Is it legal to have someone elses car towed?

Question

Where I live we are assigned certain parking spaces, that are right in front of the door to our houses. For the past 2 days someone has been parked in my spot, and they don't even have a permit to be parked in this lot. This same thing has happened to many people in my complex and the landlord has come down and booted the car. I have called the landlord four times, and even spoken to her once face to face and she informs me that there is nothing she can do. Can I legally call a towing service and have this persons car towed?

Answer 1

the aprtment complex can but u cant

Answer 2

Probably not. Most tow services will tow from apartment complexes doing a PPI (Private Property Impound) tow only for those with authority over the complex, owner of the place or the manager. Under the law in most states that person has to call it in and show the towing company which vehicle to tow and sign the form.

If you aren't getting cooperation from your apartment manager, see if there is an owner listed for the complex and talk to them. You are losing out on what is rightfully yours. If no one will do anything about it, your only option left will be to move. The police will not become involved on private property, they will tell you it's a civil matter.

You could also threaten to without a portion of rent, the amount the lost parking spot would be worth, and see if you can get their attention that way.

I understand your frustration, and wish you well.

Answer 3

OK! If you are assigned a parking space in an apartment complex and someone else parks in your space, call a towing co. and have it towed. You can do this on your own or with the help of the landlord, either way the law permits you to have the vehicle towed. In your lease with the landlord their will be a paragraph about your parking space. This is considered private property, YOUR private property! Read this then call the Towing Co.

Answer 4

Okay, I see all comments about apartment complexes lots. They should be posted, if not my tow truck operator says" If I don't see the legal owners name on a title I can not tow that vehicle". That pertains to cars on highways, places where consent was given for those auto's to be stored there. Think like this. If all your comments were true? That would make Auto Theft very easy, that is why the Tow Companies wonm't get involved in thjings like "I want that car towed, now". If that tow truck driver did that for an auto theft ring, he'd be right in the middle of a crime being committed. I'm going to the State site now and get the real skinny on this. It just happened to my relatives. The guy said they could store their project cars on his land, then got pissy(probably his Wife ordered him to do this, Spineless one). With no warning he had the cars towed. Their was a verbal agreement(contract) and it was broken. Time for the law to step in and get my relatives back their $1,100 dollars from the tow company. They did not have permission from the vehicles owner to even touch them. That's what I encountered also after the closing of my last house. Vehicle was left there, what a pile I had to go through to get that car out of MY yard.

Answer 5

Yes you can legally tow this vechile if there are signs saying its private parking. I had my car towed when I parked at a friends apartment not knowing they had guest spots. I awoke the next morning to find my car gone and another in its place. It took me 1 day to find my car, because they had left no notice that it had been towed, I didnt know until I called the cops and filed a report about a stolen car, the cops found it at the towing place.

Answer 6

Towed to where...your enclosed garage?
Of course you cannot have that vehicle towed legally. The owner would return, find his car gone, and you could be charged with theft.
The signs in your complex are for people who have respect for other people's parking spaces ...obviously this person could care less.
Try leaving a nice note on the car advising these are assigned spaces and ask him not to park there. Ha! Good Luck.

Answer 7

I would say honestly that you could get the car towed given the circumstances but I think it would be a much better idea to smash all the windows out of the car. Oh yeah don't forget to slice all of the tires. For extra kicks and giggles through a Molotov cocktail inside. That will solve the problem and put your mind at peace. Take care.

Answer 8

iv tryed to have someone elses car towed a few times. the building i live in people actually double park behind you so when u want to leave there is a car blocking you in and no one in it. so i called the tow company and they say " only the landlord can have it towed because its on private property" are you on private property? if so then the landlord is full of crap.

Answer 9

call the cops. i'm sure it varies by city, what you can do and how long a car can be parked somewhere. for instance, in my city, a car cannot remain parked in front of someone else's house for longer than 24 hours without being moved. after that, the resident can call the police and have it towed.

Answer 10

Yes, you can do it, I live in an area where we have 2 assigned parking spaces, whenever someone parks in my space and I need it I have the car towed, but it says so as soon as you enter the area, you can't park there unless you have a permit so I've never had a problem.

Answer 11

Yes, my apartment complex gave me a number to call when it happens...They suggested talking to the owner of the car first and let them know that they are in your spot before calling the tow truck.