Adelaide City Collections
So you've received a fine or letter of demand from Adelaide City Collections? This page tells you how to handle fines from Adelaide City Collections.
Despite the official looking name, Adelaide City Collections is not a council or government agency. Rather it is a private parking company making liquidated claims for damages against unsuspecting drivers.
This is what a parking notice from Adelaide City Collections looks like. I have with the following issues with this notice:
Another issue with Adelaide City Collections is that the person who emailed in this fine told me that there were no terms and conditions on display in the car park where he received this fine. If there is a claim for liquidated damages, then there must be a contract on display in the car park which sets out the payments that apply if the contract is breached (such as if you stay overtime or neglect to pay).
Finally if you ring Adelaide City Collections on the number on notice, you get a recorded message that says "You have reached Adelaide City Collections. If you would like to pay a parking fine by credit card.......". They not entitled to call them fines, only councils and government agencies such as police can do that. They are notices of liquidated damages for alleged breach of contact.
The above is the only fine I have ever seen from Adelaide City Collections. If anyone has ever received a letter from Adelaide City Collections can they please scan or photograph and email it to me using the "Contact Us" page of this website?
I recently got contacted by two other people. The first had an example windscreen notice. And the second had this to say:
I have received the same fine for parking in the Foodworks car park and i can also confirm that there is no terms and conditions on display when you drive in, only a ticket machine and signs that say "first hour free for customers" Thats literally it.
That fine that the person sent in to you regarding Adelaide City Collections, im guessing could have been from a car park on O'Connell St for the Foodworks/O'Connell General/Pasta Go Go car park.
I did a search of their ABN details and it comes up as that Adelaide City Collections is listed as being owned by a company (GSH UNION PTY LTD) that owns O'Connell St General. Their listed address for their ABN is also the same as where the same store is. So it looks like they are only collecting for themselves.
Attached is an image of the ABN Lookup website as to what i found for Adelaide City Collections.
ABN Image 1.
ABN Image 2.
Adelaide City Collections do not have a website or an email address. And the phone is not answered by a real person. That is so dodgy.
5. In the Payment Options section at the bottom of the page, there is no website, email address, street address or phone number (the phone number on the page (08) 8373 3785 goes through to an answering machine.
4. It again uses the word "Penalty", in the label about the $38.00. It is not a penalty, it is a claim for liquidated damages.
3. It uses the work "offence" (about half way down the first section). The use of the word "offence" is arguably misleading because it makes it appear to be a criminal matter, rather than a private claim for civil liquidated damages.
1. It uses the name "Adelaide City Collections" at the top which makes it appear to be an offical government agency when it is not. 2. It used the words "Parking Penalty Notice" on the second line from the top. The work "penalty" is arguably misleading because it makes it appear to be on official parking fine issued by a government agency when in fact it is a private or civil claim for damages.