FORT MYERS, Fla. - Cypress Landing condo owner, Valerie Vecere, says she was shocked to find a boot on her car tire Thursday morning.

"Do not attempt to move this car, it's immobilized, call this number," Vecere read from the bright orange sticker placed on her car.

She didn't think she had done anything wrong. She says she paid her monthly condo fees, parked in her proper parking spot, and had an up to date parking sticker.

"I thought I was following the law to a T," explained Vecere.

The towing company let her in on the one thing she forgot to do.

"The gentleman came, he says you have an expired tag and I said...what?? He said, 'you have an expired tag'."

The snow bird from New Jersey claims she had no idea the tag was supposed to be renewed on her husband's birth-date. She says they thought it was supposed to be renewed on the car's purchase month. They bought the car in July.

"I know ignorance doesn't cover it, but we assumed it would have been for a year," she said.

It turns out, the Cypress Landing Homeowners Association ordered the towing company to boot all illegally parked vehicles within the complex.

We called the attorney representing the Cypress Landing H.O.A.. He told us they have had a problem with illegally parked vehicles within the community. This includes cars parked in the grass and cars that are not properly documented.

He says it's in the governing documents for the community.

Vecere tells us she would have at least appreciated a warning before shelling out $200 to get the boot removed from her car.

"They held my car hostage, they held me hostage by not allowing me to move," said Vecere.

She's not alone. Fort Myers Police say they've received numerous complaints about cars "getting the boot" in that community and other condominium complexes.

A reason why this could be the time for homeowners and renters to get familiar with the rules of their communities.

The H.O.A attorney says they have every right to boot illegally parked cars. In the long run, he explained it is for the benefit of the homeowners, even if they don't see it now.

He explained that illegally parked cars have resulted in significant costs to repair damaged sprinklers within Cypress Lake Landings, at the expense of homeowners.