Renters Rights Per Parking Space

[LKH615]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Allston, MA


I currently lease an apartment and included in our lease is 1 parking spot and the apartment unit. The lot behind our unit is posted for permit parking only. We previously had one car parked back there that had a permanent parking pass, but there is no more need to do so and the spot is now empty. I went to the towing company today to see if we could get any form of visitor pass for the spot we pay for and they told us that the parking permits need to be linked to a vehicle registration. In looking at our lease, there is no addendum specifying that vehicles need to be registered to park there and simply that we have use of one spot. If we get the okay from our landlord to use the spot for visitors (he owns the spot and is not leasing it from the building), it sounds fishy to me that a towing company can deny us the right to use the spot we pay for even if it is for visitors.

While we can get a pass for a car registration, it would be cumbersome and unrealistic to expect that our landlord call the company every time we have a visitor, therefore preventing our use of a spot we can use via our lease. In addition, there are about 5 spots and only 1 is used. However, the towing company will patrol and tow even if no one called to complain that someone was parking in their spot.

Granted I don't know much about towing laws, but it is frustrating paying for a spot we can't realistically use when it seems that the issue is with a third party and not our landlord.

Is there any more information anyone could potentially provide or point me in the right direction?

Thank you in advance!

 

[HighwayMan]

It's the landlord's property, and if he says it's okay then what's the problem?

 

[LKH615]

Towing company

So the towing company said in order for them to give us a pass it has to be attatched to a vehicle regristration and that they can't just give us a pass to give to our visitors when they come to visit. It seems kind of sketchy on the part of the towing company if our landlord gives us the okay to use the spot for visitors.

 

[HighwayMan]

So why doesn't the landlord speak to someone at the towing company about it?

It sounds like the towing company is actually alot more than that - they are managing the entire parking facility? It sounds like the owner (landlord) has nothing to do with it.

 

[LKH615]

Tow company

So I asked them today if my landlord reached out on my behalf if he would be able to get a visitor permit and they said no though he owns the spot. The towing company does not manage the building and it is just an outdoor lot with a sign saying they tow violators. However it isn't a garage or anything like that they have to manage.

 

[HighwayMan]

Obviously if they are actively patrolling the lot and checking for permits then they seem to be doing more than they should.

I would think they would only be towing cars if they receive a call or complaint.

 

[LdiJ]

Obviously if they are actively patrolling the lot and checking for permits then they seem to be doing more than they should.

I would think they would only be towing cars if they receive a call or complaint.

Well, I don't know about where you live, but where I live tow companies regularly patrol various parking lots, on a predatory basis, looking for cars to tow. They do not wait for calls or complaints. They do it even if the management companies tell them not to do so. Therefore, many apartment complexes are choosing not to regulate parking anymore because they end up with too many upset tenants. They would rather have tenants complaining about not enough parking than tenants having cars towed for no good reason.