Apartment complex kickbacks create a profit motive to tow residents' own guests

Towing companies pay property managers $25-$50 per vehicle removed under 'patrol towing' contracts, creating a direct financial incentive for apartment complexes to tow aggressively rather than warn. A resident's guest who parks slightly over a line or forgets a temporary permit loses their car and faces $250-$400 in fees, while the property manager quietly collects a bounty. Only 17 states ban these kickbacks, and the practice persists because tenants have no visibility into the towing contract terms, property managers face no disclosure requirements about their financial relationship with the towing company, and tenants who complain risk lease non-renewal.