If you own any type of commercial property, you might eventually need to have a vehicle towed. This might be an abandoned car or a car that is illegally parked, including one that is somehow blocking other vehicles. Whatever the case, note a few questions you might have about calling a towing service, or that you'll need to discuss with that service, so you know this is the right choice for keeping your property well-maintained.

Is there adequate signage?

Obviously, all drivers will know certain rules that apply to all parking lots, such as not parking in a handicapped space without an appropriate sticker or tag, not parking in a marked loading zone, and so on. However, you might want to check your lot and note if any driver could reasonably know that they're parked improperly or are blocking traffic in some way; some parking lots allow parking by the curb, as an example, so a driver may not realize that their car is blocking a passing lane. If there is adequate signage, then you should have no concerns about having it towed.

Have you warned this same vehicle owner before?

A vehicle owner may pull into a lot and not realize that they're parked on the shoulder or soft grass if the spaces are not properly marked. If this happens once, you might put a citation or note on the car's windshield, to ensure it doesn't happen again. If this is a recurring problem, even after such warnings, then you are probably well within your rights to have the vehicle towed.

Are there rules about what cannot be parked on the lot?

If you manage an apartment complex, you will usually give each tenant a list of rules regarding the property before they move in. Owners of a condominium complex or other such shared property are also usually in possession of the property's bylaws. If those rules plainly state that caravans, boats, and other such items cannot be parked on the lot, you can typically have these towed without an issue.

The bylaws or rules may also state that vehicle owners cannot perform repairs to the vehicle on the lot and that all vehicles need to have current registration tags. This usually allows you the right to have any vehicle towed if it's obviously broken down, and especially if it's been abandoned and has expired tags. You might try to contact the owner first and give them a warning, but if this doesn't work, it's time to call a towing service.

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