Does a towing company have the right to keep my personal belongings after taking possession of my vehicle?

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Does a towing company have the right to keep my personal belongings after taking possession of my vehicle?

Asked on September 3, 2015 under General Practice, Utah

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 8 years ago | Contributor

No, they do not have the right to keep any of your belongings which were in the car even if they had the right to take the car, that right does not extend to any other property. If they do not return the belongings, first call the police the police may help, though they often refuse to get involved in cases like this even though they should however, there is no cost-effective way to make the police take action when they refuse. You could also, if you have the relevant insurance e.g. homeowner's or renter's, which would cover your personal property when it is in your vehicle file a claim for theft, which is what this is and/or you can sue the towing company, possibly in small claims court acting as your own attorney, or "pro se," to save on costs for the value of what they took.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

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