AN AUSSIE mum has clapped back at a third-party parking company hired by McDonald’s after she and her guests received fines in the mail.
Leisa Maia hosted her son’s eighth birthday party at the fast food joint in Indooroopilly, Queensland on January 20.
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The party – which lasted for less than three hours then resulted in the mum and guests receiving £80 fines in the mail just a few weeks later.
“We were there for a couple hours, purchased multiple rounds of food and desserts, sung happy birthday, had a lovely time, left thinking that was the easiest birthday party ever, what a great time,” Maia said.
The party was in the restaurant the entire time and claims they were never made aware of a parking limit.
“We received a fine as well for overstaying an apparent parking limit that we weren’t aware even existed.
“We didn’t see any parking signs or any notification,” she added.
It was Maia’s cousin who first received a fine, from the third-party parking group called Smart Compliance Management.
Maia and her cousin have both appealed the fines which she described as “not really a process”.
The pair had to supply receipts as well as photographic and video evidence of their time at the eatery to prove that they had been dining there.
Maia then received a “dry response” three days later that in Maia’s words said: “well tough, you overstayed the parking limit.
“Pay up or we’re sending your details to debt collectors.”
They were then informed that this was the end of the appeals process.
Maia said she was left upset at the handling of the situation, as well as the fear of debt collection and the potential impact this could have on her credit rating.
“I feel like I’m also representing our family members who were fined as well,” she said.
“Some of them were visiting from overseas, didn’t speak English, so McDonald’s was a perfect location. It’s food that they’re familiar with.”
Queensland’s state government has also described private parking companies as opportunistic and disgusting and has vowed to take action.
Transport Minister, Mark Bailey, said: “People are being intimidated, being made to think that they’re being fined when in fact under the law you’re not allowed to be fined.”
Following the parking ticket madness, Maia said that the McDonalds venue had “lost our loyalty, they’ve lost our family members’ loyalty and after making a post on the community page no one is willing to throw a birthday party there anymore”.
This comes after a man was slapped with a £100 fine at McDonald’s for eating his food too slowly in January.
Shapour Meftah had gone to the fast food restaurant and was administered a fine just a few days later after exceeding the 90-minute time period.
Another driver was also hit with a hefty £50 fine after McDonald’s claimed he parked for 14 hours.
However, Ben Butler-Sutton, 32, claims he only spent around 20 minutes getting his Big Mac and McChicken Sandwich meal.
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