ANCP examined by Choice Magazine

Choice magazine on 2nd October 2012 says that Johnny Smithson is a consumer champion when it comes to dealing with suspect parking fines. The article says Mr Smithson became involved with car parks after a friend of his received a demand for payment and Smithson’s efforts to sort it out up hit a brick wall, hitting issues such as the car park company not even having a published phone number.

Since then Mr Smithson has established a website and says he’s fielded thousands of emails from vehicle owners who have received nasty collection letters.

Smithson’s believes that some private car park operations are now focusing more on debt collection than parking fees and team up with opportunistic lawyers in order to scare consumers into paying fines that, whilst they may be illegitimate, they pay to avoid the risk of going to court.

“Most people freak out and pay up when they get a letter from a lawyer, whether it’s legitimate or not,” he says. “That’s just what the people behind these operations are counting on.”

The article asks the question "are car parks, collection agencies and lawyers in on it together?" Choice writes that it confirmed that the phone number on an October 2011 letter from lawyer Michael Roper to a motorist goes through to the Australian Recovery and Collections office, and not to Michael Roper's practice.

Choice noted that ASIC documents show that Australian National Car Parks' two company directors, Paul Gyles and Victor Nudler are also directors and shareholders in Australian Recoveries and Collections.

Back to Australian National Car Parks main page.