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The Queensland government says it will launch a review into private parking operators after an ABC story highlighted frustration from inner-city residents slapped with payment requests for overstaying and using car parks more than once a day.
Key points:
- Mark Bailey has ordered a review into private parking operators
- The operators say they are not fining people, but invoicing them for breaching terms and conditions
- The Office of Fair Trading says people using car parks are entering contracts with operators
Three Coorparoo residents complained about the invoices they had received from ParkPay and Smart Compliance Management, which manage the Coles Coorparoo and McDonald's Coorparoo car parks, respectively.
Ricky Geniatsos copped an $88 invoice for dropping her daughter off for a shift at McDonald's and returning three hours later to pick her up, because the parking terms had a "no return" policy.
Transport Minister Mark Bailey said that was a "rip-off".
"I stamped out similar operators in the tow truck industry a few years back and will happily do the same here," he said.
"I'll be asking my department to review the situation and [be] working with other departments to find a solution because we can't have Queenslanders being scared into a rip-off.
"I'd also suggest to businesses using these type of parking operators that they'll quickly lose customers and should reconsider using them.
"The advice I've been given is it is illegal to fine people in a private car park."
ParkPay and Smart Compliance Management maintained they were not issuing fines.
The companies are legally allowed to issue invoices to customers who do not adhere to the terms and conditions of the car parks.
A spokesperson for the Office of Fair Trading said customers entered a contract with the operator when they used a private car park and that the terms and conditions "should be visible and must not mislead the car park user".