The amounts that a private pound acting for Ville de Montréal can charge to citizens are specifically provided for in the Agreements negotiated with the SPVM.
We investigated situations, however, where the billing actually made had resulted in citizens being overcharged.
For example, we found cases where:
- Two days of storage were billed when the vehicle had been stored for less than 24 hours;
- “Other fees” of $25.00 had been charged although the contract forbids the claiming of any non-negotiated cost;
- Towing fees of $85.00 had been charged whereas the contract provides for $75.00 only.
Following our interventions, the concerned citizens were reimbursed. We also notified the SPVM of these irregularities.
The SPVM quickly forwarded a letter to all private pounds with which it has an Agreement reminding them, very clearly, that they can only charge amounts which are provided for in the Agreement.
The SPVM is presently renegotiating the terms of these Agreements and modifications will be made to avoid similar problems, in the future. The SPVM undertook to keep our office informed of the changes contemplated, beforehand, as well as all the measures that will be implemented to avoid the reoccurrence of such errors.
