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Mario Iamundo says he received a bill for $1,130 in towing and storage fees for a 2002 Honda CRV that he sold in 2011. Mario Iamundo says he received a bill for $1,130 in towing and storage fees for a 2002 Honda CRV that he sold in 2011. <\/p>\nIf you sell your vehicle yourself, aside from making a profit there’s one other issue to be concerned about. Pat Foran explains. <\/p>\n
A Toronto man said he was shocked when he received a more than $1,000 towing and storage bill for an SUV he sold 15 years ago after the vehicle was never registered to the new owner.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s quite fair. I don\u2019t think it was my responsibility to follow the buyer to make sure he transferred the ownership,\u201d said Mario Iamundo, who sold his 2002 Honda CRV in 2011.<\/p>\n
Earlier this summer, Iamundo said he received a bill from Classic Towing and Storage in Etobicoke, asking him to pay a total of $1,130 in towing and storage fees.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey informed me that even though the car was marked as sold, my name was still the last registered owner on that vehicle\u2019s history,\u201d said Iamundo. <\/p>\n
\u201cI was responsible to pay the storage fees for a car I haven\u2019t seen in 15 years, which doesn\u2019t seem fair to me,\u201d said Iamundo.<\/p>\n
Mario Iamundo says he received a bill for $1,130 in towing and storage fees for a 2002 Honda CRV that he sold in 2011. Mario Iamundo says he received a bill for $1,130 in towing and storage fees for a 2002 Honda CRV that he sold in 2011. <\/p>\n
In a statement to CTV News, General Manager of the towing company Kevin Araya said that it is more common than people realize for new owners not to transfer vehicle registration.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe go by the registered vehicle owner. We don\u2019t go by who it was sold to,\u201d said Araya.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not clear if someone had been driving the car for the past 15 years before it was recently impounded.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy biggest advice is to hand over the ownership and get them to change it into their name, and only then give them the keys, because until then they (the seller) are still the rightful owner,\u201d said Araya.<\/p>\n
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Classic Towing and Storage General Manager Kevin Araya speaks to CTV News. Classic Towing and Storage General Manager Kevin Araya speaks to CTV News. <\/p>\n
In a statement, a spokesperson on behalf of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation told CTV News that \u201cBuyers must register themselves as the new owner of a used vehicle within six days of the sale. After that period, sellers can visit a Service Ontario centre to update the vehicle\u2019s status to \u201csold.\u201d<\/p>\n
The ministry said that while vehicle ownership will still appear registered until ownership is officially transferred, the vehicle\u2019s sold status will still be recorded.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce ownership has properly been transferred, the former owner is no longer responsible for the vehicle. If the transfer is not completed properly, the vehicle may continue to appear in the previous owner\u2019s name until the ownership is updated.\u201d<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service told CTV News that when vehicles are sold privately through online marketplaces or sold to vehicle recycling facilities, a properly completed bill of sale must be completed by the seller. <\/p>\n
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Ontario Ministry of Transportation statement on car registration In a statement, a spokesperson on behalf of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation told CTV News that \u201cBuyers must register themselves as the new owner of a used vehicle within six days of the sale. After that period, sellers can visit a Service Ontario centre to update the vehicle\u2019s status to \u201csold.\u201d <\/p>\n
Police said that \u201cwhen a purchaser fails to transfer ownership with the Ministry of Transportation, the vehicle remains registered in the seller\u2019s name, despite no longer being in their possession.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Ministry of Transportation cannot change the ownership into the purchaser\u2019s name without the proper application being submitted by the purchaser.\u201d<\/p>\n
Under the Repair and Storage Liens Act, tow operators can seek payment from the registered owner, regardless of who actually owns the vehicle. <\/p>\n
Iamundo said he reluctantly paid the storage fee but thinks there should be more safeguards in place to protect consumers from being on the hook for charges long after they\u2019ve sold their vehicle.<\/p>\n