QuestionQUESTION: This is the first time, we can't reach the owner or nobody has contacted us about recovering the equipment. We are a drop terminal for several companies, and private customers use our service. This is the first time, the owner has not paid, or picked up there equipment. It has been four months, and there phones are disconnected, no reply to letters mailed to the last known address. The vehicle/equipment was dropped with no tag and no paperwork inside, that would link to an owner, and no one has paid our now hefty storage fee's. Where is the best place to start on filing an abandonment lien, or trying to attain title to cover our fee's in Florida?
ANSWER: By equipment, what are you referring to? I guess there is no record of who dropped the equipment off? Does the equipment have a VIN number?
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QUESTION: It has vins, it is a commercial truck and equipment trailer. The unit was damaged during an accident/incident.the person that stored with us avoided our calls for a month until lines were discnncted,and no response since day after recovery. So yes they have vins.
ANSWER: Do you have the form from the state to request a title search?
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QUESTION: No, I do not. I guess that would be my first step. I was online looking for an ebook, to break the whole process, down for me. That is how I found you.
AnswerOK, the first thing you should do is contact the state. Most states have a provision for you to request a title search which will give you the last known owner and any listed lien holder. Most states also require that you send registered letters within a certain amount of time. I will check on Florida but they recently changed the laws in Alabama to 5-7 days (it used to be 30 days.) Once you get the letters back you can file for an abandoned vehicle title.
