take scrap but no pay

[michael newport]

I have a few old car batteries and copper piping (all my own stuff) and thought to take it to a scrappy - maybe get something for it. I've no idea if it's worth the effort but what the heck. Anyway looking around I came across this scrappy site

And on it it says "Due to the new Laws that came into force, we can no longer pay for any scrap metal." He collects it for free but doesn't pay anything because of the law! But what if *I take it* to a scrap yard? Any legal folk here know what this is all about? I thought there was/is a big demand for copper. I can provide ID etc to prove it's mine.

[Brian Gaff]

You need to be registered I think. If they give cash on the nail they can be done for it. I'm not certain they are being totally honest though as you say you can prove its yours, so they cannot just say it was brought in by a traveller in his pick up. Brian

[GB]

I thought the reason is that they need to get all sorts of ID details these days, and store them, before they can make a payment. Like for money laundering. Presumably, that's just not worthwhile for a couple of batteries and some copper piping.

We had a week without telephone because some scrotes stole the telephone cable. 500m of it with about 1500 lines. That's about a ton of copper apparently, so worth some thousands of pounds. Anything that makes it harder to cash that in for scrap is a good move.

[cl]

He's talking rubbish.

You can get (quite a lot of) money for old car/lorry batteries, our local scrapyard pays around 50p/kilo.

What the scrapyard *can't* do now is pay you in cash, you have to be paid into a bank account *and* you have to provide proof of identity, e.g. one utility bill and a passport or photo driving licence.

[Jabba]

GB wrote

The big metal thieves are filling containers and sending the stuff abroad. There's hardly any checks on container movements.

[John Williamson]

The law they refer to says they're not allowed to pay *cash* for scrap metal, but have to either give you a cheque or credit your bank account electronically. They also, IIRC, need prof of your address, and they'll probably ask you to sign a form saying you've not stolen it.

It was introduced to help stop people stealing scrap and getting untraceable cash for it.

However, if they don't want to pay in any way for scrap, then there is probably someone who will not too far away, subject to the rules. They may, of course, claim the collection costs outweigh the value if you don't take it in. Where I lived, we had scrappers rouns every day doing free collection runs, and they then went and sold the metal to the local scrap dealer. You got it cleared for free, but didn't get paid for it.

[John Rumm]

Scrap yards will still pay, only they may only pay by cheque and you will need to provide ID.

[dennis]

It sounds like a scam. They can pay you but not in cash. Take it to a proper scrap yard and take your bank details with you.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

He's a chancer.

[John Williamson]

Has anyone thought about pointing out the typo (The missing word "cash") in his advert to him?

[tim.....]

so are all "house clearers"

tim

[Tim Watts]

Take it to a metal merchant - they pay - but only after checking your ID and only into a bank account.

[Andy Burns]

I had a growing collection of copper&brass plumbing, cables and aluminium, took to to the local "pikey-gone-straight" who has a unit on an industrial estate with a set of scales and a PC.

The law *has* been changed so that you can't pay cash for metals now, but all I did was give him my sort code and account number, there was £57 in my bank by the time I got home.

Got paid the rates shown on the letsrecycle.com site.

[Robert]

Agree, I have no problem taking scrap metal and cable to a scrap yard and getting paid by cheque with ID.

[Yendor]

Take it to a Scrap merchant in Scotland. Cash in hand.

[harryagain]

They aren't allowed to pay cash any more, you get a crossed cheque made out to yourself in most cases. So there is now a money trail that can be followed. Cuts down on the thievery.

[harryagain]

I wouldn't give no pikey my bank details.

Get a cheque off him. They need some ID and take your car number too.

[Andy Burns]

What are they going to do with it, pay me more money? Everyone you've ever written a cheque to has your sort code & account number.

This one didn't see any ID but said it'd be nice if I brought some next time, didn't notice him taking reg no, but they could easily have CCTV.

[The Other Mike]

And receive dodgy notes that are no good to those living south of the border.

[Tim Streater]

Then you've got *his* bank details.