Customers are angry

Uproar over “rip-off” in Knittelfeld parking lot

Customers of the Clever Fit fitness studio feel ripped off.(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

Members of a fitness studio in a Knittelfeld shopping center are to pay a heavy fine due to a lack of implementation of exceptions to the new parking lot monitoring system.

The introduction of automatic parking space monitoring at the Kolibri shopping center in Knittelfeld has been causing a stir for several months. According to Loyal Parking, the company commissioned to do this, the reason for this was that the parking spaces were often blocked by non-customers. Since May, new opening hours and maximum standing times have applied to the parking spaces, and "parking offenders" have been asked to pay a fine in the event of violations.

120 euro contractual penalty
Numerous members of a fitness studio received a veritable flood of such contractual penalties. The gym is open outside the official parking times, including on Sundays and public holidays, where parking is only tolerated for a maximum of 15 minutes. "I received two payment requests for 120 euros each because I was training twice on Sundays," says Michael S from Murtal. Like many other customers, he feels ripped off and doesn't want to pay the fine.

"In order to accommodate the gym's different opening hours, we provided the gym with a tablet at the start of the parking management system, which allows visitors to activate their parking session," says Loyal Parking.

Solution in sight
This tablet does exist, but many customers may have been under the misapprehension that a one-off activation is sufficient. There may also have been technical problems, according to Clever Fit studio manager Maya Simon.

But: "We have now talked this out with Loyal Parking. Anyone who sends in their contract and license plate number doesn't have to pay the fine," says Simon. They also want to provide members with better information and create the option of permanent activation.