Towed in Private Property

[Jo Schmoe]

What is the name of your state? Louisiana

To begin, I have a permit to park in my apartment complex near LSU's campus. Around 10pm I was at a friend's apartment, when my girlfriend asked to bring her a laptop charger. When I pulled up to the apartments all the spots for paid parking were taken, but I figured I'd be in and out, so I parked on the inner portion of a circle in front of the main office.

By the time I was able to give her the charger and have a brief discussion over mid term stress, my car was towed. Immediately, we headed to a near by sandwich joint's parkin lot ( it is known the towing trucks"wait" there until the security officer calls them to collect illegal parked cars.) There was no security officer on duty yet. However, we managed to find my car just being loaded off the tow truck in the businesses' parking lot, and when we asked if we could take it, we were RUDELY told that for $80 cash we could have the car.

Naturally, I don't carry $80 in cash in my pockets and I was denied the oppurtunity to retrieve the cash from my apartment. The conversation was ended with " 'insert name' haul her up on the flat bed. Apparently, the tow company transports the "towed" cars to he parking lot and then puts them on a flatbed to take two at a time to the yard.

We got the cash ($200 in $100 demon.) and headed for the yard. There the police were with others waiting outside of the gate. The owners of that car had FOLLOWED their car to the impound, because they didn't get the cash Quick enough and had filed a complaint with the police. We waited outside in the cold for 25minutes until our car even showed up to the yard, which was only 10 minutes away. We were charged $176, cash only, no questions, and no change!!! So, I watched as the "pumped" my car off the flatbed. The car's tires are fairly new and was in park. It was stuck on the bed so they "forced it" off. I offered to put in Neutral for them as the front end had previous damage from a wreck but was denied again.

To sum up, I did some investigations. LA law requires a permit/tax for every lot used for towing. The sandwhich shop I'm pretty sure is not a legit yard. If this in fact a private tow, someone had to have called, however the towsman had noted he was called to get a different car in the area and noticed mine there (not the guy illegally in the handicapped space). If the company is under contract, which would allow them to tow without consent with the LPSC permit then should I have been charged $45 for a man rolling a gate open, and under LA law, fuel is to be 3% for light vehicles and I was charged a flat rate of 9.60. LA has a cut off for private towing at $80, but I was feed up to almost 180... Is this legal?

[wellbuilt6969]

I run a company on the West Bank in Jefferson Parish/St.Charles Parish and i am very familiar with Private Property Tow-A-Ways. Our company does 30-60 Private Properties per day. Notice, I said day. LPSC regulates tow companies at 80.00 per tow on these types. Tow companies are aloud to charge a fuel-surcharge of 14% depending on fuel prices at the time which in this case would be 11.20. So now we're up to 91.20. They can legally charge you 1 day storage @14.00 per day (considering this was outside), so now we're at 105.20.
As for the after hours gate fee, we're required to stay open for 8 hrs. per day during normal business hours. I know at 1:00 a.m. in the morning when someone can't wait until the next day to get there car, a man has to wake up after working all day and release it for 45.00, to me that isn't enough , but we do it. Now we're at 150.20. If you were charged more than that and feel you were over-charged, contact LPSC and they will review your situation. As for my opinion, I've seen and heard it all, but remember, not all tow companies are out to get you. Our company policy is removing private properties during normal business hours. I hope i educated you some what.