Queensland Parking Solutions
Did you get towed by Queensland Parking Solutions? Queensland Parking Solutions are a parking company operating in Queensland who will tow your car away if they think you are illegally parked on private property. Queensland Parking Solutions took over from the "We Tow U" company that used to operate at Central Brunswick in Fortitude Valley. The way they operate is to contract with companies such as restaurants and supermarkets who need their car parks managed. They put up signs saying free parking is limited to a certain period such as two hours. If you go over the limit, Queensland Parking Solutions will two your car away and charge you $440 to have your car released.
2. Take the matter to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT). It only costs $23 to take the matter to QCAT where you can allow the tribunal to make a decision. QCAT is a low cost environment where both parties must represent themselves. Each party pays their own costs of attendance. So if you lost the case, the most you would lose is $23.00. You will not get a costs order for legal costs or anything else like that made against you.
3. Complain to Queensland Parking Solutions that there was no loss, and therefore the towing was unjustified. Ask them to state what the loss was. They will normally give provide you the towing and storage costs. However, that is not what you want to know. What you want to know is what loss did they incur by you being on the car park. Generally, there will probably be no loss.
In the press
The Courier Mail reported on 30th August 2011, that Benjamin Peter Ivanoff owns Queensland Parking Solutions, and that he has two criminal convictions for assault. And that he served nine months' jail sentence after breaching conditions of a two-year suspended sentence in 2005 for his role in a group bashing of a Gold Coast couple who were out walking their dog.
The newspaper says that Benjamin Peter Ivanoff's criminal convictions would see him barred from the towing industry altogether if he were operation in NSW. It says that Ivanoff's role in Queensland Parking Solutions showcases the lack of Queensland State Government regulation around a growing and controversial industry. In Queensland, Ivanoff is free to own licensed tow trucks and needs no licence to do private tow-aways or to run a tow company.
If you get towed by Queensland Parking Solutions
1. Take photos of the car park, especially all entrances to the car park.
2. Write to Queensland Parking Solutions and ask them what their loss was.
3. Write to the retailer that owns the car park and ask them what their loss was.
Case Study
The car park at Inala Plaza Shopping Centre is divided into two halves. The first half, is manged by the Inala Plaza Shopping Management. The Plaza management don't believe in towing and won't tow your car. The other half of the car park is managed by the Inala Civic Centre Body Corporate Group. These cowboys do believe in towing and have a contract will Queensland Parking Solutions who will tow you car if given the chance if you park on their side of the car park. The sign below is from the car park on the Inala Civic Centre Body Corporate Group side.
There are effectively three ways to beat these cowboys.1. Complain to the supermarket or retailer that owns the car park that you were a genuine customer of theirs. Ask them to contact Queensland Parking Solutions to ask for a refund.
