AN OWNER vented online about his HOA towing his car without warning, despite other cars not following the same rule.
He said the HOA would not fine or tow vehicles for leaks oil to the parking lot, but immediately towed the car when the registration expired.
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Andrew Powell, a homeowner in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Las Vegas, Nevada, wrote on his Facebook page after arriving home to find a tow truck removing his vehicle from its paid parking space.
His vehicle’s registration had recently expired and he knew it was against HOA regulations to not have valid tags – but other vehicles near him with expired tags gave him some comfort.
However, when he said his car was on the back of a tow truck, he was upset about the lack of warning from the complex’s HOA.
“I got home and my car was towed. No ticket,” he wrote Powell.
“From my parking spot that I own. This HOA is out of control.”
In addition to not receiving a warning and the opportunity to correct the violation, insult to injury came in the form of an expensive recovery fee.
“Over $800 because I’m a little behind on registering a car I don’t drive,” he continued.
“I’m close to my limit.”
In the comments section, one of your friends noted that it must be HOA policy to keep registration and signs up to date, otherwise people could get towed.
He said the tow truck driver simply “followed policy” and was not a personal attack on Powell.
Powell responded that other residents were not being penalized for late registration.
“Yes, they did [follow the policy]and all cars around mine are expired… [I’m feeling] target,” Powell said.
He also noted that the HOA had the opportunity to warn him during a phone call earlier in the week, but did not do so.
“I spoke to them on the phone on Thursday and no mention,” Powell continued.
“[The HOA knows] I’m not home during the week to work… I’ve seen cars leaking oil for months in one place. Mine is a new car (2 years old). It is so strange.”
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 narrow down 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
Another friend of Powell’s responded and indicated that he was confused that the HOA had towed his car from a location he owned.
“But the parking lot is yours,” he wrote.
“No sense. These people are crazy.”
Another wrote a similar experience with a happy HOA and ended up feeling that some HOAs can be valuable to homeowners – but not theirs or Powell’s.
“So far, my opinions on HOAs have been moderately neutral,” they wrote.
“I see very little benefit, and sometimes headache, for this particular HOA.”
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
