Q: If my car breaks down at a liquor store, Does the owner have the right to have my car towed the same day?
I had to pay a towing company almost $700 because they towed my car which was broken down from at a liquor store. I went back the same day and my car was gone. my question is do I have a certain amount of time before they can tow my car? There was no sign saying car will be towed at owners expense
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A:
In California, property owners generally have the right to tow a vehicle from their property if it is parked without permission, even if there is no sign indicating that vehicles will be towed. The key factor is whether the vehicle was parked without authorization and whether it was causing a problem, such as blocking access or violating any parking rules.
If your car broke down at the liquor store, the owner might have considered it an unauthorized vehicle on their property, giving them the right to have it towed the same day. However, you could argue that since the car was broken down and you intended to retrieve it, the owner might have been more reasonable by allowing you some time before towing it.
The lack of a sign does raise questions about whether proper notice was given, but California law does not always require signs for towing, especially if the property owner believes the car is unauthorized. You may want to review the specifics of the situation, as there could be details that impact your case.
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