Seattle eyes predatory towing
Sep 3, 2012, 10:36 AM | Updated: 12:03 pm
The days of private towing companies holding cars hostage from their owners in Seattle might be coming to an end.
Private towing companies can charge whatever they want right now. It often costs owners between $400 and $500 to get their cars back from a private impound lot. Most companies charge both a towing fee and a storage fee that depends on how long a car was kept at the company’s storage lot.
The Seattle City Council will look to cap those fees when it gets back to work this week. The legislation being considered would require impound lots to cap hourly storage fees and have attendants available 24 hours a day for people to get their cars back.
The new rules also say that towing companies must let individuals access their vehicles to get personal property out of their car before they pay to get the car out of the impound lot.
If passed, the laws would take effect in January 2013.
