Call Kurtis: Apartment Complex Wrongly Towed Our Cars!

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- Renters say their apartment complex towed their cars, even though they parked in the right spots.

When the apartment manager refused to refund them their tow fees, it was time to Call Kurtis.

Two single moms who have jobs and go to school feel they weren't treated fairly.

They each moved their cars, as they were told, for a repaving project. So why did their cars end up towed anyway?

Asha Jones had to pay $240 to get her car back after it was towed May 5.

"I was pissed," she told Call Kurtis.

Before a repaving project, the Cambridge Park apartments gave her a hand-drawn map that said "do not park" in a highlighted area on May 5, so Jones parked in the next section over, in an area that wasn't highlighted.

"I know where I parked," she said. "I followed the map that you provided me."

But she said the manager insisted she didn't, and that's why they had her car towed.

"I was told I was the only one," Jones said.

But we found that's not true.

Tow company photos prove Sac State student Sharynne Macon was parked next to Jones's car, which she says was also in a safe area, according to the map.

"My car was right here," she said, showing the area in which she parked.

But the manager refused to reimburse her too. Her tow fees totalled $290.

"We mean nothing to them, and there's a big problem with that," Macon said.

Consumer attorney Robert Buccola said a landlord has an obligation to be very clear when sending out instructions like these. If the map was unclear or inaccurate, he said the landlord should pay.

"They're gonna owe the tenant the cost of towing and any other consequential damages related to it," he said.

After we sent these tow photos to property manager, JMK Investments, they told Call Kurtis, "We see the error that the original map that was used was drawn in error."

"Apologies to the residents," they said. "That's not the way we like to do business."

"I want my money back," Jones said. "I work hard for my money."

The company agreed to reimburse Jones and Macon, but they don't understand why it took complaining to Call Kurtis to get this fixed.

"They know they have the upper hand, and we're powerless to them," Macon said.