Morocco # English board

My car was towed away when I did not do anything wrong and now i have to pay a 1000$ to get it back.


The only thing that I have done wrong was that I left the car in my apartement complex (my permanent residence) where I am still paying rent while I went for an internship in another town. the internship will last a couple months. Therefore, I did not get to go back to my apartment since it is several hundreds of miles away from the town where i am interning. one month after I left my apartment, I received a letter from the towing company stating that I owed them 400$ plus 30$ per day. this amounts to 1000$ since they have the car for more than three weeks now.

I called my apartment complex to ask them for the reason as to why they had the car towed. guess what they said? They dont know because the person who signed the papers is no longer with the company. but they insist that it is not their problem even if they dont know what was my wrong deed. now, I have to miss work, drive back to my permanent residence and get the car. and this will cost additional money. maybe more than what my car is worth.

My first car was taken away from me.

I thought this kinda stuff dont happen in th states

I'd say, sue the company, the person may not be working there any longer but he/she was on the o'clock when he/she signed the paper. Somebody from the company called the tow truck, if there was no justifiable cause for towing the car, then you can sue for the costs and throw in some damages for time wasted while you're at it, you are in the country of frivolous lawsuits after all, and this one would not be so frivolous.
Maybe the threat of the lawsuit, might get you your money back. Good luck.

Sorry my friend for what happen to you! I’m surprised because in my book, if you are still paying the rent for this place, that means you have a spot in this parking. And no, if you know the car is not worth a 1000$, I don’t think you should pay for it. I know some may think this can create some problems in your credit history, and you do not want that. My suggestion is to escalate your problem and refuse to pay, they will ask you to appear before a judge in small court, I did once, I was given a ticket, the only one in my life, I just said I’m not going to pay, I was sent a letter to appear in front of the judge and he took of half of my ticket, all I said was, yes I was driving 45 in 30 miles speed limit area because I was in hurry, and that I was sorry, which was the truth. in the US, i think you have the right to refuse to pay if you wish to escalate.
That’s too much to pay my friend; you can use that money in morocco…
peace,



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/2006 06:31 by Almot.

I have not seen chelhman reply when i wrote mine, i guess we basically see it the same way...escalate, sue them..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/2006 08:11 by Almot.

If you have been paying the parking and your car was towed. This means your car was stollen.
Any judge who compare the period for the bill you are asked to pay and the period in the renting contract will have to be on your side. Actually, they have to pay for towing the car by mistake or ...
If you have the document (renting contract and the bill from the compagny) any lawyer will have fun making money with you case and you also of course ( missing apponitment, no sleep by thinking car was stollen etc..)

take care
Krim

Sue them in small claims court, you will get it back, try to get a lawyer, write them first (the towing company) and advise them of the situation, if they still persist, sue them for the damages, and the attorney fees.. They expropriate your car without your consent. (As they said earlier, you car is considred stolen)

Thank you guys for your advice.

it seems that everyone is telling me to sue them.

the thing is that the car is not worth that much, and I am not pissed because I lost money but i am pissed because of el-hogra feeling.

In my previous message, i did not make it clear enough. I do not have a problem with the towing company, but I have a problem with the management of my apartment complex. they athorized the towing of my car without any justification. and they are not willing to provide any. and they are telling me that in no circumstance they will pay for the car. So I feel like Hogra hadi.

And that's why I want to seek justice, not because of the money. But, I realize that if i fight them i have more to loose than to win because the car is not worth it. and I will just have sleepless night trying to fight the Goliath.

I am a little bit reluctant in pursuing the suing option because it's going to cost me a lot of time and effort. and maybe even more money. more than that, nothing seems to help me. I could have got free legal aid from my university if i was registred for the summer classes. but i cannot. I asked for a document from the tow truck company that states the reason as to why the car was towed. the hand writing is so bad you cannot read anything from it.

Now, one thing that I can do is to write to the media, and explain my story. In my college town, there is always stories like this. people do not usually throw rocks (HAJRA) in the united states, but in my town they throw rocks at tow truck drivers. Maybe this will uncover if there is some scam going on.

Thanks everyone.

Hi ramis16,

Read my post again, I'm suggesting to sue the company you rent from, not the tow truck company. The tow trucker is just executing an order, he's not responsible. You have a contract with the residence complex which probably includes a parking space, you're not behind in your rent, so there was no reason for them to call a tow truck. "Al hogra" as you say, happens because they know that you might not sue, then prove them wrong. This is not a David vs Goliath case here, this is the law vs a violation of a contract. Threaten with a law suit in writing with a registered mail, roll the dice, start with that, see their reaction.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2006 04:25 by chelhman.

bessa7a hihihihi

Quote
Almot
Sorry my friend for what happen to you! I’m surprised because in my book, if you are still paying the rent for this place, that means you have a spot in this parking. And no, if you know the car is not worth a 1000$, I don’t think you should pay for it. I know some may think this can create some problems in your credit history, and you do not want that. My suggestion is to escalate your problem and refuse to pay, they will ask you to appear before a judge in small court, I did once, I was given a ticket, the only one in my life, I just said I’m not going to pay, I was sent a letter to appear in front of the judge and he took of half of my ticket, all I said was, yes I was driving 45 in 30 miles speed limit area because I was in hurry, and that I was sorry, which was the truth. in the US, i think you have the right to refuse to pay if you wish to escalate.
That’s too much to pay my friend; you can use that money in morocco…
peace,

no way ! ...i would do what almot suggested , it kinda reminded me of disputing traffic tickets ...give it a shot you won't loose money , because it's not a lawsuit !
good luck