Can a mechanic shop charge storage fees without a storage license?

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Can a mechanic shop charge storage fees without a storage license?

If a customer drops a vehicle off and agrees to
repairs, then 9 days later the lien holder calls to
pick up the car, can the mechanic shop charge
storage fees for the time it was there if no
repairs were made?

Asked on November 16, 2018 under Business Law, Texas

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 5 years ago | Contributor

If there had been an agreement (e.g. in in any agreement or contract signed for the repairs; or even in terms displayed somewhere prominent, such as on the shop's website, so that you could be said to have agreed to those terms in choosing to take your car to a shop having them) that you would pay storage costs in these circumstances, then you can be required to pay them: they don't need a storage license to charge you a fee you actually or effectively agreed to pay. But if there was no warning that such fees could be charged and/or no agreement that you would pay them, they cannot charge you. You cannot be made to pay fees you were unaware of.


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