The city may request to remove a parked vehicle due to snow removal, other maintenance work or events. Requests to remove vehicles are given at least 48 hours in advance. If the vehicle is not removed, it is towed nearby or to a storage at the vehicle owner’s expense.
Local tow-away
The city can remove a vehicle if it obstructs maintenance work or events organised on the streets. Vehicles are usually towed nearby to the opposite side of the street or a nearby street.
Street work and a request to remove vehicles are notified by special signboards at least 48 hours in advance. In exceptional circumstances or in the judgement of an authority, vehicles can be towed without prior notification for maintenance work on the streets.
If a vehicle cannot be towed nearby due to traffic, lack of space or for other similar reasons or if the vehicle is not actually in traffic use, it can be towed to a storage.
The owner or holder of the vehicle is usually obligated to pay the costs of local tow-away.
Storage tow-away
A vehicle that obstructs maintenance work or events organised on the streets may be towed to a municipal storage if it cannot be towed nearby due to lack of space or other similar reason. An illegally parked vehicle may also be towed to a storage 48 hours from the beginning of the illegal parking.
However, if the vehicle considerably obstructs the flow of traffic, it can be towed away immediately. A vehicle may be towed to the storage also due to five or more unpaid and non-appealable parking fines.
The owner or holder of the vehicle is obligated to pay the costs of storage tow-away and storing. The vehicle is given out to the owner or holder of the vehicle when towing and storing charges have been paid. If the vehicle is towed to storage due to unpaid and non-appealable parking fines, these fines must also be paid before the vehicle is given out.
From private properties, abandoned vehicles are towed only upon a justified request for assistance for vehicle tow-away by the property holder. In this case, the person requesting the tow-away is obligated to pay the towing charges.
Transfer of the vehicle’s ownership to the City
The vehicle will become property of the municipality if the owner does not retrieve it within 60 days from being notified of the tow-away. The notification is mailed as an official letter. If the owner or the holder of the vehicle is not known, the notification is announced on the public notice bulletin board of the City of Lahti (Harjukatu 31).
Wheel clamp
In accordance with Section 4 of the Parking Control Act (727/2011), a vehicle can be clamped due to five different unpaid and non-appealable parking fines.
On the same basis, a vehicle located at private property or off-road can also be clamped upon a justified request of the landowner or holder.
When a vehicle is clamped, moving the vehicle is forbidden (chapter 16, section 10, subsection 1, paragraph 3 of the Criminal Code of Finland). Likewise, removing a wheel clamp is prohibited by law.
In accordance with the Parking Control Act, a wheel clamp will not be removed until the clamping charges and respective parking fines are paid.
If the vehicle is not redeemed, it is towed to a storage. Towing and storing the vehicle causes additional costs for the owner or holder of the vehicle. The vehicle is given out upon a proof of payment.
If the owner or holder does not retrieve the vehicle from the storage within 30 days after receiving notification on the decision to tow, the vehicle will become property of the City of Lahti.
Tow-away from private property
Property owners or managers can also request the City to tow a vehicle away from private property by filling out the attached from. Save the form first, fill it, and submit it to the email address below.