Truck lot will not return my trucks!

[nickjames]

What is the name of your state? TX

I have three trailer trucks and an acquaintance of mine told me he had a large lot where he rents out space for truckers to park their vehicles for extended periods of time. I paid him $700 in cash and he told me that I could keep them on his lot for 4 months. Stupid of me, there is nothing in writing detailing how long I could keep the trucks on the lot and what the monthly rate was. In any event, I returned to the lot 6 months later and this same acquaintance told me that he already sold one of the trucks and that he was about to sell the other two! I told him that he couldn't do that because I still have the title to all three and that I paid him rent so that I could park them there. He told me the titles mean nothing because I had "abandoned" the trucks. Therefore, he can do what he pleases with the trucks. FYI, there are many other trucks on this lot, as that is the business this guy is engaged in. I do have records of $700 being paid to him. However, I cannot prove what the money was for. My question: how do I get the sold truck back and how do I prevent him from selling the other two?

 

[averad]

You paid for 4 months then come back in 6?

 

[nickjames]

Well, there was nothing in writing. This guy actually owed me money and first offered to let me use his lot for free. Immediately after I parked them he said that times were tough and that he needed to charge me rent. I was the one who offered $700 and asked him how long I could park the trucks for that amount. He said "around four months or so. We'll figure it out later." So there was nothing set in stone for the four months. Even if there was, would he be able to sell the truck without contacting me first? How can he say it was "abandoned"?

 

[mykoleary]

how do I get the sold truck back

Buy it from the new owner.

how do I prevent him from selling the other two?

Pay him rent for the extra two months and move them off the lot.

 

[Shay-Pari'e]

Buy it from the new owner.


Pay him rent for the extra two months and move them off the lot.

There is nothing in writing, and you are extremly high on something . You are answering every post that comes along, and you look like an idiot.

 

[Jiggly1984]

If you have records proving you have $700 paid to him, which he accepted (cancelled check, receipt with his signature, etc), it is reasonable that you paid him to allow you to keep your trucks on his property.

With regards to the abandonment issue, I see two options here. (A) You argue you paid for usage of his lot, and therefore you couldn't have abandoned the trucks, as he received compensation for you leaving them there, even if it was an indeterminate amount of time. (B) Generally, before someone can remove something from property on which it is rightfully there, the owner of the property (the other guy) must inform the owner of the object (in this case, you) that you are past your pick-up date, and that he is going to take possession of the property and/or sell it. Since you have no contract, and therefore no official pick-up date, he can't claim you did. I don't know about Texas, but in many states, notice must be given a certain number of days before it is taken/sold/disposed of, and usually by certified mail.

The second thing, which I think is a strong area for you, is that he essentially stole your property, and for something that large, it would probably be a felony. Secondly, he sold stolen goods, which is at least a misdemeanor.

I would threaten him with reporting to the authorities, and if he doesn't budge, I'd call the cops and report that he stole your property.

Do you have any idea on what date he sold your truck, or who he sold it to? Even though the person who purchased it might not be on your "good" list, you might be able to get their help in figuring out if he sold it to them before your "rental term" (4 months) expired.

Hope some of that helps.