Home / Estate and left-behind cars
Estate and left-behind vehicles
Abandoned and estate car removal in Aldergrove
A car left behind by a tenant, a relative or a past owner can't be sold by just anyone. Here's who can sign, and how we help once that's sorted.
- Estate and inherited cars
- Cars left by tenants or family
- We take it once the right person signs
Rather call or text? 604-337-2232
- Based at26909 Alder Dr, Aldergrove
- Calls and texts604-337-2232
- OpenEvery day, 8am to 8pm
- We takeCars, trucks, vans and SUVs
Situations we run into
Left-behind cars are a big part of what we pick up around Aldergrove, mostly on bigger lots where a vehicle can sit for years without bothering anyone. These come up all the time:
- A parent's car after they've moved into care or passed away
- A tenant moved out and left a car in the driveway
- A family member's project truck that hasn't moved in a decade
- A car that came with a property you bought
- An ex-partner's name still on the registration
- A car in a shared lot that nobody claims
The rule that decides everything: who can sign
In BC, a vehicle can only be sold by a registered owner, or by the executor or administrator of an owner's estate. Owning the property the car is parked on doesn't change that, and neither does having the keys. Once the right person signs, the rest is a normal pickup.
Find the registration
Look for the APV250 in the glovebox, a filing cabinet or the owner's papers. A broker can reprint it for the owner if it's gone.
Sort out who signs
The owner, all co-owners, or the executor. For an estate, a broker can tell you which documents ICBC wants to see.
Get a number and book
Send us the details or call 604-337-2232. We'll quote it and book a time that suits whoever's signing.
Paid, signed, towed
The seller is paid at pickup, signs the transfer form, and the car is loaded and gone. Take the plates off first.
Sorting out a relative's car and not sure where to start? Call or text and we'll walk you through it.
Call 604-337-2232Left-behind vehicles: the details
Every case is a little different. These are the ones we hear about most, and how they usually get sorted.
01When the owner is alive but not around
If a tenant or relative left the car, the cleanest fix is to reach them and have them sign. They can sign the transfer form ahead of time and leave it with the registration and a copy of their ID, or arrange to meet the driver.
Get their agreement in writing, even a text, so there's no argument later about whether they wanted it gone.
02When the owner has died
The executor named in the will, or an administrator appointed by the court, can sell the car. ICBC has its own steps for transferring a vehicle after an owner dies, and an Autoplan broker can tell you which documents apply.
Once that's sorted, the executor signs on pickup day just like any other seller and takes the payment for the estate.
03When nobody can find the owner
A scrap buyer can't take a car that nobody has the right to sign for. If a vehicle has been dumped on your property and the owner has vanished, that becomes a job for a towing company or the police, not a sale.
On a public road, the Township of Langley or the RCMP deal with abandoned vehicles. We're happy to point you in the right direction if you call.
04Joint owners and separations
If two people are on the registration, both sign. When a couple has split up, the one who wants the car gone usually needs the other's signature, even if the car has been sitting at one person's place for months.
A pre-signed transfer form from the other owner works if meeting up is awkward.
05Old insurance and expired papers
Cars that have sat for years usually have no insurance and a registration buried in a drawer. That's fine. A car doesn't need current insurance to be sold for scrap, because it leaves on a truck rather than on the road.
Just don't let anyone drive it out to meet us.
06Clearing the car out first
Go through the glovebox, the trunk, the door pockets and under the seats before pickup. People leave tax papers, garage remotes, photos and spare keys in cars that have been parked for years.
Once a car has gone for recycling, anything left inside is gone too.
07Rural lots around Aldergrove
On acreages in Otter, Glen Valley or along 264 Street, old vehicles tend to end up behind barns, in tree lines or under tarps. Tell us roughly where it is and what's in the way.
Blackberry bushes and soft ground are normal. A locked gate with no key, or a car blocked in by three others, needs sorting before the truck arrives.
What these pickups look like
Estate and left-behind car questions
Can I sell a car someone left on my property?
Not on your own. In BC only the registered owner, or the executor if the owner has died, can sell a vehicle. If you can reach the owner, they can sign the transfer form. If you can't, it's a towing or police matter rather than a sale.
What does an executor need to scrap a car?
The vehicle's registration plus whatever ICBC asks for when an owner has died, which usually means the death certificate and proof of who the executor is. An Autoplan broker can confirm the list for your situation. After that, the executor signs the transfer form at pickup.
Will a car that's been parked for ten years still come out?
Usually, yes. Flat tires, seized wheels and moss on the roof are normal for left-behind cars, and the car is winched onto the deck rather than driven. What matters most is that a truck can get close enough to reach it.
Who gets paid for an estate car?
The person signing as the seller, which for an estate is the executor or administrator. How that money is shared out afterwards is part of settling the estate, not something we're involved in.
What if the registration is lost?
A registered owner can usually get a copy at an Autoplan broker with photo ID. For an estate, the executor may need to bring the estate documents as well. On our side, we just need to see that whoever signs has the right to sell.
Do you remove abandoned cars for landlords or stratas?
We can buy a car from its owner at a rental or strata property, but we can't take one the owner hasn't agreed to sell. For a car abandoned in a lot with no owner in sight, the landlord or strata usually goes through a towing company first.
Ready to clear out the car?
Send the year, make and model with where it's parked, or just call. We're open every day from 8am to 8pm.