QuestionMy car was towed for no registration. I was notified that the Tow Company had put a 30-day lein hold on it. After the 30 days passed, they sold the van for $50. Or, so they say. Now, 2 years later, I've been informed that I owe about $1,100 for the storage charges and also the interest that they've been charging me. They said that the sale of the van didn't pay for all of the storage charges and interest. Is this really how it works? I live in Alameda County.
AnswerWell as a rule, yes the tow company will file a lien on the vehicle which states what the charges are and when the sale date is... They generally hold an auction which from what I understand about California law is open to the public but the law does not allow you to bid on your own vehicle...
Now as to the sale, yes they sell it for what they can get at auction and any difference is generally owed by the vehicle owner as per dmv records... Yes some companies turn the amount over to collection agencies and some just do it in house... Or if you are lucky some of them just forget about the money owed...
But in todays economy, tow companies are not forgetting much about money owed and have turned everything over to collection agencies. YES there are some collection agencies which specialize in collections for towing fees.
Sorry to hear that it happened but not much I can suggest for you to do other than talk to a lawyer and see if they have any ideas...
Also talk to the collection agency and see what they will do or accept.
