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How to properly scrap your car for money

Iscrap carsn this month’s article with Hill Metal Recycling we will be explaining the process of scrapping a car. If your car has come to the end of its life, and you’re not sure what to do with the two tonnes of metal – give our guide a quick read to help you on your way to making some money!

It is important to note that any car you wish to be scrapped must go through an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF). All scrap yards that deal with cars must be issued with this ATF license to be able to legally deal with your vehicle. A scrap yard should receive this from the Environment Agency or Scottish Environment Protection Agency, to prove that they can scrap your car by legitimate means. The ATF license states that the cars purchased by these businesses are to be recycled properly – to ensure there aren’t any harmful impacts to the environment. Especially when disposing of toxic waste, such as batteries and oil.

Things to Consider When Scrapping Your Car

  • Check online see what’s near you and where you can find the best deal. Find the best deals or, if you’re feeling charitable, cars can be donated. The money made from the scrap metal won’t be huge, but could make a real difference to some charity foundations.
  • Sort the paperworkhave your V5 ownership document at the ready and send the applicable details to the DVLA . They should then send back a document to prove that you’re no longer accountable for the vehicle, keep hold of this information.
  • Steer clear of dodgy dealers The Scrap Metal Dealers Act has made it illegal for dealers to pay in cash when they scrap your cars. Many will provide you with a cheque or will directly transfer to your bank account. By paying you with money it’s hard to trace any transaction, this is why it’s important that you have it documented; should there be any discrepancies, this will favour you.
  • Recyclingparts of your car can be reused. Unless you know how to dismantle a car, it’s in your interests to sell the whole lot as most scrap yards will only accept a car with all its parts.
  • Reclaim tax and insurance claim your money back if your car has given out before the year is up As it will not be running on the roads, there’s no reason for you to pay these extra costs. Don’t worry if you’ve recently paid, you can get back the money for unused months.
  • How much money should I expect to get?prices fluctuate rapidly due to supply and demand. When the demand for metal is high but the supply of people getting rid of cars is low, the price increases; and vise versa. The price of scrap metal will all depend on the supply and demand for scrap metal at that time. It’s worth getting an online quote to get an overall idea before making any deal.

As long as you have written confirmation from an ATF licensed company informing you that you are no longer tied to this car, and have a documented transaction – you’re all set!

Here at Hill Metal Recycling, we hope we have provided you with information that’s made you feel more confident towards scrapping your car. Our metal specialists are here to make your life easier, we can provide car collection throughout Harrow & Essex and can scrap it for you. We’re an environment agency and have been approved by the DVLA and deal with both ferrous and non-ferrous metals. If you’d like more information or would like to organise pick up or drop off, contact us today via telephone or email – we look forward to hearing from you!