Have Been Storing Jeep for 7 Years Would Like to Obtain Title

[chiefsangel]

Ohio
My neighbor has been storing a 1997 Jeep since 2/28/2003. His family had leased property to a transmission company that defaulted in rent. The company left 15 vehicles and all were contacted and all but one were picked up. Fifth Third Bank holds the title but has never responded to anything about this vehicle.
He would like to obtain the title. The Jeep was left with no keys and no motor. I contacted Fifth Third Bank, talked to several people from the loan dept. to repo. They have no interest in it because it does not run. They know the location of the vehicle and have not bothered to come get it or look at. They cannot release any information about who the Jeep belongs to either.
Called Ohio BMV - she asked for a letter to be written and that they would send a letter back out to be taken to the local courts. Did that. The judge says that all parties that are involved have to be contacted. Suggested to get a lawyer.

Question: Can storage fees be charged for this vehicle? And exactly what type of attorney needs to be on this? He had one that dropped the ball - just took his money and has not contacted back.

Thanks for any input.

[jk]

Can storage fees be charged for this vehicle?

is there a contract that allows storage fees?

It sounds like you do not have any right to claim the title. The neighbor can report it as abandoned. From what I have read, the police tag it and do some initial investigation and if it is not moved within a prescribed period of time, the police can have it towed from your property.

If Ohio works anything like my state, rather than the police having it towed, the sticker plus the time allows the property owner to dispose of the vehicle but it does not allow one to claim title to the vehicle.

[chiefsangel]

The jeep was stored at his family's business - which was an auto body/repair shop. He leased part of his garage(s) to another business that defaulted in rent. Until this last year - the jeep was towed to my neighbors driveway because the business folded. Repeatedly - the bank has been contacted by him and an attorney with no response. The bank was notified in 2003 that fees would charged until pick up of the jeep.

[jk]

You don't really think you can charge the bank do you?

The fact your neighbor has it in his driveway does not make a contract or any enforceable action that would allow you or him to charge storage. The bank does not own the vehicle so they would never be liable for the storage fees.

In fact, you can't charge the owner either. You people took the jeep from where it was. You had the right to call the police and report it abandoned and let them have it towed away. Just because you refuse to do what the law allows does not give you any right to charge some made up storage fees.


as you see, it isn't working like you expect but you're going to do whatever you want anyway to have at it.

[chiefsangel]

Got the title - wasn't as difficult as it should have been. The bank and owner (got his infor from the police) were both notified and the title was sent signed over to my neighbor. The bank had written off the jeep and the owner had filed bankruptcy against the jeep. Both places had known where the jeep was kept and chose not to recover the vehicle because there is no motor. And yes - the bank knew charges for storage were adding up. When the tenants that were leasing the property were evicted. The court gave neighbor all rights to what was left. He did the proper thing - ran the VIN - sent the bank what he knew of the jeep etc and informed them at the time (by attorney) that if the jeep was not picked up with 15 days of letter that storage fees would be charged daily. The bank did reply with that they had no interest in a non-running vehicle. The owner was no longer responsible for it since he had filed bankruptcy while the jeep was in the hands of the tenants of the garage. Owner also contacted bank years ago and gave them address of garage to have it picked up.