We have all been there. You’re at the side of the road broken down or just had a small accident. You’re not sure what to do. You just know that you need to get your car away from the area as it’s not safe. A tow truck pulls up and offers to help. You take them up their offer because what else are you going to do? They tow you to a local garage or compound, and then you get the bill. Wow! Who knew that it would cost so much. Not just an arm and a leg but two arms and legs and they won’t even give you your car back until you pay the bill, cash only. Last week the provincial government introduced legislation that, if passed, would regulate the tow truck industry.
The proposed legislation and supporting regulations would require tow truck operators and storage providers to:
– Have permission from a consumer or someone acting on behalf of the consumer before charging for
towing and storage services;
– Publicly post prices and other information, like the operator's name and contact information;
– Accept credit card payments from consumers;
– Provide an itemized invoice listing the services provided and the total cost.
The proposed legislation is a result of the recommendations made by the Ontario Auto Insurance Anti-Fraud Task Force.