This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with The Connecticut Mirror. Sign up for Dispatchs to get articles like this as soon as they’re published.
The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles announced Monday that the agency will launch a “comprehensive review” of towing practices in response to an investigation by the Connecticut Mirror and ProPublica. The report found that some low-income residents are losing cars because they can’t afford recovery costs and have short payment deadlines before towing companies are allowed to sell their cars.
The review will take place as the 2025 Congress begins its session on Wednesday. The state House majority leader said he supports efforts this session to extend the amount of time that towing companies have to request permission from the DMV to sell people’s vehicles.
“This is a top priority,” said House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford. “I mean, we’re all pretty shocked by that.”
State law allows towing companies to seek permission from the DMV to sell vehicles valued at $1,500 or less within just 15 days after the tow, and a CT Mirror and ProPublica investigation found that such period It is said to be one of the shortest in the country.
The study, released Sunday, details how Connecticut’s law was designed to favor two companies at the expense of their owners. In many cases, people’s cars were towed away from apartment complexes not because they were breaking the law, but because their apartment complex-issued parking stickers had expired or were not properly backed into parking spaces.
As towing and storage fees become more expensive, some towing companies are putting additional barriers in place, such as only accepting cash. Even if the driver just bought the car and didn’t have to register it yet under DMV rules, some companies won’t let the car go until it’s registered in the individual’s name.
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Our investigation found that the 15-day period may be less time than it takes to obtain a DMV registration appointment and less time than it takes to get a complaint heard against a tow truck. did.
When presented with the findings, DMV Commissioner Tony Guerrera said the 15-day period “strikes the right balance for consumers and towers.”
But Guerrera said in a statement Monday that his agency will recommend changes to Congress to ensure the policy is up to date and clear.
“We have undertaken a comprehensive review of the issues highlighted in the article and intend to engage in substantive discussions with legislative advocates,” Guerrera said. “Our proactive approach includes actively participating in the legislative development of proposals to modernize the regulation of the two companies.”
A spokesman for Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement that he is “open to considering changes to the law.”
Legislative leaders said they are particularly concerned about the impact of the tow law on low-income residents.
Connecticut House Speaker Matt Ritter Credit: Yehyun Kim/The Connecticut Mirror
“This is not a friendly system for people who probably have the least amount of time and resources to navigate a tricky system,” Ritter said. “So it’s really a double whammy. It’s an unfair policy, and the only way to undo it is going to take an enormous amount of effort and time and resources, and many of these people I don’t have that.”
State Rep. Roland Lemar (D-New Haven), the incoming co-chair of the General Laws Committee, has already spoken to the DMV, Democratic leadership, and the governor about a bill he is drafting that would extend the 15-day filing deadline. He said he had discussed it with Muro. It will expand the payment methods required for sales and towing companies, and prohibit towing companies from patrolling private parking lots looking for cars to tow. Instead, you will have to wait for a complaint.
“The tow truck is just driving around looking for problems,” he says.
A bill Lemar introduced in 2023 that would require towing companies to accept credit cards, among other measures, passed the Assembly Transportation Committee. However, the bill was not debated in the House of Representatives due to opposition from towing companies and property owners.
Timothy Vibert, president of the Connecticut Association of Towing and Recovery Professionals, said towing companies are open to talking about changing the law, but lawmakers need to address the underlying reasons for towing: Many people drive unregistered and uninsured vehicles. He said he didn’t want to mention that he was driving a car.
“The reason they’re being towed away is because they did something wrong,” Vibert said. “Yes, there are some unscrupulous towers out there, but that’s what it is, okay?” But you can’t just change and push all the laws and make the towers the star. ”
John Souza, president of the Connecticut Federation of Property Owners, said 15 days seems short, especially for some tenants who receive monthly paychecks through Social Security, but allowing towers to patrol parking lots , said it would be beneficial for large apartment complexes. . Since he doesn’t live in a rental property he owns, he said it would be difficult to call a towing company 24/7.
“As a landlord, I understand that,” Souza said. “You need rules, but unfortunately people take advantage of them. If the rules are too lax, people take advantage of them. When you get home after a long, hard day, you find yourself parking There’s nothing worse than having someone in your space.”
House Majority Leader Jason Rojas, D-Hartford, said after this article was published that his office quickly looked into the matter and found that minibikes have a longer pre-sale collection period than some vehicles. He said it was found.
Gone in 15 days: How the Connecticut DMV lets two companies sell people’s cars
“15 days seems like a very short amount of time for anyone to be able to react and do whatever they need to do to secure their car before it sells,” Rojas said. . “For these reasons, and perhaps others, it’s certainly worth a look.”
He said the issue “touched a nerve” to him and others because of how important reliable access to transportation is.
House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora (R-North Branford) said he is open to considering changes to the state’s towing laws.
“I am concerned about the potentially predatory nature of towing practices in Connecticut,” Candelora said. “Years ago, we thought we had addressed this issue by requiring people to post signs and pay for the towing before allowing vehicles to be towed, but clearly there are still issues to be addressed. ”
State Senate leaders said they are interested in investigating the issue. Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven, said there were “equity issues” to consider.
We’re investigating towing practices in Connecticut that allow companies to sell people’s cars after just 15 days. If you have been affected, please contact us.
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