A PARKING lot company is under fire for slapping customers with $87 fines after they already paid to use the lot.
Drivers have accused the lot owners of “predatory parking citations” after multiple customers received notices in the mail falsely accusing them of not paying to park in the lot in Denver, Colorado.
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Attorney Mark Chapleau said he received a ticket from Parking Revenue Recovery Services after parking in the Denver lot to visit some restaurants in August.
However, he was able to successfully dispute it after he showed the company proof he had already paid – but then he was hit with the same ticket after parking there again a month later.
Chapleau said he showed them evidence that he already paid the charge, but the company didn’t take his word for it.
“I have very little concern about whether I’ve got to write an $87 check,” Chapleau told NBC affiliate KUSA.
“I’m more concerned that they’re doing this to a lot of people.”
PRRS and Parkwell, the company that owns the parking lot, said the tickets sent to customers who already paid were due to a technical glitch.
They said both companies are working to void the illegitimate tickets.
Ryan Whitehurst, executive vice president and managing partner for Parkwell, shared a statement acknowledging the tickets.
“Parkwell is dedicated to providing exceptional service to our customers and community,” Whitehurst said in an emailed statement to KUSA.
“We are aware of a recent software integration issue at one of our parking lots that has impacted parking operations and our customers.”
“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and we are eager to assist our customers.
“For those impacted, our customer service team is readily available to assist you.”
However, five people shared complaints about similar incidents with KUSA.
One driver named McKenzie Gunderson said she was driving a rental car and paid via QR code before she was hit with the fee – and then the rental company tacked on a $50 charge after PRRS contacted them about the citation.
How to fight a parking ticket
You can avoid being ticketed by following all posted laws and ordinances, but sometimes mistakes are made
Like any form of citation, parking tickets are preventable by reading and obeying posted signage. However, when visiting a new city, or state, or in a hurry, things can be missed and mistakes are made.
Suddenly there’s a ticket you weren’t prepared to pay for. If the ticket is a surprise to you, there are a few things you can do to help your case when appealing a parking ticket.
- Carefully read the ticket. Look for errors like incorrect street names, license plate numbers, vehicle make and model, time and date, etc. Errors would then make the ticket invalid.
- Take photos. Of the vehicle in the parking space, lack of signage, or other vehicles that weren’t cited for performing the same parking job. If the ticket involves parking too close to something like a fire hydrant, a photo showing a reasonable distance would help your case. Make sure metadata with the time and date are accessible. Signs that are obstructed by trees, or are on bent posts, or aren’t “obvious” are great things to photograph, too.
- Make sure the statute that was violated is listed on the ticket. If not listed, the ticket is not valid.
- Promptly follow the appeal instructions on the ticket. All legitimate tickets will have directions for appeal. Waiting until the very last moment weakens your argument and can result in late fees.
- When in court, avoid these phrases as they reduce your credibility and weaken your argument:
- “I didn’t know the law.”
- “I was on my way to move my car.”
- “I can’t afford this ticket.”
- “I’ve been doing this for years.”
- “I checked with the parking officer, who said it was OK.”
- Contact a lawyer. If you’re running into roadblocks and feel stuck, it may be best to reach out to a traffic lawyer in your area. Many have free case consultations.
Source: Reader’s Digest
“I sent a screenshot of my Apple Card statement showing my purchase with the address of the purchase reflecting that parking lot and the same day, so it all lines up,” she said.
“But they basically said because I didn’t have a receipt from them, that they weren’t going to honor it.”
‘PREDATORY’
Another man named Daron Atkin said he just ignored the collection letter after initially disputing it.
“I followed the law and I paid properly and it’s on my credit card,” he said.
“What more do I need to do?”
Dale Fenton said he received the $87 citation after paying $12 on the day he parked.
“It appears the fines imposed by the state were not enough to teach this company a lesson, as they still appear to be sending out predatory parking citations,” Fenton wrote by email.
ANOTHER SETTLEMENT
As Fenton said, this isn’t the first time PRRS has been called out for its ticketing.
Last year, PRRS settled with Colorado’s attorney general for $75,000 after the company was accused of violating the state’s Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
The company denied all wrongdoing in the settlement.
“PRRS takes customer feedback and concerns very seriously and is committed to ensuring that our parking compliance practices are fair, transparent, and aligned with all applicable agreements and regulations,” John Conway, co-founder and executive vice president of PRRS, said in a statement to KUSA.
PRRS didn’t immediately respond to The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.
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