Towing Issues: Question on patrol towing in CA Alameda country, gov pubs, bad apples

Question
Hi
Some towing company always patrol towing inside my community, but this company was not the one our community contract with (I found it on the street sign.) Is this legal? And What should I do if my car get tow by the one who doesn't have contract with our community?

Answer
Well the community "MANAGEMENT" needs to know about this, so that they can take care of it. Now the tow company might also have changed names, or bought the other company. That can happen and if it did they need to change the signs according to the laws.

California has great laws regarding the removal of vehicles from private property and the main law is linked below.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc22658.htm


If you get towed by this "OTHER COMPANY" what I suggest is to be nice and civil and go pay what ever fees that you have to, and get a receipt that you can read. Also get a copy of the "VIOLATION PHOTO" which you are entitled to by law and also find out who authorized the tow.  Get all of this and then you have the information to go to court and sue for an "illegal tow" which has all kinds of penalties. This would also open up the tow company to police investigation and such.

Now not to defend the tow company, but 99% of tow companies are legal and do it right, but there is always those "bad apples" who make the industry look bad but doing it illegally.


Hope this helps, if not ask more questions.