In July while away on vacation, I had my Honda Accord towed without my knowledge from my residence on PCH. It was parked right in front of my apartment building. I had the car parked there as a courtesy, as parking is extremely limited in my complex. When I returned home the car was missing and my fist reaction was to call the police and report it stolen. After making a call to the Lost Hills Sheriffs department, I discovered my car was “legally” towed because it had been parked there for more than 72 hours. I had received no warning prior to the tow and was entirely unaware of this law. I never anticipated having your car towed from in front of your house for no apparent reason other than to generate revenue.
I am a full time, working graduate student with limited funds and could not afford the initial $690 Malibu Towing demanded for keeping my car in storage while I was out of town. To make matters worse, the car, which has been in my possession for the last four years, is registered under my parent’s name who reside in Montana. Malibu Towing instructed me to bring a faxed copy of a notarized letter from my parents with a copy of their ID and signature instructing them to release the car to me immediately to avoid incurring more debt. My dad’s office manager happens to be a notary allowing me to get the letter fast. Malibu Towing charges $28 per day plus tax to keep your car. When I arrived at 10 minutes to four that Friday afternoon, an incredibly rude man told me I needed an original copy. I had been told hours earlier from a Malibu Towing employee that a faxed, legible letter would suffice.
This made me very angry as I knew there would be no way to get the letter there until Monday even with an overnight delivery. This means more money for Malibu Towing. I couldn’t afford to retrieve my car because I had to purchase my books for my new semester classes and I also have to eat too. It’s expensive living in California these days. My car is still at Malibu Towing and as of today I can buy my car back for $1,190. That is more than my share of one month’s rent. My car will be put up for sale on the 10th of September with the minimum asking price set by the total charges owed for Malibu Towing. How is the legal? The Sheriff’s department along with Malibu Towing essentially stole my car from my place of residence and now I cannot afford to get it back. What a racket!
Rachel Flaten