Always ask them to explain the charges to you!
When the Impound Fee is mentioned, ask what services were provided, the date and time. Since you will be paying this fee, your entitled to a copy of the vehicle inventory. It's important that the TDLR license number of the person who completed the inventory is written on the document. In alot of storage receipts I have received from tow victims, the time the inventory and mvr was completed at the same time frame. This is not possible, period. Someone has to to verify the vehicle is secure, windows rolled up, doors locked and an inventory of vehicle contents and body damage, it can take up to 10 minutes to complete. The mvr is ran from inside the office from a computer, the same computer all your vehicle records are located.
Always question the paperwork and never sign any document other than a credit card reciept or the notarized released document. They cannot refuse to release your vehicle after payment has made because you refuse to sign their business documents, this includes tow tickets.
Vehicle Storage Facilities who are members of the Southwest Tow Operators continue to be belligerent and violate the Vehicle Storage Facility Act daily, as many are still refusing to provide the name of the person who authorized the tow, the TDLR license number of the tow truck operator who towed the vehicle and the vehicle storage facility employee who released the vehicle.
The person collecting your money at the storage facility or the tow truck operator is required by State Law to show you their license, so you can write down their name, license number and expiration date. If they refuse, call the Police, since many have an expired license or no license at all. You want to call the Police to verify that person is licensed, so if they do not hold a valid license, get an offense report number and file a complaint against the storage facility with TDLR. If that person at the storage lot becomes belligerent and uses racial slurs, be sure to record that conversation to file a complaint against that person for an Integrity violation with TDLR.
"Bivins Wrecker Service in Weatherford was fined $1500 on 9/5/2013 for their company President, Billy Heiser busted for working in a vehicle storage facility with an expired license".
All three of these requirements are violations of State Law that carry stiff penalties, suspensions, revocation and arrestable offenses by law enforcement.
Other examples of Vehicle Storage Facilities that are refusing to obey State Law for failing to provide statutory information:
In all of these receipts, all fail to provide the name of the person who authorized the tow.
If they fail to provide the name of the person who authorized the tow, the 14 day deadline to file the request for tow hearing is not applicable. In 94% of all statutory hearings filed in illegal towing cases, the storage facility refused to provide the name of the person who authorized the tow. In every statutory hearing, the parking facility owner or manager admitted under oath they received something of value from the towing company.
Of course, their are many storage lots and towing companies that obey the law and provide all the required information, but there is a growing number of dishonest company owners throughout Texas who shield the towing authorization person. One in particular, advertises they will pay all legal fees and judgement in Court for illegal tows, as shown below:
If you encounter hostile vehicle storage facility employees, record everything. Do not stop recording them, as they are recording everything you say and do. Give us a call while at storage lot at 512-680-3190 if you encounter problems and send every document you were given at the storage lot, so I can inspect them for possible violations, since the majority of vehicle owners or operators are unaware of the regulations the storage lot and towing companies must obey.
Take photos or video of vehicles while walking to your vehicle after submitting payment that have missing windows that are not covered to secure the vehicle. You will want to include them with your complaint email to TDLR enforcement for additional violations they will be fined for.
You must prepare yourself before heading to the storage facility, learn more by reading this.
