A COUPLE were involved in an accident and had their car towed to a dealership for repairs – their itemized bill was shocking.
Furthermore, the towing company was technically violating the law.
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In March 2017, Margaret Roberts was involved in a car accident and a tow truck from Jonny’s Towing quickly arrived.
Her husband, George Hollo, instructed the driver to tow her car to the dealership he rented it from – Lallier Honda in Ontario, Canada.
When Hollo asked the tow truck driver how much the bill would be, the driver avoided the question.
“All they said was, ‘Don’t worry, the insurance company will pay for it,'” Hollo said complete blood count.
The next morning, he called the dealership to ask for an update and was shocked to find his car had been declined.
Instead of sitting at the dealership, it was towed to a parking lot because the dealership wouldn’t sign for the car.
After all, the bill was very high.
“They were asked [by the towing company] for $4,287.50 plus taxes, plus money for storage,” Hollo said.
“They weren’t willing to sign because they figured the insurance company wouldn’t pay for it.”
Hollo’s Honda was then stored in the parking lot until the astronomical bill was paid.
“They are actually holding our car hostage,” he said.
“There doesn’t seem to be any regulation or there doesn’t seem to be any sense as to what they could charge. Well, it’s just unbelievable.”
CBC contacted Jonny’s Towing and spoke with the company’s manager, Jon Kadir – who told the outlet that his company was dispatched as a subcontractor by Big City Towing.
He argued that Big City Towing, not his company, was responsible for the bill.
Big City Towing only paid his company $100 for the tow.
When CBC contacted Big City Towing, it was promised the matter would be resolved.
Shortly after the call, the bill came to $1,594.
The dealership’s Guy Lamoureux told the outlet that Big City Towing found an error in billing, resulting in the reduction.
Joey Gagne, president of the Provincial Towing Association in Ontario, Canada, said it’s not uncommon for the towing company to keep the car a long time until the bill is paid.
What to do if your car is towed
Unfairly or not, recovering a towed vehicle can be a hassle.
If your vehicle is towed after parking in a “No Parking” zone or other legitimate reason, there are some steps you can take to get it back.
Steps to follow when your car is towed:
- Try to find out why your car was towed. Haven’t you seen a “No Parking” sign? Did you miss your car payment? Have you returned to a lot where there were unpaid citations? Finding the reason may restrict the phone numbers to dial.
- Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some type of contact information via a posted or mailed sign.
- Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but these times will be posted on the website or may be provided by a representative.
- Pay the fees. Be careful to be as quick as possible as some towing yards may charge per day storage fees.
If you believe your vehicle was improperly towed, you can dispute the action by following these steps:
- Be quick – many states have a small window of time in which it is acceptable to file a claim against a company that improperly towed your vehicle.
- Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements, if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
- Familiarize yourself with local laws, as laws for towing companies vary by state.
- Try talking to the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight and the matter can be resolved quickly.
- Contact your local Justice of the Peace as they may have more information or resources to help. They are often used for towing cases.
- Speak to a lawyer. Many lawyers offer free consultations and, depending on the case, it may be worth calling on a lawyer.
Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak law firm
However, he couldn’t pinpoint why the bill was so high.
Typically, getting towed in the event of an accident rarely costs more than $800.
“It’s not uncommon for this to happen, but how does it happen? [over] $4,000 confuses me,” he said.
In Canada, tow truck drivers must present potential customers with a rate schedule before the vehicle is towed.
They should also provide customers with a written quote to avoid being shocked by the bill.
Hollo said the tow truck driver didn’t provide it to him either.
“The tow truck driver has a lot of responsibility,” Gagne said.
“Consumers are considered vulnerable in this type of situation because they have been traumatized by an accident.”
The couple could file a complaint with the Ontario Ministry of Government and Consumer Services.
“The Consumer Protection Law related to tow trucks is very clear: it is necessary to make it clear to the consumer what they expect with the fees,” he said.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
