‘This HOA is out of control,’ cries driver towed and charged $800 to get car back – he was in his own spot

A HOMEOWNER vented online about their HOA towing their car without warning, despite others not following the same rule.

He said the HOA wouldn't fine or tow vehicles for leaking oil onto the parking lot, but promptly towed his car when his registration expired.

Andrew Powell, a homeowner in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Las Vegas, Nevada, wrote on his Facebook page after he came home to a tow truck taking his vehicle from his paid spot.

His vehicle registration had recently expired, and he knew it was against HOA regulations to not have valid tags.

But he took comfort in other vehicles in the neighborhood having expired tags.

However, his car then appeared on the back of a tow truck and he was upset by the lack of warning from the complex's HOA.

"I came home to my car being towed. No note," wrote Powell.

"From my parking spot that I OWN. This HOA is out of control."

On top of not being given a warning and an opportunity to correct the violation, an insult to injury came in the form of an expensive retrieval fee.

"$800+ because I'm a little late on my registration for a car I don't drive," he continued.

"I am close to my breaking point."

In the comments section, one of his friends noted it must be HOA policy to keep registration and plates current, otherwise people can be towed.

He said the tow truck driver simply "followed the policy," and it wasn't a personal attack on Powell.

Powell responded that other residents weren't being penalized for their late registration.

"Yeah, they did [follow the policy], and all of the cars around mine are expired... [I'm feeling] targeted," said Powell.

He also noted that the HOA had the opportunity to warn him during a phone call earlier in the week, but didn't.

"I spoke to them on the phone Thursday and no mention," continued Powell.

"[The HOA knows] I’m not home during the week for work... I've seen cars leaking oil for months in one spot. Mine's a brand new (2 years old) car. It’s just so weird."

What to do if your car is towed

Wrongfully or not, retrieving a towed vehicle can be a hassle.

If your vehicle is towed after parking in a "No Parking" zone or other legitimate reason, there are a few steps to take to get it back.

Steps to take when your car is towed:

• Try to figure out why your car was towed. Did you not see a posted "No Parking" sign? Did you miss a car payment? Did you return to a lot where you have unpaid citations? Finding the reason can narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
• Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some form of contact information via a posted sign or sent by mail.
• Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but those times will be posted to the website or can be recited by a representative.
• Pay the fees. Be careful to be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees by the day.

If you feel your vehicle was wrongfully towed, contesting the action can be done with the following steps:

Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak Law Firm

Another friend of Powell's responded and indicated he was confused by the fact that the HOA towed his car from a spot he owned.

"It's your parking, though," he wrote.

"Zero sense. These people are off their rockers."

Another wrote a similar experience with a tow-happy HOA and ended up feeling like some HOAs can be valuable for homeowners - just not theirs or Powell's.

"So far, my opinions of HOAs have been mildly neutral," they wrote.

"I see very little benefit, and sometimes heartache, for this particular HOA."