Initialparking Reviews 

652
TrustScore 1 out of 5

1.1

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Evaluating 114 reviews, most reviewers were let down by their experience overall. Customers frequently report receiving parking charge demands and exorbitant fines, often despite having paid the correct fee. Many encountered issues with payment systems, such as machines not operating correctly or difficulties inputting registration details, leading to unjustified penalties. Reviewers also express frustration with the appeals process, as their evidence of payment or mitigating circumstances is often rejected. Some people were dissatisfied with the lack of grace periods, noting that fines were issued for minor overstays even after paying. Customers also frequently mention confusing signage and payment instructions. Furthermore, several reviewers report that unpaid fines are quickly escalated to debt collection agencies, leading to increased demands.

What people talk about most

Payment

Consumers find payment to be a frustrating experience, often leading to unexpected fines despite their... See more

Price

Reviewers express significant dissatisfaction with pricing, frequently encountering unexpected charges and... See more

Location

Customers consistently note negative experiences with location, particularly regarding car parks such as... See more

Claim

Customers had negative experiences with claim processes, often reporting that their appeals were rejected... See more

Service

Users describe negative interactions with service, with many reporting being charged from the moment their... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Beware, I parked and paid correct fee at Lee, North Devon (Village Hall car park) Initial Parking. ANPR cameras record vehicle entering and leaving. Parking charge demand received for £60. However my... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

St Mary Church Betwys Coed Initial Parking, you input registration into machine, pay via cash/card then a week later get a fine saying you parked without paying. No details of car reg are printed o... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I have just received a "Parking Charge Reminder" for overstaying at Polseath Car Park. The notice says that the discounted period amount has expired - yet this letter is the first I have heard of the... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

To our surprise Initial Parking made a new claim that Beacon near Lewes was a fee-paying car park. One of us paid £2 by card and has the bank statement showing that IP had received it. They denied... See more


1.1

Bad

TrustScore 1 out of 5

652 reviews

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1.1

All reviews

(652)

104 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

This company is not even worth 1 star

This company is not even worth 1 star! They are an agressive money making machine. We parked for 1 hour in Ripley castle carpark, and paid the required amount of £1. A week later a letter arrived; PARKING CHARGE AMOUNT DUE £100. I appealed and sent proof of payment from the bank statement. They claim that we put in the wrong reg number and have 'reduced the charge' to £20. Big of them. Are real human beings running this company?? Why haven't they accepted the evidence of payment?

15 November 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Hated giving this company 1 star.

Hated giving this company 1 star.
I parked on their car park in Scarborough Yorkshire paid my fee for 2 hours was off the car park withing the hour, 10 days later I get a parking notice saying I owe them £100 for not paying, unbelievable. Glad I paid by card as I have proof of payment.

21 November 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Nil stars

Shame that I have to click on at least 1 star to write a review as they deserve none.
Stayed at Lamorna Cove today but had no cash which I already spent at the car park in Mousehole. So had to go out to make a 20 minute d tour to get cash.
This is 2024 and it is amazing that no card payment or app is available this is purely to penalise visitors.

20 November 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Like many others...

Like many others, I parked in the St Mary's car park in Betws-y-Coed. Whilst I was trying to understand the screed of instructions written in both English and Welsh, I was offered a 2 hour ticket (from a driver who had changed his mind about staying). This gave me plenty of time for a short wander around.
Came back to the car with around 20 minutes to spare, so thought nothing more of it. When I got home from holiday I had a fine of £100 for not having a ticket.
I appealed, telling them I had a ticket, covering my stay. I told them the ticket number and the entry/exit times on said ticket. Admittedly, I didn't say it had been given to me. But then, I had a ticket, and that was what I was disputing. Does it really matter which car parks in the paid for space??
After a few days of backwards and forwards emailing, their 'internal review' concluded that my appeal was rejected. As the ticket had been issued at 1133 hrs (for 2 hrs), and my reg plate came into the car park at 1157 hrs (and left at 1317 hrs) I didn't have a ticket so owed them the fine. It feels a bit like the Poacher deciding if he's committed a crime.
My argument was, and still is, that I had a ticket to cover the period of time I was parked in the car park. Which is what was required. At no point did I see on the T's & C's that I had to enter my reg number.
Unfortunately, I'll now be £60 lighter and put off visiting Betws-y-Coed. Perhaps their Tourist Office needs to be told...

25 October 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Boycott there carparks

The same happened to me in Falmouth I only had two digits for my car reg, so they admitted I had paid but not for the reg of my car. I then contacted falmouth Harbour and informed them of there tactictics as this does nothing but harm the local community as people will not return, since this incident happened I would never use any carpark managed by these blood suckers and for the companies that use them they are doing more harm than good to the local business's like my self i will never return to falmouth

5 July 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Do not park in Initial Car Parks

Parked in St. Mary's Church car park Betws-y-Coed. I didn't have sufficient coins for the 1 hour we were staying so had to go for change to nearby shop. Waited in a small queue at the meter then read instructions & entered reg etc. On return (within time on ticket) it took a while to load up grand children into car & had to wait for a couple of cars to slowly get out of the car park. Was shocked to receive 100 pound fine without any reason given on PCN. Appealed to Initial only to receive immediate reply that appeal was turned down on basis of having exceeded the 1 hour by 20 minutes.
Total con & surely this company should be investigated & stopped from discouraging tourism.

17 October 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Premium scam artists!

Parked at Marazion car park for St Michael's mount attraction. Entered reg. Paid cash. Took photo of transaction. Days later received summons for £100 for non payment. Appealed, with photo proof. They refused. These private companies are the scum of the earth and parking should instead be run by the local councils. This for sure puts off tourists. Legalised scammers.

17 October 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

REF IPL1008516 , Parked at Fistral Beach on the 10th of…

Parked at Fistral Beach on the 10th of September, payment didn't come out of my bank until the 11th, sent me a fine, fortunately I have a company lease car, and the lease company paid the fine, reduced to £60 instead of £100, however I have disputed the fine with Initial, sent proof I was there on the 10th, even got written confirmation from my bank. They are now saying, I entered my Reg wrong, I have asked for proof, and even said I have legal representation via my bank, still no reply and no proof from them. However, payment has been made by our company lease company, then I have a salary deduction. Initial are scammers, my advise avoid them. My advise to Cornwall Council is, unfortunately lost tourism for Newquay.

10 September 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Scamming in Liverpool too!

Parked in Seel Street car park in Liverpool. Paid with coins at the machine and displayed my ticket in the usual way. Left within time shown on my ticket. I threw the ticket away a couple of days later (who keeps them?) and a week later receive the PCN saying that I hadn't paid. Of course, when I appeal, I can't prove that I purchased a ticket!

19 October 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Pathetic predatory company

Bought a 2 hour ticket at Fistral beach & overstayed by 20 minutes by accident. They charged me a £100 parking charge and refused my appeal. I offered to rightly pay for the additional hour but they refused.

Honestly, they are truly the lowest of the low. Utterly pathetic predatory capitalism, providing absolutely nothing beneficial to society.

Newquay council, take over the parking lot to provide fair & reasonable parking terms.

15 October 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Total scumbag...this parking company is…

Total scumbag...this parking company is a total waste of time and money. I parked my car at St's Micheals beach. Paid my parking at the machine as stated. Due to a printing error, it printed only half of the car registration. Now they send me a penalty notice saying I didn't pay. So I sent them the evidence of payment and a picture of the slip. They refused to accept the responsibility. I reported this BPA.

31 August 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Rip off, rip off and more rip offs!

Rip off! Rip off! And more rip offs!
£8 for a single entry to Lands Ends car park when most of the vendors were closed,
An extremely misleading notice suggesting they owned the land and it was their car park: utterly misleading!
Another £1.80 for a 10 minute stay at St. Michaels’ Mount a few miles down the road by the same company.
Absolutely disgusting. The pay machines were so sluggish and slow to respond: was this a deliberate tactic?

23 October 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Absolute scumbags

Absolute scumbags. Wife had broken toes and took a while to find a parking spot at Newquay Fistral Beach car park. 15 mins over apparently (in total) as charging starts moment you pass camera on entry/exit NOT the time actually parked. Appealed case. Rejected with Initial parking. Appealed to POPLA, no answer then went quiet with no updates. Received a letter today from.debt recovery firm saying I now owe £170. Absolute scam. DO NOT PARK at NEWQUAY FISTRAL car park. Absolute scam and POPLA is a scam also to make even more money off you. AVOID!!!!

23 June 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Avoid!!!

As expected, nothing good to say about this company. Misleading signage and when I tried to contact to verify they initially failed to answer my questions and then failed to respond following several further emails. I think I am going to adopt the tape/tea towel tactic as so many others do. Clearly these days honesty isn't the best policy and I will endeavor to treat this company as they have treated me - with no respect!

7 July 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

This company should be blacklisted as…

This company should be blacklisted as fine received for overstayed parking time in Helston. Taken into account from driving into car park to leaving I was over by 5 minutes, I had to find parking space, check meter for payment but cash only, sort change for fee with wife and pay for ticket total over 5 minutes.
The ticket stated the exact time we left the car park but no it is time of entry to leaving according to them and their cameras! Will avoid any initial car parks in future the robbing b,,,,,s.

3 October 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Save yourself the fine…

Now we have visited and stayed at Llanberis on a number of occasions. Well the last time My disabled wife and I stopped off we parked in the car park named Electric Mountain we purchased a ticket (£1 for 1 hour). We stopped from 12:13-12:33. Well we have now received a £60 parking fine from Initial Parking saying that we didn't pay. I still have the ticket in the car and I paid on credit card. So I Appealed against it with the proof attached and the reply came back at 7:52 yesterday the charge remains and the payment is outstanding FFS. They only have photos of me entering the car park and leaving none of my vehicle parked. Now I have taken it higher but anybody thinking of using an Initial Car park anywhere DON'T.

27 September 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I usually avoid car parks run by shark companies

I usually avoid car parks run by shark operators but, while on holiday with my granddaughter, I visited Caernafon Castle and had to use Slate Quay car park on the 28th August. The payment machine was so poorly placed that when the sun was shining it made it almost impossible to read the screen and follow the instructions. When I first put in my six pound coins I followed the instructions as best I could see them in the bright sunlight. When I received the ticket I noted that my registration number wasn't printed on it. Knowing how these unscrupulous sharks work I rang their the helpline to explain my predicament. Completely useless! I kept on hearing a recorded message me telling me that I couldn't appeal a ticket using this number, so I rang off. I decided to pay another £6 rather than run the risk of a thoroughly unjustified extra charge via a PCN. The screen software is so badly designed that it allows a ticket to be produced without completing the registration field. By making this field mandatory, a simple software upgrade, this could be easily overcome. A cynic may conclude that this is merely a trap to catch unsuspecting motorists. Why Caernarfon Council allow these sharks to operate this car park, having such a poor record of customer service, as well as having a very narrow access and egress to the facility, is completely beyond me. I will always try to avoid any car park operated by this company in future.

28 August 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Unjustified fine ....Well I parked my car .Paid and then 9th…

Well I parked my car .Paid and then 9th october get a letter from debt recovery plus saying I owe 170 pound for an unpaid fine for ..unpaid tariff time at Conwy train museum car park on the 25th august...how very considerate to not even inform me I have a parking ticket. Can't get through to IPL and can only get an address.Its past the time I can pay the initial fine so it's now gone to debt recovery plus.They informed me of options.Pay fine or be seen to have refused to pay the fine.Also told me to sue the post office!)...No grevience
procedures...This is unfair and unjust and I will be taking this further . There's no proof of any other ticket being issued to my address.Why would let a 2 pound for 1hour ticket overstay be escalated to 170
Pound!!! Thanks lPL for all your correspondence!!!!I will be taking this further I am not satisfied that I have been treated fairly...I will neveruse your car parks for the rest of my life your customer service is appalling!

9 October 2024
Unprompted review

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