ORLANDO, Fla. — 9 Investigates discovered a completely legal practice that some landlords are using to tow vehicles belonging to their own tenants.
Investigative reporter Christopher Heath went in search of answers after residents told WFTV they woke up to find their cars missing.
"When you first sign the lease, you pay," said resident John Wilkerson.
Residents pay for a spot, but someone else can still have them towed since the resident doesn’t "own the spot."
9 Investigates found residents have been towed for expired registration stickers.
"State law prohibits the operation of a vehicle that is not registered," said traffic attorney Albert Pucylowski.
Pucylowski pointed out that Florida law says nothing about expired registration on vehicles not in use, yet it's the reason some central Florida condos have been citing to tow their own residents.
"There is no prohibition on having parked in a parking lot or your driveway," said Pucylowski.
So 9 Investigates went looking for answers.
Building management at one complex said they couldn't answer questions about the practice.
The tow truck company asked Heath to leave the property and wouldn’t comment.
Constellation, the company hired by Up-Town, has towed 336 vehicles from apartments since May. Almost a fifth of those have been from Up-Town's garage.
And residents who face a minimum charge of $125 to retrieve their vehicles if towed said just because a practice is legal, doesn't make it right.
"Does is seem fair that they can tow you out of your own parking spot?" asked Heath.
"No, not really. You pay to live here," said Wilkerson.
All tow contracts must be filed with the city and show rates and reasons why a person can be towed, although rental companies do not have to share that information with residents.
WFTV
