ComplaintsforKoskinen's Towing & Repair

• Initial Complaint

  07/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was towed by Koskinen's Towing from the Cayuga St. ****'s customer parking on Friday, July 7 at approximately 1:30pm. I was towed less than 10 minutes after purchasing a drink from the Cayuga St. **** in order to use their customer parking lot. I crossed the street, dropped off a book at the library next door, and was towed immediately. The customer parking signs only state that you have to make a purchase to park there. There is no time limit provided or indication that if you cross the street, you are no longer a customer. I was unable to refute the tow, and was made to pay $215 to get my car out of Koskinen's impound. The Koskinen's tow truck is parked in this ****'s lot daily, and employees of the **** told me that a store manager, who's name is ***** ***, sits out in the parking lot and waits for customers to cross the street in order to get them towed as quickly as possible. This is not a typical practice at **** locations, and I suspect that the store manager receives payment from the tow company for every tow she initiates. I am looking for a full refund of the $215 I was made to pay to get my car out of impound. I am also hoping to end this predatory towing practice. The final complaint I have against Koskinen's is that they are harassing my mother at her place of employment. She works at the ******** ****** ****** ******** right across the street from the ****. Both ***** ***, and Koskinen's have called the library director to report that my mother is harassing them. This is not true, in fact they are harassing her by calling in these false claims to her boss. I do not know why they are doing this, and this gives me more reason to suspect that something is going on between the manager and the tow company.

  

  Business response

  07/17/2023

  We are sorry to see this complaint. Unfortunately we cannot provide refunds for private property tow aways. The best course of action would be to contact the entity that requested the towaway which in this case would be the corporate office for ***** You can also contact the City of Ithaca as they regulate all tow away incidents and set the rates to release vehicles. The towaway signs at this particular location do state "7/11 Customer Parking Only." The qualification of being a customer or not is determined by the staff and representatives of 7/11 not our company. As far as the harassment goes, a women did approach our employees and began an altercation with them. After which we contacted the director to provide information on the incident and discuss ways we can improve the communication between the library and ***** Our owner did suggest to the director to place a sign on the library door to remind patrons that the 7/11 does towaway vehicles in which the customer has left their property as they are no longer considered customers of ***** Our company has had no malicious intent with the library or their staff. We are simply carrying out the tasks outlined in our contract with both the City of Ithaca and *****  

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