“No Parking Any Time” street sign. June 11th, 2021. Image Credit: Steve DiMatteo on Pexels
Students at KSU argue that parking rules at student apartments are inconsistently enforced and signs are confusing, leading students to pay hundreds of dollars in towing fees. Apartment managers say towing policies are clearly outlined in leases to prevent unauthorized parking.
Jaelin Martin, a junior at KSU, was towed at The Retreat at Kennesaw, a student apartment near the university, while visiting his friends. He looked for his car between the second and third floors of the parking deck for about 10 minutes before he realized it was missing and asked a police officer who was nearby where his car had gone.
The officer informed him that his car had been taken to Kennesaw Wrecker, the local tow company, at 10:45 p.m. Martin said he paid $230 the next day to retrieve his car.
“I’ve been going there for two years now, just visiting,” said Martin. “This is the first time it’s ever been an issue.”
Kiara Matthews, a KSU student, described a similar experience at The Indy apartments near KSU. She says she was towed on a Friday night during KSU’s homecoming week and had to pay $280 to retrieve her car from Kennesaw Wrecker.
According to Matthews, there weren’t any obvious parking signs in the garage.
“No, it wasn’t until our friend pointed out the one sign on the gate,” said Matthews. “There were no specific guidelines or regulations or something that needed to be followed.”
The Sentinel reached out to representatives from both The Retreat at Kennesaw and The Indy, but did not receive an immediate response.
Victor Hill, a leasing consultant for Bixby apartments, says residents are given clear towing policies. He shared an email that he says is sent to all residents with an outline of the regulations, including information on guest parking and Kennesaw Wrecker’s contact information.
The guest parking rules on that outline state that “residents are responsible for informing guests of all parking policies.”
Bixby apartments tow cars daily. “Every day for sure,” said Hill. “I don’t know the frequency per day, but a few times a day.”
Hill says Bixby receives tow policy complaints from the residents because they don’t fully understand the rules, or they want an “exception.” They respond to complaints by referring residents back to the outlined rules.
“Typically, the complaints are something they should have been made aware of already,” says Hill. “Like 90% of the time.”
The state of Georgia posts the legal regulations of towing on its government site called “Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia” under Subject 570-38-7 Nonconsensual Towing.
The rules list guidelines towing companies must follow. According to the Georgia Department of Public Safety, towing companies must display visible signage at each entrance under Rule 570-38-7-.14 Signs Specifications.
Students disagree that the signs are made obvious to residents and guests at student apartments.
“I would like the policies to be something people are actually made aware of,” said Matthews. “Put up signs and regulations saying that this is where visitors park, this is where visitors can’t park, this is how towing works.”
Kennesaw Wrecker is the only non-consensual towing carrier for the city of Kennesaw, according to the Georgia Department of Public Safety.
Heather Miller, an employee at Kennesaw Wrecker, says the city of Kennesaw sets the prices for private property impound. She says that towing companies don’t make the rules and are only doing their jobs when they’re called in.
“A lot of the time, people think we’re just doing this to be mean,” says Miller. “That’s not the case; it’s our job, we have to do it.”
People often go into Kennesaw Wrecker yelling and upset. Several students have complained that the towing policies are predatory.
“I would kind of see where they’re coming from with that,” says Miller. “It feels wrong towing kids so young.”
According to Kennesaw Wrecker, for private apartment complexes, the towing base rates are $185 for residents and $220 for non-residents. There is a $65 after-hours fee between the hours of 7 p.m. and 8 a.m.
There is a $30 daily fee for holding vehicles after the first 24 hours a car is towed.
For more information on the rules and regulations of non-consensual towing, visit rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/570-38-7
Contact Kennesaw Wrecker at (770)-749-4372. They are located at 2615 S. Main St. NW, Kennesaw.
