Aside from a frustrating neighbor, how about a frustrating landlord? Maybe you are this nice young lady with a pack of dreams. Your ambition lead you so far to a good job and now to a rented apartment to get life started with and furthermore a car to take you to anywhere you wish to go.
Life seems favorable until one evening you realized your car isn’t where it is supposed to be. After being pressured for a few minutes, you have your landlord acclaiming that he already has your car towed. You wonder why? Should you retaliate, should you call the police or should you just beg for your car back?
Yes, the landlord can tow your car from your driveway if you break the driveway policy by parking in an authorized location. But if your parking doesn’t break any driveway policy, your landlord cannot tow your car from your driveway.
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Can A Car In Your Driveway Be Towed?
Having someone park in your driveway is another way to describe “Restlessness”, most especially when you have to dive into the street with your car but an unauthorized car isn’t giving you the free will to do as you please on your driveway.
It is annoying, and it isn’t wickedness if you have it moved away. A call to a towing company can help tow the car from your driveway.
The dark spot about this is that all costs required by the towing company will be a burden for you to bear unless you have a sign posted that tells everyone that the property is under roam towing, if you don’t have, you would have to pay the towing company to move the vehicle.
Another method is to reach out to your local police, who are much more profitable, to avoid any legal issue or in terms of cost. The police officer can have the car towed or try reaching out to the owner.
Can Your Landlord Tow Your Car From Your Driveway?
You have the same right to the driveway just like how your Landlord has a right to his own portion of the driveway. A clash can only happen if there is someone violating the driveway sharing policy.
Therefore, if you trespass and your landlord isn’t convenient with having you strip him of his peace, he can have your car towed but if you are as clean as the snow and you stick close to your portion of the driveway, your landlord isn’t legally rightful to have your car towed away.
A driveway needs to be shared to avoid a consistent clash. A shared driveway gives you a temporary right to the driveway and gives your landowner a permanent right to his own portion and a right to your portion when your time limit is off the radar, this way both the landlord and the tenant get to maintain peace without having to drag each other over a case of trespassing.
What Can Make Your Landlord Tow Your Car from Your Driveway?
There is no other way to have your landlord the right to tow your car from your driveway than a claim of breaking the legal shared driveway policy that binds you to your landlord.
In case you are not aware of these shared laws, they include:
- The driveway belongs to one (Landlord) and you have an easement over the driveway. I.e. The neighbor/ tenant has a right to use the driveway. This type of driveway gives you a strike when you go beyond the dimension drawn for you in alignment with the signed easement.
- Another is to have the driveway owned by the two involved parties. This is likely not possible. You are a tenant, you only have a right temporally.
Since you don’t own the property, the only way your landlord can tow your car is when there is a bridge with your easement.
What To Do if Landlord Tows my Car From my Driveway?
The only thing you can do is to have a rational discussion with your landlord and possibly settle the dispute or have the court intervene.
Prior to whatever you think is wrong, a talk with the landlord works more in your favor than having the law get involved but if you are so sure of your easement and you find it illegal to have your car towed, then a law case can have the matter settled.
A law case doesn’t come cheap; you get to spend a few dollars to have things prepared before the judge.
Tips To Avoid Predatory Towing
Even towing companies can be unethical; don’t fall for their shady schemes. Predatory towing is using illegal and unethical means to maximize profits.
Towing can be stressful most especially when you have to use a towing company, the demands and questions can be overwhelming and during those overwhelming times, they can assume the role of a scammer by taking advantage of your little knowledge of law or just your stressed self that isn’t paying full attention to what is going on.
The following tips should save you a fortune:
1. Be a Friend of Your Local Laws
You won’t get cheated when you know the local laws that bind towing in your community. A knowledge of this will help you avoid unnecessary expenses and also hint you when something is about to go shady.
2. Read the Signs Before Parking
Every property should have a sign that shows the restrictions to motorists. Before parking your car in places you are not so familiar with, a quick tour with your eye to read every signpost will save you from stress.
Ethical towing companies are expected to have visible instructions in form of a signpost in places where they offer towing services.
3. Be Sure of the Service Provider
Cases of towing trucks appearing in accident scenes to take advantage of stranded and confused motorists are alarming. Be sure the towing truck matches the recommended company provided by the insurance agent.
4. Choose your Stop
Knowing you’re right again is the best way to slam off any threat on your right. You may choose where you want to have your car moved to. If the tow service provided acts otherwise be alarmed to have them dealt with by the law. Know your right!
Conclusion
A chat with your landlord will prevent you from having repeated issues and disagreements with your landowner. Be watchful of your allocated space on the driveway. Trespass cannot prevent you from the stress of a towing company, but if you maintain your easement, you should be fine, except if your landlord is a little harsh.