If someone has towed your car away while you were gone, this can make for a frustrating experience. Usually, it’s because it was parked somewhere it shouldn’t have been but that doesn’t make it better, right?
Especially if you weren’t aware that you couldn’t park there, your first thought might be that your car was stolen.
While we can’t fix the problem for you, below are the best steps to take to find out where your car is. It can at least speed up the process of getting your car back so you can get on with your day.
Parking in regulated areas
If you were parked on the side of the road around Brisbane, look for signage anywhere near where your vehicle was parked. It’s possible that a ‘no parking’ sign was obscured and you were actually in a tow-away zone.
Especially if you were parked in the Brisbane CBD, read the signs carefully in case it changed to a clearway while you were gone.
If you find that you were parked in some kind of tow-away zone, the first step is to contact Council in that area. (07 3403 8888 for Brisbane City Council). They’ll be able to confirm whether or not your car was towed and if so, where it’s located.
You can also ask about the costs associated with having your car released. To see a breakdown of Brisbane parking and traffic fines, BCC has provided a resource for this.
If the local council has no record of your car being towed, your next phone call should be to the local police non-emergency number. If your vehicle was towed as a private request, the tow truck operator is legally required to advise the police for exactly this reason.
Unregulated areas (like private property and shopping centres)
If you were parked somewhere on private property, the situation changes. The local Council won’t have any involvement or information. Instead, it will have been either by request of a private property owner or by a towing operator acting on their behalf.
There are a lot of rules and regulations around having your car towed from a private property. If you have been towed from a shopping centre car park or some other private property around Brisbane, it’s important to know your rights.
Regardless, look for signage that may explain why your car has been towed. If you’ve been illegally parked on private property, the best place to start is calling the local police non-emergency line.
Tow truck operators are legally required to report that they’ve towed your car so that police are aware.
Although it might be tempting, there’s nothing to gain from confronting the business that may have had you towed. Even if you have the right business, getting into an altercation with their staff won’t bring your car back!
Instead, find out where your car has been taken, pay the fees then check out the above information to better understand your rights. If you’ve been unfairly targeted, the Queensland Government does take towing regulations seriously.
Maximum regulated fees for towing from private property
Towing regulations also limit the amount a towing operator can charge when towing your vehicle. Just like the above regulations, get familiar with these limitations to make sure you’re not being overcharged.
These maximum costs can reach $260.25 for a standard tow of a motor vehicle from private property. Even more if your car is stored there for multiple days!
Move quickly to avoid extra charges
We’ve all been there at some point and it can be a very frustrating experience. No matter what, though, you need to act fast. Most places will charge a daily fee for storing your car. Very simply, the longer you take to retrieve your car, the more it’s going to cost.
If you plan to dispute the fact your car was towed in the first place, you have every right to do so. Just don’t leave your car there while you fight the charges or you risk adding hundreds of dollars to the cost!