Question
posted signs
The attached picture shows one entrance to the parking lot and the parking sign showing a 2 hour limit for patrons. After entering and turning left there is nothing posted in the far corner of the lot. This is where they are towing from. They are towing within 15 minutes of someone parking in any of these spaces if they first cross the street (they have 2 posted 'lookouts' watching). They are towing to the next town over and charged 125.00. 80.00 for the tow, 20.00 for the storage (they had the car about 40 minutes) and $15.00 for mileage to tow approx 6 miles. There is nothing posted anywhere on who to contact if you think your car is towed. Are there any rules for proper posting? Entrapment (the lookouts)? This is the social security office and sometimes people are in there for much longer than 2 hours. This is in Worcester Massachusetts
AnswerI would recommend video taping this activity if possible. Many states have passed predatory towing laws that prevent this type of activity. There is a Statewide Towing Association that you may contact, but I am not sure they would be on your side. You may consider contacting them to see if they have a grievance policy or complaint procedure.
Ma law for private property tows is in this section Ma GEN Law C266 Section 120D
Section 120D. No person shall remove a motor vehicle which is parked or standing on a private way or upon improved or enclosed property unless the operator of such vehicle has been forbidden so to park or stand, either directly or by posted notice, by the person who has lawful control of such way or property. No vehicle shall be removed from such way or property without the consent of the owner of such vehicle unless the person who has lawful control of such way or property shall have notified the chief of police or his designee in a city or town, or, in the city of Boston the police commissioner, or a person from time to time designated by said police commissioner, that such vehicle is to be removed. Such notification shall be made before any such vehicle shall be removed, and shall be in writing unless otherwise specified by such chief of police or police commissioner and shall include the address from which the vehicle is to be removed, the address to which the vehicle is to be removed, the registration number of the vehicle, the name of the person in lawful control of the way or property from which such vehicle is being removed, and the name of the person or company or other business entity removing the vehicle. Vehicles so removed shall be stored in a convenient location. Neither the city or town, nor its chief of police or police commissioner or his designee, shall be liable for any damages incurred during the removal or storage of any such vehicle removed under this section. Any person who, without notifying the chief of police or his designee, or the police commissioner or his designee, or without obtaining the consent of the owner, removes a vehicle from a private way or from improved or enclosed property as aforesaid, shall, in addition to any other penalty of law, be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars. The employer of such person if any, shall also be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars.
Any person who purports to authorize the removal of a vehicle from a way or property as aforesaid without having fully complied with the provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars.
In addition to any other penalty provided by law, the registered owner of a vehicle illegally parked or standing on a private way or upon improved or enclosed property shall be liable for charges for the removal and storage of such vehicle; provided, however, that the liability so imposed shall not exceed the following, and provided, further, that the vehicle has been removed after compliance with the provisions of this section:
(1) the maximum amount for towing or transportation of motor vehicles established by the department of telecommunications and energy for motor vehicles towed away when such towing is ordered by the police or other public authority under the provisions of section six B of chapter one hundred and fifty-nine B; and
(2) the maximum charge for storage of non-commercial passenger motor vehicles with a maximum capacity of nine persons, shall be not more than the maximum storage charge allowed under the provisions of said section six B of said chapter one hundred and fifty-nine B.
A person lawfully holding a vehicle removed under the provisions of this section may hold such vehicle until the registered owner pays the removal and storage charges.
Any person who is called to remove by towing a vehicle illegally parked or standing on a private way or upon improved or enclosed property may, at his discretion, if the owner appears to remove said vehicle before the towing is completed, charge said owner one half of the fee usually charged for such towing.
Any person who removes a vehicle illegally parked or standing on a private way or upon improved or enclosed property, or holds such a vehicle after its removal, and who has not complied in full with the provisions of this section, shall release such vehicle to its owner without assessing any charges for its removal or storage.
The laws for towing and storage are as follows:
CHAPTER 159B. CARRIERS OF PROPERTY BY MOTOR VEHICLE
Chapter 159B: Section 6B. Towing away and storage of motor vehicles; maximum charges; liens; annual statements
There is also a web site you can go to and discuss predatory towing:
https://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/submit_form.html?label=socal-towing
You can also contact the Towing and Recovery Assoc of America to see if the towing company is a member.
Let me know if this helps.
