Q: Can a landlord tow a properly parked vehicle for "not moving in a while" and expired tags?
I have a car that I don't use often and keep it parked in my assigned space. It is operable but tags were expired. Long story short... my assigned spot is not near my apartment and as such I don't actually put eyes on the vehicle all that often. We went down there last week and saw it is missing! I emailed the managers and they said it was towed due to "not having moved in a while" and due to expired tags. Is this legal?
A: If the vehicle was operable at the time of the tow, and was located in a legitimate parking space specifically assigned to you, no, a landlord may NOT tow it without your express permission at the time of the tow. Current tags (or not) are irrelevant and a statute even specifically states that a landlord may not tow a vehicle because its registration is no longer current. See ORS 90.485(4) and (7). If the landlord towed your vehicle in violation, you likely are entitled to recover damages along with your court costs and attorney's fees. Good luck.
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