Major car park company Secure Parking accused of lying

A company that operates carparks in almost every major city in Australia has been accused of lying to customers about guaranteed spots by the ACCC.

A parking services company allegedly lied to consumers for five years when it advertised booking early would guarantee a reserved carpark.

On Wednesday, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission announced it was taking international company Secure Parking to court over its Secure a Spot booking service.

Between 2017 and 2022, the company repeatedly told customers that using their reservation service would ensure they received a carpark at a chosen location at the time and date requested.

That was simply not true, according to the consumer watchdog, which claims numerous customers arrived at their destination at the allocated time only to find the carpark full.

Secure Parking is being taken to the Federal Court over its Secure a Spot service.

ACCC commissioner Liza Carver said the company had misled customers who had pre-booked parking to put their minds at ease.

“We have commenced these court proceedings because we allege Secure Parking was not providing the service it was representing to consumers and did not reserve a parking space after consumers had pre-booked using the Secure a Spot service,” she said.

“Some of the consumers who were unable to access the parking space they’d booked complained that they were late to, or entirely missed, appointments, events, and work commitments.”

The Secure a Spot service was offered over five years at 104 carparks in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Hobart.

The company received a “significant number of complaints” from customers who used the booking service but arrived to find there were no carparks available at the reserved time.

The ACCC alleges that should not have been the result for customers who were repeatedly reassured in advertisements that their car space would be guaranteed if they pre-booked.

The watchdog is taking Secure Parking to the Federal Court over allegations the company did not actually set aside parking spaces for customers who used the Secure a Spot portal.

The ACCC claims the company did not reserve car spaces when customers booked in advance.

It claims the company made false, misleading, and deceptive representations about the pre-booking service and engaged in conduct that was likely to deceive the public.

The ACCC is seeking declarations, penalties, compliance orders, corrective notices and costs.

Secure Parking, which is owned by Japanese car park operator Park24 Co Ltd., said it had only learned of the allegations when they were filed on Wednesday.

In a statement, the company said it was aware of the proceedings in respect to alleged breaches of consumer law.

“(The company) takes compliance with all legal obligations seriously and is reviewing the materials filed by the ACCC in relation to this matter,” the statement read.