Scrapping a Car From a Strata, Condo, or Apartment in Burnaby
If you live in a strata, condo, or apartment building in Burnaby — and a lot of people do, since Burnaby has one of the highest concentrations of multi-family housing in the Lower Mainland — scrapping a dead car isn’t quite as simple as backing a tow truck up your own driveway. The car itself doesn’t care where it’s parked, but getting a tow truck safely in and out of shared property takes a bit more planning. Here’s how to make it painless.
Check your strata bylaws and visitor parking rules first
Most stratas have rules about who can access the parkade or visitor stalls, and some require advance notice for any vehicle removal or delivery. Before you book a pickup, it’s worth a quick look at your strata’s bylaws (or a message to your property manager) to confirm whether a tow truck needs to be pre-approved, and whether there’s a specific gate code, fob, or access window you’ll need to arrange. This is especially true for underground parkades, where clearance height and turning radius can also be a factor for larger tow trucks.
Tell your property manager or strata council before you book
Even where it isn’t strictly required, giving your property manager or council a heads-up is good practice. A dead car sitting in a stall for weeks is often what triggers a bylaw complaint in the first place, so letting them know it’s being removed — and roughly when — tends to smooth things over. If the vehicle is in a visitor stall rather than your own assigned parking, mention that too, since some buildings have strict rules about how long a non-resident vehicle (including a tow truck) can be on site.
Where we typically pick up from in Burnaby buildings
- Assigned underground or surface parking stalls
- Visitor parking areas (with building permission)
- Loading bays, where the building has one and allows it
- Street parking directly in front of the building, when on-site access isn’t possible
If you’re not sure which option applies to your building, just tell us the address and stall type when you call — we deal with Burnaby strata pickups regularly and can usually tell you what to expect before we even show up.
Timing matters more in shared buildings
Underground parkades and shared driveways tend to get busiest during commuter hours (early morning and late afternoon). Booking a pickup for the middle of the day, when there’s less traffic in and out, generally makes for a smoother removal with less risk of blocking other residents. If your building has a specific loading window or restricts non-resident vehicle access to certain hours, let us know when you book and we’ll work around it.
Paperwork is the same as any other car
Living in a strata doesn’t change what we need from you to complete the sale — the requirements are identical to a car parked in a private driveway: proof of ownership, valid ID, and the keys if you have them. For the full rundown of documents to have ready, see our guide to the paperwork needed to scrap a car in BC. And if the vehicle is currently plated and insured, don’t forget the ICBC side of things — we cover that in our guide on notifying ICBC when you scrap a car.
Scrap car removal from Burnaby stratas and condos
We tow from strata properties, condo buildings, and apartments all over Burnaby, and we’re used to coordinating with property managers and concierge desks when needed. Same-day pickup is usually available, payment is on the spot, and there’s no cost to you for the tow. Visit our Burnaby scrap car removal page for more on local pickup, or just give us a call with your building’s address and we’ll take it from there.
Ready to get a dead car out of your stall for good? Contact us for a free quote — no obligation, no pressure.