Towing Issues: overcharged, storage fee, storage fees

Question
hello Richard, my car has been towed yesterday around 2 PM. The registered owner is my aunt who lives in NY , so i had to get her signature notarized on a paperwork that the towing company gave yesterday when a went to pick up my car. i will get the paper signed by tomorrow morning, but this people told me that it will be around $178 for 58 hours. In the case i could get the car today it will be $124, i looked on the Broward county towing regulations and appears that they are supposed to charge me in increases of $24 per day. Tell me if i am right please. Another thing is that i have the paperwork scanned and they told me they will not accept that copy. Is that right? Thanks.

Answer
Well the storage fee is generally figured and charged "for each calendar day" that the vehicle is there.

So if it came in at 11pm on one day and left at 9 am the next morning that would be 2 calendar days. I know it does not seem right but that is the way that it generally is due to Florida laws.

Also keep in mind that the towing fee is "not taxable, but storage fees are taxable" so that will cause the different in prices.
Broward county does have the rates online which are to be charged and that is great, but remember also that at times people make mistakes adding up numbers and so till it comes the final bill you might find it is less or more. Humans do make mistakes, and it does happen at times.  Also in Florida after a certain amount of time they have to file papers with the state to start the lien process and it generally is like 2 or 3 days before that happens and those fees are also added to the tow bill. So you might be encountering those fees.

Now as to the vehicle release. I know it seems stupid that the tow company will not take and accept the "scanned copy" but with notarized statements and authorizations they have to have the original copy where they can "FEEL THE IMPRINT or RAISED AREAS"

Its more a legal issue there as a copy is not legal unless it also has been notarized as a true legal copy of the original.


Hope this provides some help for you.