Towing Issues: towing from parking deck, mg smith, apartment owner

Question
My car that I have borrowed from my mother that is staying another state was towed today at my employer, UAB Medical Center Birmingham, Alabama in my employee parking deck that I pay $50. a month to park in. When I went to the car today it was not there, I went to the security guards and they said it was towed along with 12 other cars by the owner of an apartment building that is attatched to the deck. I parked early this morning when it was still dark and I did not notice any sign that said that area was reserved for an apartment, the security guards stated the apartment owner lurks around the parking deck and has signs up that state those parking spots are only for the parking deck. They also stated the owner was low down and gave me the flyer the apartment owner had given them to tell people to call the towing company B & P located in a shady neighbor who after we all called repeatly never answered or returned the many messages I had left. I ended up having my college daugher driving 40 miles to UAB to pick me up and take me home. I was told by the security guards that the charge was said to be around $250 and $50 each day the car was stored, they felt the apartment owner was out of line but they could do nothing. Can someone just tow the vehicle with no warning in a deck that I pay a fee for? I am at a loss as what to do now, I will keep calling the tow company but can they charge me when they don't respond to my messages and calls? Also, now a worry I have is that the car is actually my mother's old car (my Expedition is having engine issues) and she is currently living in another state,will they give me the car? I have been working overtime at the hospital to try to get ahead and now this issue is messing that all up. I don't have an extra $250. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
MG SMith

Answer
Well as much as I hate to say it, I see a few problems here with this issue.

First of all, its your moms car and as such vehicles are only released to the "registered or legal owners or designated agents" in 99% of all cases...
That means it might take your mom coming down or a "notarized statement" giving you the rights to pick up the vehicle.


Second issue, is the "shared parking area" which does make it real hard to determine who is supposed to be where.

Reserved spaces generally are marked by either small signs on the wall, curb, parking stops or painted on the ground, and yes at times they have bigger signs in front of the spaces..
BUT like anything else, signs can get torn down, damaged or fade way.  

Now it sounds like this property owner is like you said, a bit shady and crooked.. The tow company well I really do not know what to say about that, but it is strange they will not answer the phones and such. I am not sure what to say about that one. (side note, I am 200 miles south of Bham and have not heard of this company)

The fees, well 250.00 seems a bit high but is still about normal for what I know of tow rates up in that area for impounds, but then the $ 50.00 is real high I think for storage.


As to just towing without warnings, well that goes back to the signs and such... There has to be something somewhere which states that the spaces are reserved. And if 12 vehicles were towed, then that is really a problem area and someone needs to work on correcting it...


As to what to suggest, I hope you got the vehicle out or are working on getting it out. But this one sounds like it might be a bit of a legal nightmare and  you always have the Small Claims Court option.