Towed from friend's driveway in trailer park.

[divona2000]

What is the name of your state? MI
My truck broke down and I left it at a friend's with her verbal permission. She lives in a huge mobile home park, is a MTM, no written lease, from her mother who owns the trailer/leases the lot. I emailed her tonight that I had the money for towing & repairs, she stated she thought I had already done this since my truck vanished about a week ago.

She now believes the park manager had it removed, referencing her memory of "no non-running vehicles allowed" in park rules. She is going to try and get a copy. While true it doesn't 'run', a $25,000 2003 truck isn't a junker either, this is not an abandoned vehicle, it has current plates and full coverage...and how does the manager prove it doesn't 'run' anyway?

The truck was legally parked in her large driveway, next to her auto, not blocking any entrance/egress, and cannot be seen from the passing road. My friend says she has never received any notice, written or verbal, about my truck. I have no idea where my truck is (I will be making calls tomorrow). It was there for a long time, I now understand trailer parks are not like owning your own place, and management may have rules they can enforce about autos...however...

1. Can they have one towed with NO warning?
2. Isn't anyone required to notify the me about the towing and where my truck is?
Thank you, Nancy June

 

[OHlandlord]

Around here, trailer parks have stickers to put on authorized, registered cars parked in the driveways or on the street. Any car without a sticker would be towed without notice. Do they have this there? Was there a notice of this sort in the lease your friend's mother signed? Additionally, you state that:

It was there for a long time.

How long is a long time? A clause that "no non-running vehicles allowed" and a vehicle parked in a driveway for "a long time" ... Hmmmm... More info please.

 

[divona2000]

more info...

""Around here, trailer parks have stickers to put on authorized, registered cars parked in the driveways or on the street. Any car without a sticker would be towed without notice.
Do they have this there?""
No parking stickers, at least not at this park.

""Was there a notice of this sort in the lease your friend's mother signed?""
Friend has never seen the lease her Mother signed. Friend will try to get copy of park rules, which is where she thinks it is mentioned.

""How long is a long time? A clause that "no non-running vehicles allowed" and a vehicle parked in a driveway for "a long time" ... Hmmmm... More info please.""
About 19-20 weeks...in retrospect, it seems like a long time, but I was working extra hours during those weeks to get the money for towing & repairs.

 

[Zigner]

So, there was a strange vehicle sitting in a driveway for 5 months and you find it strange that it was towed?

 

[divona2000]

reply

So, there was a strange vehicle sitting in a driveway for 5 months and you find it strange that it was towed?

Strange vehicle? Nope, it was just a normal Chevy...OK, I know what you meant, but it has been seen there numerous times before-I do visit my friends-and I didn't find it 'strange' it was towed, I asked if it was legal and if they have to notify me.
Even if it had been an unfamiliar auto, does that give park management the right to just remove it with no written or verbal warning? They would be towing every new purchase then.

 

[divona2000]

Legal info...

This is all I have found online so far...from michigan.gov...

"Private property owners must contact a towing company. The law requires the towing service to contact law enforcement before a vehicle is towed from private property. Law enforcement is responsible for determining whether the vehicle is stolen.

There are new requirements for apartment complexes and owners and lessors of private property. Under section 257.252k, each apartment complex or private property owner that has a vehicle towed must have a warning sign posted stating that unauthorized vehicles will be towed at the owner's expense. The notice must include the name and telephone number of the towing agency that will remove vehicles from that property and be in letters at least two inches high on a contrasting background. Notices must be permanently installed with the bottom of the notice at least four feet from the ground and prominently displayed at a point of entry for vehicles. If the property does not have curbs or access barriers, there must be at least one notice for every 100 feet of road frontage. The notice must be in place at least 24 hours before vehicles can be towed from the property. Private properties that are single- or dual-family residences are exempt from the notice requirements.

Posted notice is not required if the vehicle owner has been given personal notice that the vehicle is parked in an unauthorized area and is subject to towing. The law does not specify whether verbal or written personal notice must be given. However, it is recommended that private property owners provide written personal notices and retain a copy for their files."

Re: the second phrase-I have been in and out of this subdivision style park for years, and I do not recall any such warning signs/notices; but it is all single & dual-family, so evidently not required?
Re: third phrase-I was never given verbal or written notice.

 

[BL]

You left it at the Friends .
Your Friend should have warned you about any rules .

When you asked your Friend was it OK to leave my vehicle parked there , and would it get towed , what did your Friend say ?

You pay the tow bill to get your expensive vehicle out of pound .

 

[Ozark_Sophist]

Umm... my first question would be if the truck was towed or stolen.

 

[Ohiogal]

And did OP file a police report?

 

[divona2000]

still more info...

Blonde Lebinese
“You left it at the Friends .
Your Friend should have warned you about any rules .
When you asked your Friend was it OK to leave my vehicle parked there , and would it get towed , what did your Friend say ?
You pay the tow bill to get your expensive vehicle out of pound .”
*****
She says she does not have a copy of rules. I now suspect she has an illegal sublet.
I asked if I could leave it there, she said yes. Why would I think to ask if it would be towed?
Of course I will pay the tow bill...but you think a $25,000 truck is expensive? Not.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ozark Sophist
“Umm... my first question would be if the truck was towed or stolen.”

Ohiogal
“And did OP file a police report?”
******
I did not file a police report because it was confirmed today that the truck was towed. Apparently my 'friend' has been lying to me (stress-2 toddlers, preggo, hubby shipping out, eviction-she has totally lost it). The tow co. owner confirmed that it was towed on Sept. 11, not "about a week ago" as she said. She can give no explanation as to why she didn't let me know then. She did not tell me the police were there. The tow owner informed me that she lied to him and the park owner about the truck.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The tow owner says that neither they nor police are required to notify me about the towing or pending auction of an 'abandoned' vehicle...it has been in their possession for 15days, and they have already started the paperwork to have it sold at auction. Tow owner has given me 5 days to pay $692, plus $30 more per day, or it will be sold.

Does anyone have information on my original questions?

1. Can they have one towed with NO warning?
2. Isn't anyone required to notify the me about the towing and where my truck is?
and now
3. Can they simply auction it off without notifying the owner?
Thank you, Nancy June

 

[Zigner]

I suggest you come up with $692 + $30 per day and get your tow out of the impound yard.

 

[divona2000]

Did I not already say that...?

I suggest you come up with $692 + $30 per day and get your tow out of the impound yard.

Um, thank you for your helpful "Legal" Advice, but as I already stated in the thread you were answering to, "Of course I will pay the tow bill..."

Now can anybody answer the actual questions I asked?

 

[las365]

My suspicion would be that your friend did get notices about moving the truck or it would be towed, but didn't tell you about them. Now, yeah, oh, she does have some small recollection about some kind of parking rules...

 

[BL]

Of course I will pay the tow bill...but you think a $25,000 truck is expensive? Not.

What ever floats your boat , but getting snippy with volunteers will get you nowhere .

You're going to pay the bill to get your non expensive vehicle back .

End of story .

 

[Zigner]

Of course I will pay the tow bill...but you think a $25,000 truck is expensive? Not.

For a person who can't come up with money to pay for repairs for 5 months...yes, it's expensive.