Towing companies are often called up when an owner of private property wants to remove an unwanted vehicle from his property.
Junk car removal is important to property owners. Besides being an eyesore, there are safety issues to consider, as well. Leaking fluids, fire danger, or even the danger of a child being trapped in the car must be taken into consideration. The removal of a vehicle (called a private property impound, or PPI) can only happen if the vehicle in question is on private property.
Examples of this activity include:
- Junk, abandoned or unwanted car left at a rental home or apartment complex when the owner of the vehicle has moved on.
- The owner/manager of an apartment complex would tag or boot all cars that have no license plate, are inoperable or belong to someone who doesn’t reside at that particular property.
Property management companies and/or their security company are normally the ones who monitor this activity and are the ones normally calling for a tow truck. Once a tow company is called, the owner, manager or security for the property must meet the tow driver to sign the impound authorization form. The removal of the car can then take place.
Immediately after removing a car, the tow company must call local law enforcement and report the impound thus avoiding the owner of the car filing a stolen vehicle report. The tow company then must within 24 hours run the vin number of the car thru the local MVD department, determine the owner/lien holder’s name and mail that person a mechanic lien letter notice.
The benefits of using a professional tow company is that the removal is done at no cost to the property owner. The benefits for the property owner: Junk car removal from their property is free, and all liability is on the tow company once the car is removed from their private property.
Finally, tow companies will execute the removal regardless of the condition of the unwanted car.