A New Zealand woman was left with a "nasty surprise" when she returned from work to find an NZ $85 ($77) fine sitting on her windshield earlier this week, prompting a clash with Wilson Parking.
Josephine Williams told Stuff she had been leaving her car in a gravel clearing at Westgate, in Auckland's west, alongside other commuters and catching the bus into the city for months.
But on Monday, Williams said that when she returned from work she found a Wilson Parking car park had been set up around her already parked car.
However, Wilson say the carpark was always there, they had just added more signage.
"To my unfortunate surprise - and many others - I was greeted by an $85 parking ticket for a breach and a flyer from Wilson Parking saying paid parking had started that day," Williams said.
"But what breach exactly was made? How was I supposed to know paid parking started that day when there was nothing at all displayed anywhere in the car park?"
Williams provided Stuff with dash cam footage that showed her pulling into the gravel clearing at 7.45am.
In the video, no paid parking signs or Wilson branding can be seen.
By 6pm, a large red and white Wilson sign had been erected at the entrance, with "12 hours for $4" written on.
"Wilson deliberately put their sign up sometime after 9am and then took it upon themselves to fine every single car that was already parked there from the morning," Williams said.
Although Williams has since had her fine waived after lodging a request to have it reviewed by Parking Enforcement Services, which is owned by Wilson Parking, she is worried that others won't know to do the same.
"$85 is a lot of money - it would have been two weeks' worth of grocery shopping for me.
"I'm lucky that I know the law and my rights, but some other people might not. What about students or the elderly or people who don't know English well?"
She estimated that there was usually somewhere between 50 and 100 cars in the gravel clearing.
Williams said she had also complained to the Commerce Commission over the incident, saying she believes it breached fair trading laws.
"Wilson really don't have any excuse. Even if they waive everyone's fines, they'e wasted our time."
However, Wilson Parking say that the car park was actually first set up - and "clear signage" first installed - on April 22.
"It was not set up around parked cars on 29 April as suggested," a Wilson spokesperson said.
"Several payments were made by customers via the Parkmate app from 22 April proving that signage on the site was clear and effective," they said.
Wilson Parking said that on April 29 more signs were added to all entry points of the car park.
"In acknowledgment of the increased signage added on the 29th at the entry we've made the decision to refund all payments made until 30 April and waive any breach notices issued up to this date."
They denied that any breach notices were issued before signs were erected.
"Payment options were available and signed from 22 April - but no infringement notices were issued prior to the 29th."
