Question by jdbiggles: What legal obligation do I have to this car?
I bought a car to use as a parts car in case anything goes wrong with mine. I did not register the car because it is not drivable… since I was living in an apartment with limited parking, I put the car in storage. Long story short, I lost my job and apartment, moved back in with my parents 100 miles from the storage facility and wasn’t able to pay the storage fees. The storage facility owner had the car impounded.
I received a certified letter today (4/30/11) from the Department of Licensing entitled, “NOTICE OF CUSTODY AND SALE OF ABANDONED VEHICLE”. It states that I was previously notified that the Registered Tow Truck Operator has custody of the vehicle and it will be processed as an abandoned vehicle and auctioned if not redeemed.
Furthermore it states:
“YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that after 15 days from the date of this notice the vehicle described will be sold at auction to the highest bidder. If the amount bid at auction is not enough to cover the towing and storage charges, a registered owner, who has failed to file a Seller’s Report of Sale, will be held liable for the deficiency specified in RCW 46.55.140″
“Failure to redeem an abandon vehicle within 15 days of receiving this notice, constitutes the traffic infraction of “littering — abandon vehicle”. Penalties for this infraction may include, but not be limited to, a $ 250.00 fine, which cannot be reduced (RCW 46.63.110 (2)), suspension of all driving privilages (RCW 46.20.289) and other penalties as may be imposed by the court.”
The Impound/Recovery/Towing Charge is: $ 367.50
Daily Rate of Storage is: $ 55.00 (REALLY!?? Ridiculous!)
Total Fees as of above Date: $ 697.50
My first argument is that it stated that I was previously notified that the Tow Truck Operator has custody of the vehicle. I was NEVER notified in any manner that the car was in anyone’s custody other than the storage facility.
Secondly it stated that after 15 days from the date of the notice the vehicle will be auctioned. The date on the notice is 4/22/11, I didn’t recieve the notice until today. 8 days after they dated the letter. This seems very wrong! Why would it take 8 days for a certified letter to get to me only 100 miles away?
Thirdly, when it stated, a registered owner, who has failed to file a Seller’s Report of Sale, will be held liable for the deficiency…. I am not a “registered owner”… the car was never registered.
So, what legal obligations do I have to this car?
Can I be considered as a “registered owner” even though I never registered the vehicle?
Can I be held liable to the traffic infractions? The law states several times “registered owner”…
I live in Washington State.
I personally do not care if I lose the car… I paid $ 1500 for the car and I will not pay $ 1600+ to get it out of impound…
Best answer:
Answer by soar_2307
To recover your vehicle, you are required to do everything that the letter says or you just might lose your driver’s license for good. it isn’t worth to lose your car and to lose your driver’s license as well.
All I can say, to you, is to consult with somebody who has the time to guide you like your folks.
Add your own answer in the comments!
3 Responses
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Dan H Says:
They found you because your name and address are on the storage locker they found the car in.
Kind of hard to claim you don’t own the car if it was in your storage locker. Lesson to you. Empty the storage locker you aren’t going to pay for and leave all unregistered-untraceable vehicles you aren’t going to take with you on the street.
But, since you didn’t do that, you now have to deal with this. Legally, they can do what they are doing. By the time they sell the car at auction for probably $ 100.00, your storage locker fee will be somewhere in the neighbor hood of $ 2000 for all of this. They will come after you for it. When they do, deal with it then – you might be able to get them off your back for less than the stated amount.
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Poohcat1 Says:
If the car is not registered in YOUR name, you might actually squeeze out of this one. However, if the previous owner can prove that you purchased the car, then you are stuck. The state has every right they claim in this letter to you.
If you did not pay the storage costs and remove the vehicle, you abandoned the vehicle…and can legally be charged for the number of days that it remained in the storage place. Also storage at the tow truck place can also be claimed.
The littering charge may be a little much…but they could make it stick. The car was not left on the roadside somewhere…..at least not by you.
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tjdepere2003 Says:
so pay now ;
or get a lawyer and pay at least twice as much as you owe now.
the only thing lawyer might be able to do is save your driving license
