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On Sept 11, 2019, my car was towed from a plaza for parking illegally at a private property between 5-6pm. I recognize that it was my fault leaving the property, but as I was trying to pickup my child who was taking a class in Sheridan college, not knowing her class ended at 6pm, I wanted to come back for a meal at a restaurant in the plaza with her. I was not expecting my car to be towed off within an hour, since the customer parking was for 2 hours.
When I called Philly's Towing company, they did not explain about the fees nor stated exact cost associated with towing and strictly asked cash to pay the bill, which was said to be $380 at the time. Additionally, they intimidated me to pick-up my car within 30 minutes as the office at the site was closed and they have to send a person to release my car. However, since I did not carry any cash of that amount, I went searching for ATM right after the phone call. I also phoned them to let them know that I was not able to pick-up my car within 30 minutes. However, they did not pick up the phone at the time and raged at us that we did not picked up their phone, threatening me from the phone call that we need to wait in the middle of garage for over 40 minutes. When I reached the place, there was no office nor the price information at the address, on the contrary to what they have explained.
After 40 minutes, two guys came with their tow trucks, surrounding me and blocking the way out. They intentionally creating a threatening atmosphere. As the day was darkening, I was trying to finish the interaction as smooth as possible by paying the asked amount from the phone. However, the guy was insisting to pay $435.05. I politely asked him that he said it was $380 on phone, he annoyingly said that there is tax to be paid. If they wanted to be paid in cash, they should notify a customer in advance, instead of threatening the customer on the spot for not knowing the tax was not included.
The strangest incident was started when I said I only have $400 in cash. He said I could pay in credit for $30.05 with card machine. So, I asked whether I could pay the full price with a credit card, he got pissed off and argued that the card machine is his partner's and does not belong to his company while having the same company's name on the truck. I agreed to pay as he asked due to the menacing environment they were creating. Unlike his explanation, he carried a card machine with him, in his truck. Additionally, when I checked my receipt after I got my car back, the receipt clearly shows that card machine is under the same company name, and the company he was claiming that it was separate was using the same receipt.
On Friday March 28, 2024, Good Friday, I parked the car for less than an hour. Philly’s Towing removed the car. It costed me $245.55. This is a scam. This is an organized illegal business. They can give warning or charge for parking but not $245.55 towing fee.
My 7 year old son and I went fishing at the Brontë creek this afternoon. After no success we drove to Brontë village for some ice cream to cool down. I decided to park in an empty parking lot ( big mistake) because it was the civic Holiday Monday, didn’t think It would be an issue. After some ice cream and a walk we returned to the empty parking lot and a missing truck. At first I thought my truck was stolen but then I asked the lawn maintenance crew who were working at the businesses if they had seen anything? They told me that it was towed. Now I’m fuming, it’s hot out and I’m from out town with a 7 year old. Finally I notice the no parking sign the # to philly’s crooked towing. Call them and they offer to get back to my truck for $237 for impound fee and one of they drivers will pick me up for $20. I needed my truck and to get home so I agreeded as we get picked up in the tow truck at the pioneer gas station, the driver receives a message for a tow at the same parking lot we got our truck towed from. I managed to take a video. This is a complete scam, the parking lot is monitored and once someone leaves there vehicle the tow truck is dispatched. The address is 2400 Lakeshore rd. I will take some accountability that the parking lot was posted I unfortunately did not notice them. To tow and impound someone’s vehicle on a civic Holiday is unacceptable when people are supporting small businesses in the area. I wasn’t the only who experienced this problem today as well.
Philly's is still up to their extortionist practices. The landlord of making a kick back off each tow.
You can levy lawsuits against Philly's and the landlord listed below:
Joseph P. Abdilla
Property Manager
Davpart Inc.
4576 Yonge Street, Suite #700
Toronto, ON M2N 6N4
Tel: [protected]
abdillaj@davpart.com
Here is my assessment, The plaza (which I will never visit again and sorry for the businesses that operate there) owner is on this and getting a cut from the towing. Bet he/she is watching out the window. You feel like you have been scammed...like the yahoos who try to convince us that we owe money to the CRA. I have to laugh as the guy who towed our car also said that he does not work the company but is contracted out. Unfortunately, our Oakville council is weak and inept to deal with predatory towing practices.
I also found Philly's Towing unethical. On their receipt they differentiate in cost between a "hook-up" and "hook-up and tow to pound." They were parked 20 ft from my parking space when I arrived yet they charged me the full cost of removal to the pound...because they moved the car at all. Unpleasant people, lousy attitudes, and duplicitous of them to make it seem like a tiered cost.