tyres, old newspapers, or general rubbish
• vehicle parts, like the bumper, seats or radio, have been removed or damaged
• graffiti on the vehicle
• wires hanging from the dashboard because the vehicle has been 'hot-wired' - it has been driven without keys by connecting ignition wires together.

If you find an abandoned vehicle, do not enter or touch the vehicle. 

It could contain hazardous waste, be a fire risk, or have been used in a crime.

If it has been involved in a crime, the police will need to investigate it. 

Tell the police

If the vehicle is a danger to the public or causing an obstruction on a road, footpath, or cycle route, phone 101 to report it to the police.

Check if it's taxed

If it's not taxed, or it's not exempt from tax, report the untaxed vehicle to the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) on GOV.UK.

Only the DVLA can remove untaxed vehicles. The council cannot remove them unless they are a risk to public health.

Some vehicles are exempt from tax if they are registered as off the road - they have a 'Statutory Off-Road Notification' (SORN). For example, they are not in use, are not in a public place or are a historical vehicle.

You can check if a vehicle is taxed on the GOV.UK website. 

You'll need to tell them the vehicle registration number, make, model and colour of the vehicle and the street name, town and postcode where you saw it.

Check with neighbours

Check with your neighbours or local businesses to see if anyone knows who the vehicle belongs to. 

If you still think it's abandoned

If you still think it's abandoned, report it to us. 

Tell us as much information as you can, like:

• what kind of vehicle it is, such as a bike, car, motorbike, van or something else
• the vehicle brand, manufacturer, model or colour
• what condition it's in, like if it's damaged, vandalised or burnt out
• the registration plate number
• how long it has been there
• a nearby address or the nearest street or landmark, and where the vehicle is in this place
• if it's on private land, council-owned land, or you're not sure
  any other information.

You can also upload photos of the vehicle or location if you have them.

If you tell us your name, email address or phone number, we may contact you if we need more information or we can't find anything.

Report an abandoned vehicle

We will try to find the owner, but if we do not, we'll remove the vehicle. 

There may a cost to remove abandoned vehicles from privately owned land or property, depending on how easy or difficult it is to remove it. 

If the vehicle is in a bad condition, it may be destroyed after 24 hours.

Otherwise, we will keep it for a maximum of 7 days. After 7 days, we'll either send it to be scrapped or sell it at auction.

If we trace the owner, they'll have to pay a charge for the removal and storage of the vehicle.

If you've found a discarded needle or syringe in an open area, or anywhere that's a danger to the public, report it to us straightaway.

Do not touch the syringe, or let children or pets near it.

We'll need to know exactly where it is so that we can find it quickly.

It will help if you can tell us the address where you found it. If you don't know the exact address, you can use the map on the online form to pinpoint its location. 

If you can't find it on the map, tell us the nearest street or landmark, and describe where it is in that place - for example, if it's beside a bin or street lamp.

Give us any other details, like how many needles or syringes you found or how dangerous they are. 

You can also upload photos of the needles or syringes or the location if you have them.

Report a discarded needle or syringe

Phone 0300 300 0300 to report a discarded needle or syringe.
 

If you provide us with an email address, we'll send you a confirmation email with a case reference number.

When we receive your report, we will investigate the issue.

We aim to remove discarded needles and syringes within 24 hours.

We may contact you if we can't find anything.

You should not put used needles or syringes in your bins or take them to our household waste recycling centres.

Instead, return used hypodermic needles to your doctor's surgery or health centre for safe disposal.

If you think dog fouling is an issue where you live, you can ask for a No Dog Fouling sign to be placed there. 

We only place No Dog Fouling signs in public places, not on private property or residential buildings.

You’ll need to tell us:

• an exact address for the sign, or the name of a local landmark or nearby place - not a residential address as we only place signs in public spaces.
• your name
• your phone number or email.

We’ll only contact you if we need more information about your request.

You can upload photos where you want the sign to be placed.

You can also tell us any other useful information, for example, if a previous sign has been removed or damaged, or how long the dog fouling has been an issue.

There is a separate form for reporting a dog owner who does not pick up their dog's fouling.

Ask for a No Dog Fouling sign

You can also ask for a No Dog Fouling sign by:

• phone on 0300 300 0380
• email at wardens.es@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 

If you’ve given us an email address, we’ll send you a confirmation email with a reference number. 

We may contact you if we need more information about your request.

If we think a sign is needed where you’ve asked for it to be placed, we’ll put it up within 7 days of your request. This could be permanent signage, posters or stickers attached to street furniture, bins or lampposts.

However, we may not place a sign if there are already No Dog Fouling signs nearby, or we do not consider dog fouling to be an issue in the area.

If you see a person who does not pick up their dog's fouling, you can report it to us. We’ll investigate it and target our patrols if needed. 

Never challenge anyone aggressively about dog fouling or dog ownership.

If you think dog fouling is an issue where you live, you can ask for a No Dog Fouling sign to be placed there.
 

When you are out with your dog, you should make sure you always have a bag with you when you take the dog for a walk. 

If your dog defecates in a public space, you must put its waste in a plastic bag and put the bag in a dog waste bin or any outdoor public litter bin. 

Tell us as much detail as possible, including:

• the exact address if you know it, or the name of a local landmark or nearby place
• details of the incident, such as a description of the dog or person, name or address of the owner if you know it
• any other useful information, like the date or time (no longer than 10 days ago) or if it’s happened before
• your name
• your phone number or email address.

You can also upload photos if you have them. 

You can report the incident anonymously, however our investigation into the issue will be limited. 

If you tell us your name and contact details, this will help us to investigate a report fully.

Report dog fouling online

You can also report it by:

• phone on 0300 300 0380
• email at wardens.es@renfrewshire.gov.uk 

If you’ve given us contact details, we may get in touch if we need more information. 

We’ll investigate your report, and our animal welfare wardens may patrol the area to make sure people pick up and bin their dog’s mess.  

However, we will not contact you with any updates on your report.
 

It's an offence to not clean up after your dog if it defecates: 

• in any public place including footpaths or grass areas
• on private land without the owner's consent.

It is the responsibility of the person in charge of the dog in public, not the owner.

You can be fined £80 issued under the Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003 if you do not pick up the dog's mess and dispose of it properly. 

The penalty increases to £100 if it’s not paid within 28 days.