Selling Cars on the street

The City Council is well aware that a major issue which concerns our residents is the selling of cars on the street, which often occurs in neighbourhoods.

Ordinarily if you are a private individual then you can sell your vehicle on the road. If you do sell a motor vehicle on the road then it must be insured, taxed and have a MOT. 

The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 makes it an offence if two or more motor vehicles are either exposed or offered for sale are left for sale on a road within 500 metres of each other by a person acting for the purpose of a business selling motor vehicles.

The offence is aimed at certain businesses that sell motor vehicles and park them for long periods of times on the road, which can cause real problems for residents. The City Council, where the evidence proved a related offence was committed, have prosecuted for this offence and which investigation, led to the conviction before a Magistrates Court of a company and a Director in recent years.    

Contact: Trading Standards service, Directorate of Operations and Regulatory Services, Civic Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8QH. Email: tradingstandards@newcastle.gov.uk