Help with towing company shizzle?

**Jamezo** · 1st August 2006, 10:57

Hi guys. Following my accident, my bike was towed, by Kearneys, following instruction by police.

It's been over a month and I'm still waiting on the outcome of the traffic investigation, so I rang and enquired about getting my bike back. It has now accrued over $320 in towing and storage fees, increasing at $5 a day. Hmm.

The person I spoke with said I should have recieved a letter telling me about this, but I have recieved no such letter. Nothing dodgy about my address, it's been the same as ever. "....Oh...." the person said.

Now, if I manage to claim this on the insurance of the guy that hit me, I won't have much of a problem. If I can't, I'm pretty much fucked. Either way, I won't be able to cough up enough to get my bike out of there in the near future. Bad.

A friend can help me tomorrow with a trailer, but do I need cash up front to take my bike, or can they send me a bill? Is there any chance of them waiving the storage fees that they failed to tell me about?

Thanks, James

**GR81** · 1st August 2006, 11:02

chances are... 'no cash, no bike'

**kickingzebra** · 1st August 2006, 11:04

They are in a hard business, and I have only ever had one towie do me a favour, and that was in te kuiti. He didn't charge storage.
Might be worth giving it a go, but they are used to people coming in all pissed off, so that probably won't work. Try making something out of the storage fees, but be reasonable. Mention the word laywer if needs be

**spudchucka** · 1st August 2006, 11:04

I think they usually expect payment when the vehicle is being picked up. Usually your insurance would cover these costs.

**Motu** · 1st August 2006, 11:49

Their yard is full,and they'll only recover towing and storage fees on a fraction of those.If they actualy get someone who wants to claim their vehicle instead of just forgetting about it - you can be sure you won't get it untill you pay.

**Korea** · 1st August 2006, 11:59

Try: A teaspoon of honey Vs. a litre of vinegar...
"...and a baseball bat!" (pisstake p/t)

**Lias** · 1st August 2006, 12:13

Yours odd of getting your bike out of the towies yard without cash in advance are about the same chance I have of winning 50 million in lotto this week.

For both our sakes lets hope I win lotto this week.

**Str8 Jacket** · 1st August 2006, 12:17

Originally Posted by Lias

For both our sakes lets hope I win lotto this week.

Not this week sonshine, Im winning it. Try again next week.

As for your bike Jamezo, im sorry but you'll more than likely have to pay the charges before they let you take it. Were you insured? If so, talk to them and see if they will make arrangements to pay it. That way the towies MAY let you take it if they are guaranteed payment from your insurance.

**The_Dover** · 1st August 2006, 12:27

Pay it and write a letter to the pigs advising that you were not informed of the towing cost, storage cost or timeframe.

I did this when my beetle was stolen and the pigs towed it for "fingerprinting". Paid up, hotwired my own car and then wrote a shitty letter to the chief cuntstubble.

Got a cheque two weeks later. Thank you mr piggy.

**Jamezo** · 1st August 2006, 12:33

I can't guarantee an insurance payout, as I only have third party. Any chance of insurance coverage rests on the insurance of the other guy, and by extension, him being found at fault.

I wonder if they would be amicable to a similar arrangement guaranteeing payment from the other party's insurance (which would require proof of liability..... queue displeasure with tardy traffic investigation.)

**Str8 Jacket** · 1st August 2006, 12:35

Originally Posted by Jamezo

I can't guarantee an insurance payout, as I only have third party. Any chance of insurance coverage rests on the insurance of the other guy, and by extension, him being found at fault.

I reckon a more polite version of what Dover has said may be the go. Have you rung the Towing Company to find out what the go is yet?

**madboy** · 1st August 2006, 12:39

No offence, but the word "naive" springs to mind. Towies are in the business of towing and storing cars. It's a reasonable expectation to have that if your bike was picked up by a tow truck and sits in their yard that there would be a cost associated with it. That's why it's called a towing "business" not a towing "charity".

Just chalk it up to experience, find a way of paying the bill and move on.

**The_Dover** · 1st August 2006, 12:42

Sorry piggy, I have writed my wrongs.

**Jantar** · 1st August 2006, 12:46

You may need legal advice on this one, but my understanding is that what the towies are doing is illegal. You did not request them to take your bike to their yard. The police requested them to do that so the police are responsible for the debt.

You are only legally entitled to any costs that you were informed of before they were incurred. Now that you are aware that your bike is incurring storage fees, you are only liable to those fees from the time that you were first made aware of them. You are also entitled to remove your bike to prevent being liable for even more storage fees. If they do not let you take your bike then imediately serve written notice to them that you will not be liable for any fees that may be incurred due to their illegal possession of your bike.