“File a report with the city.”
A towing company recently towed a man’s vehicle. If that wasn’t bad enough, he says it ghosted him when he showed up to pick up his vehicle.
Turns out, he wasn’t the only one.
In a TikTok with over 42,500 views as of this writing, YBC Peso (@peso4hunnit) says there were five other men waiting outside the gate of NRJ Towing in Orlando, Florida trying to get their cars back.
“Man, I ain’t gonna lie, dog. You wake up in the morning and your car got towed and you see that these people right here NFJ Towing got your [expletive], just know dog. You [expletive] up,” he begins.
“They send everybody to voicemail,” YBC Peso adds.
One of the men was on the phone with the city. A city worker purportedly said that there was nothing that could be done at the moment, noting that it’s a civil matter.
“We can’t force them to come to work or anything like that,” they reportedly added.
The caller persisted, saying that the company was open and was refusing to let them in to retrieve their vehicles.
“They are purposely ignoring us,” the caller claimed.
According to the post, the worker said they’d gotten in touch with the owner over the phone—yet none of the men were able to speak with anyone. The man who called the city asked for a time frame and was purportedly told that they’d be able to get their rides that evening.
“Are you kidding me? You don’t even got nobody working the office dog. Yeah we gotta contact triple BBB for sure. We got to contact the Better Business Bureau,” he concludes.
Eventually, a worker came to the gate to unlock it. The men proceeded to confront them.
In the comment section, it was revealed the men got their vehicles at noon. They’d reportedly been told to get there to pick them up hours earlier.
One of the last things anybody wants to deal with is their car getting towed.
In some cases, it feels like the towing company is straight up stealing your car. People have been towed in front of their own homes where their vehicle is registered to park.
You do have some options if you get improperly towed, however.
Justice Direct reports that there are four ways to report a complaint against a towing company. Complaints can be submitted for any predatory towing, nonconsensual towing, excessive charges, refusal to return property left in vehicle, and damage to vehicle or property.
The first approach is to send a demand letter to the company. This letter can be a way to settle the dispute without taking the issue to court. The demand letter will consist of an outline of what happened, your demands, and a deadline to comply. It’s important to clearly state how much money is owed, why that money is owed, and where to send the money.
The second way is to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). While BBB doesn’t necessarily have the authority to force a towing company to resolve an issue, the towing company’s reputation may be hurt if it ignores the bureau. The BBB will not accredit a business that disregards customer complaints and posts negative user reviews. Once a complaint is submitted, the BBB may contact the towing company on your behalf.
The next approach involves getting a lawyer and taking the towing company to court, typically small claims, which is faster and simpler to navigate. Small claims court limits vary by state, ranging anywhere between $2,500 to $25,000.
You can also file a complaint with your state agency that regulates towing companies. Each state has their own department that handles towing company complaints.
In towing company disputes, it’s best to act quickly, Rak Law Firm reports. And make sure to preserve all documentation, including towing receipts, photos, videos, witnesses, and police reports.
Many viewers offered suggestions about how the men should handle their issues with the towing company in YBC Peso’s video.
“If they’re within city limits, you can call and file a report with the city. I did it with Johnson towing recently,” one person shared.
“File a complaint with the state,” another added.
“Pay with your credit card and dispute it,” a third suggested.
Someone else suggested going to the media, writing, “Call Channel 9 to investigate! They’ll be on ‘em.”
Other viewers noted that towing companies in Florida legally have a time limit to release a vehicle after the fee is paid.
“Legally they have 1 hour to come during their business hours to come and allow you to retrieve your car,” one commented.
“If they don’t release your car within an hour after they impound it, that’s a fat lawsuit,” one wrote.
“Call the sheriffs. They got one hour from the time you hit the gate,” one says.
Motor1 has contacted YBC Peso via TikTok direct message and commented on the post. Reached via phone last week, NRJ Towing told Motor1 to text a list of questions. As of this writing, it has not responded. This post will be updated if either party replies.
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