A Melbourne man has vowed to never return to the Gold Coast after a family trip to the city ended with debt collectors on his mother’s tail.
Michael, who didn’t want his surname used, said he visited the Gold Coast with his wife and young child for a week in late January to celebrate his mother’s birthday with his parents, who are both retired.
However memories of the trip have been ruined after his mother received a SPER notice for $191 over a parking fine they claim was for being one minute over.
“We were visiting the Gold Coast from Melbourne. My parents are from northern NSW,” he said.
“We stayed on the Coast for a week to celebrate Mum’s birthday and went for a morning to see the peak site that is Cavill Ave, and we got pinged.”
Tourists walking along Cavill Avenue.
The man said the family believed they had returned on time to the car, parked at The Esplanade on Surfers Paradise, but it appeared they were a minute over.
The location is where in-ground sensors are used to monitor when a parking space is occupied and how long the vehicle stays.
The man said although it occurred on January 28, the family had no knowledge of the fine until a SPER notice was recently received by his mother.
“We didn’t see the ticket on our window,” he said. “They’ve got a photo of one, but it’s either slipped off because it was a wet day or someone’s pulled it off. There was four people in the car and we absolutely would have seen it stuck to our windscreen had it been there.
“Because we didn’t see the ticket, Gold Coast City Council has apparently sent us a reminder which we never saw.
“We’ve since been referred on to SPER. They have sent us a debt collection notice. For some reason that notice made its way to mum’s house, but the initial reminder notice didn’t.
“So the amount we’re being chased for now is $191.20. The fine was originally $113.”
It comes months after Deputy Mayor Donna Gates called for a review of the size of parking fines due to overwhelming backlash online.
Traffic on the Esplanade at Surfers Paradise. Picture: Mike Batterham.
The man, who said the family was also unimpressed by the appearance of Cavill Ave, said his mother had been upset to receive the notice and vowed to never return to the Gold Coast.
“This has left a really sour taste in our mouths. Due to this experience we will 100 per cent never be going back to the Gold Coast ever again,” he said.
“We are so used to brutal parking inspectors in the City of Melbourne and your Gold Coast parking inspectors would put them to shame.”
The man said his mother had contacted council but was told there was little that could be done. However a council spokesperson said there were avenues for fines to be appealed.
