Williams Tow And Impound ripoff, excess billing, illegal practices Los Angeles California
I am a business owner who shares a parking lot with another food retail business. Last Saturday evening Williams Tow impounded my own car without written authorization from my own private property. They claim the tow was authorized by the manager of the business I share my lot with, but he denies ever authorizing the tow. Williams tow has been unable to produce the written authorization and has claimed they fired the employee that towed my car. They still however assert that the tow was authorized.
I've asked for compensation under section 22658 which requires they pay me 4 times their towing and storage fees and they continue to argue with me and avoid my phone calls to settle the matter. They also lie and tell me they are going to call me back and come and settle/discuss the matter with me. In addition, they also towed another vehicle from my lot that very same night, which was in fact authorized by my neighbors. However, I soon found out that they over chared that person by over $150 allowed by the city of West Hollywood.
I've previously warned them about over-charging and making sure every car towed from my has written authorization. They are exactly the type of slimmy towing operation that new legislation on the Governor's desk is aimed at stopping. The troll the neighborhood for cars to tow, overcharge their victims and get away with it because most people won't bother to look into whether they were properly towed and charged.
Upon finding out they took my car by mistake they have still refused to accept responsibilty and have still been unable to produce their written authorzation nearly 4 days after the fact. Further, more it took them 15 hours to get my car back to me. If anyone was towed by Williams Tow in West Hollywood and were charged more than $119.00 and $22.00 per day in West Hollywood. You are entitled to sue for 4 times the amount you were charged. This has ranged anywhere between $260 and over $300 in my experience. Williams Tow is fully aware they are overcharging, yet they could care less because most of the time, they just plain get aweay with it.
David
Los Angeles, California
U.S.A.
5 Updates & Rebuttals
Robert
Ft Eustis,Virginia,
U.S.A.
If we are idiots, the you must be our King
#6Consumer Comment
Thu, May 21, 2009
I love when people like you give up certain info, but not the whole story. The code you reference says quite a bit more than you'd like to mention.
It clearly states everything Marc and I both said is correct.
So King Dippy, what part of our posts were incorrect? Taking a vehicle illegally is a crime. The signs are required to be authorized by the LOCAL authority. The only person who can authorize the removal of the vehicle is the property owner/lease holder.
In fact, you know this is all true, but you don't care. You are one of those geniuses who think you should be able to park wherever you want, and the person responsible for the parking spot be damned.
Have fun My Liege. My cars have never been towed away. Then again...I can read.
Suing Bruffy's
Ventura,California,
U.S.A.
Couple of idiots
#6Consumer Comment
Sun, May 17, 2009
Jackass Marc and Jackass Robert are obviously related. It is sad to see when someone comes on here and posts legal information designed to help other people, that registered users such as Marc and Robert would post such comments. Clearly they have no idea what they are talking about. I realize these posts are three years old but the subject is far from dead. To anyone who feels they have been unlawfully towed, please put the vehicle code section David referenced, VC 22658, into Google. Then call the tow company and tell them you want five times damages for violating subsection L if they fail to give you a free copy of the written authorization to tow BEFORE you are required to pay. Then file a police report, as I did, with the local police department because failure to provide the form is a misdemeanor. Then go look at the signs to see if they meet the description of the signs in 22658 (1)(A) which specifies the size of the sign, the size of the letters, and that the sign must state very specific things, like "violators will be towed at vehicle owners expense" ("violtors towed") does not suffice. The name of the tow company MUST be posted on the sign along with a working phone number for the local PD. The person having the car towed, and the tow operator BOTH must call the PD to notify that the car has been towed. You can not be towed at all during the first hour that you are illegally parked. Disregard ALL argument about whether your car is legally parked or not. Being illegally parked DOES NOT equate with the right of a lot owner to tow you. Finally, I don't know why Marc or Robert would even comment on a specific vehicle code in California anyway, since they are from Hawaii and Florida anyway. Too much sun, I guess.
Robert
Jacksonville,Florida,
U.S.A.
Yeah...sure they did
#6Consumer Comment
Fri, September 22, 2006
The tow company just posted their signs on PRIVATE property, and neither you, nor the other shop owner know anything about it. Riiiiight.
Call the police, and file a report for your obviously STOLEN vehicle. It must be stolen, since neither you, nor the other shop owner know anything about a tow company being allowed to tow cars off the lot. Also, file criminal tresspass charges against the tow company for posting the obviously illegal signage. Contact the local Code Enforcemnet office and file a report there too, since any signage requires a permit.
Yep, that should take care of it.
Of course, when you discover the other shop owner is the one who authorized both the signs, AND the tow-away, you'll look rather foolish. If you really believe the tow company just drives around, posting unauthorized signs, and dragging off cars without permission, I think you'll be in for a rude awakening.
Marc had it dead on target. I am amazed at how intelligent information is rejected as "offensive", while being told what you want to hear is always the proper statement. That goes back to the 90% of the people just want to be lied to, while the other 10% want the truth.
Hmmm. Aren't just about all the taxes paid by about 10% of the population? Coincidence? I think not.
David
Los Angeles,California,
U.S.A.
RESPONSE TO MARC
#6Author of original report
Fri, September 22, 2006
Marc,
Your comments are offensive, unhelpful and totally misguided. If you want to learn about the rights and responsiblities of tow companies in California read Vehicle Code Section 22658.
Also, to answer your question, neither I nor the business I share my customer parking lot with has a contract with William's Tow. They just posted their signs up one day.
If you would like to trumpet the rights of bandit towing companies I'd suggest you do so somewhere else. This is a consumer advocacy website and I'm trying to help other people who may have been vicitimized by William's Tow and or similar corrupt towing companies, which there are many and why there is current pending legislation on the governor's desk to exact harsh penalties for violations by private tow companies.
Marc
Makaha,Hawaii,
U.S.A.
Please explain the towing contract.
#6Consumer Comment
Wed, September 20, 2006
You say that you "share a parking lot" with your neighbor. I take it that he has a trespass towing contract with Williams Tow but you do not. How does that work, exactly? If they have a contract, they don't need a written authorization for each and every car they tow, and don't have to provide you with squat. Then you say they towed another vehicle from "my lot." I thought the lot belongs to you AND your neighbor.
There's apparently a lot of confusion, and it's not with the tow company, it's between you and your neighbor. I doubt the driver was fired because of you. Put up a fence or something because you're both screwing over your customers.