Initialparking Reviews 633

TrustScore 1 out of 5

1.1

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Looking at 118 reviews, most reviewers were let down by their experience overall. Many customers expressed dissatisfaction with the payment process, finding it confusing and prone to errors, which often led to unexpected fines. People frequently reported issues with the pricing structure, noting that charges seemed excessive or were applied unfairly, even when parking fees were initially paid. Reviewers also highlighted problems with the claims process, stating that appeals were often denied despite providing evidence of payment or genuine mistakes. The service provided was consistently criticized, with many feeling that the company was unresponsive and unhelpful in resolving disputes. A recurring concern among customers was the location of the car parks, particularly at Newquay Airport, where the parking system was seen as deterring visitors. Several people mentioned receiving fines for minor overstays or for errors in entering their registration plates, even when they had paid for parking. The lack of a grace period and the difficulty in appealing fines were also significant points of contention for many.

What people talk about most

Payment

Clients share negative opinions on payment, frequently reporting issues such as machines taking money without... See more

Price

Consumers consistently express strong dissatisfaction with pricing, frequently citing what they perceive as... See more

Location

Customers consistently note ambiguous experiences with location, specifically regarding car parks. Reviewers... See more

Claim

Users describe negative interactions with claim processes. Many reviewers report that their appeals are... See more

Service

Customers had negative experiences with service. Many reviewers expressed disappointment and frustration,... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

We were actually working for the car park's owner when we got fined by their scamming car park management company, Initial Parking. Even though we appealed on that basis they still would not retract t... 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

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

DISGRACEFUL SCAM - As many others I was fined £100 for parking in St Mary's Church Car Park in Betws-y-Coed Wales. Had poor GPS signal and only one machine was working. They combine your consideration... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

In July used slate quay car park. App didn't work so used coins to pay. Displayed ticket. Several days later issued with £100 PCN. Appealed and requested Initial parking check their CCTV to show ticke... See more


1.1

Bad

TrustScore 1 out of 5

633 reviews

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Avoid Initial Parking Sites

This company is to be avoided at all costs. I received a parking charge even though I left the car park in Scarborough with 25 minutes to spare. They stated that I had evaded the fee. I wrote and explained my position and they immediately suggested the fine would now be £20 if paid within 14 days. Shocking way to treat customers.

14 May 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Dreadful company



If I could give 0 stars I would. Absolute disgrace of a company.
Parked at Hollywell Bay in Cornwall during the Easter break.
The machine didn't let me put in my reg plate properly and at £2.50 an hour for parking, I didn't want to try again and risk loosing another £2.50.
Anyway, the machine let me type in OO which I have in my reg number, and I paid the £2.50 on my card.
Thought nothing else of it.
Got home from holiday, and a few days later have a parking charge come through, saying I haven't paid. Luckily kept the ticket, and found the transaction on my bank statement. Sent them as proof to the company and with the explanation that I couldn't get the machine to accept my whole reg plate but obviously did try as you can see on the ticket OO.
Had an email back to say that my appeal has been rejected and that I did not pay. Clearly these people haven't looked at the proof I sent and just want their fine money regardless.
I'll be taking this further, why should I pay the fine when I paid for the parking in the first place.
Avoid initial parking car parks at all costs. Nothing but scam artists.

22 April 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Terrible scam company

Do not park in their car parks. From what I have heard and experienced they will do anything to slap you with a fine. They say they have disabled spots but they don’t. No respect for seniors or people with disabilities. Their signage is misleading and their payment machines don’t work - all the better for finding a way to send you a huge fine. Their online appeal software doesn’t work.

18 April 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I parked in St Mary's car park Betws y…


I parked in St Mary's car park Betws y coed and paid for 1 hour because I had to be in Bodnant restaurant by 3.30. Unfortuately I was late getting back to my car only to get a fine a few days later for £60 and told I should have paid another £1.50 for the 19 minutes extra I had stayed. I did not realise at the time that I was late. The 3 of us in the car that day are 84 year old pensioners and on limited income. One of us had bowel cancer and a stoma and needed to go to the toilet before getting back, she was also tired and had to rest a while on the way back, these factors contributed to us being late.
Initial are a nasty greedy company. I will not be using the church car par again, I should add this is the only time I have used it. Never agin.

2 May 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Fined while Volunteering at Local Soup Kitchen

Was issued a parking charge by Initial Parking for overstaying while volunteering at my local soup kitchen. Despite appealing and raising complaints, they have shown no consideration for my circumstances and have enforced the £60 fine. Absolutely heartless and completely lacking in compassion.

29 April 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Parked at Praa Sands

Parked at Praa Sands - after a few attempts on a couple of different machines it wouldnt accept payment by phone. Tried again with my credit card and put in the registration number, got to the end and paid and noticed the ticket had only printed with the first 2 letters of my reg. As I had paid and displayed the ticket assumed there would be no problem until I received a Parking Charge Notice. Have appealed but it has been declined due to full reg not showing - sent proof of my payment. They offered to close the matter if I pay £20 - definitely a dodgy company!! Avoid parking at any intial parking sites!!!

23 April 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Parked at Howarth Central Car Park

Parked at Howarth Central Car Park. Tried entering reg number 3 times. As soon as the first character was entered the machine went to the next step, not allowing for reg to be entered. Paid for my parking. Was sent a letter a week later with a parking charge for £100. Have since appealed but not holding my breath. Scam company.

26 April 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Disgraceful experience, scammers

Disgraceful, got a 100£ fine for parking on my last day on Mousehole Car Park in Cornwall, despite it was a bank holiday (Easter Monday) and there was no reception, the machine also works like crap. I used the car park for 15 minutes.
I hope you spend my reduced £60 in medicines. I won’t bother appeal, take my money miserable worms and scum, you’re nothing less than a brown stain.
You can just visit their website to understand their only purpose is to collect money. Shady scammers, I do hope you fail as a company, definitively disgusting.

21 April 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Pathetic. Timed from minute entering. No grace. No care. Money grabbers!!!

We were hugely disappointed to receive a parking charge notice from ‘initialparking’ for parking at Mousehole, Cornwall.

When we arrived, we took a moment to decide how long we wanted to stay and took in the scenery. We had no idea that the clock was already ticking from the monent we had entered the car park, even though we hadn’t even made it to the parking machine.

Then we headed over to the parking machine and realised it could be used in conjunction with ‘Just Park’. Therefore, we loaded up the app, which took a while because the signal was poor, and keyed in how long we wanted to stay. By the time we’d finished doing that we were already 6 minutes in the car park and in to our stay (according to the cameras).

Once we had paid for the parking via the app. We continued with our trip around the harbour side village. When we got back it was raining heavily so it took us a while to load up, get the kids sorted not knowing we were still being monitored by the cameras. We left the car park 12 minutes over our 2 hours but had been with our vehicle for that entire duration. We stated on our appeal that surely there is a grace period particularly for a family of 5 with young children to take a little time unloading and loading..?

In short. They charged us £60 for effectively being 12 minutes over; even though we were actually with our vehicle for the entire fined ‘time’. I’m shocked they even included the 6 mins before we’d even paid too… unbelievable.

Our appeal was rejected within 37 mins! No humility. No care; just want to take money from hard working, tax paying people trying to support the local economy and give their children happy memories.

I will NEVER use an ‘Initialparking’ car park again… and I advise others to follow suit!

They obviously don’t read or care about their public profile either. The reviews on here, on Just Park and Facebook are horrendous! Why don’t they care? They need to care more. So poor.

18 April 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Disgraceful!!!!!!

We overstayed our parking by an hour (paid for 4 hours and stayed for 5) at one of their car parks in Cornwall due to my daughter taking ill along the hike and so were forced to stop for a while. The hike was meant to be 3 hours long.

It was a Sunday, the car park was empty and the local cafe was closed. They did not lose any revenue as a result of us overstaying and now I have to pay £60 for the sake of an hour, equivalent to £2.

Seems like a money making act to me as their machines were cash only - who has cash only machines nowadays in rural Cornwall.

Disgraceful!!!!

13 April 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I have had a different experience

I have had a different experience, after I have parked in one of their managed carparks in Manchester, paid for the parking twice , I have received a nice letter home saying I didn't. I appealed with proof deom my bank statement and I have it canceled.

14 April 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Parked in one of their car parks solely…

Parked in one of their car parks solely to charge my electric vehicle. One of the passengers was a blue badge holder and there was no signs to say blue badge holders were not exempt. Appealed but they haven't even mentioned the blue badge in their reply. Parasites.

14 April 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Absolutely dreadful company

Parked my car (Helston), bought a ticket, machine didn't request my registration number. Got a letter saying I owed. Sent copy of the ticket I paid for and confirmation from my bank statement. Had my fine reduced to £20 but appeal not granted on grounds that vehicle registration was missing from my ticket. Dreadful. Shan't park there again.

7 April 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Cowboy company talking utter bullshit…

Cowboy company talking utter bullshit saying I haven’t payed for parking when in fact I was informed that a gentleman who collects coins from the machine can wipe any information on the parking meters so they basically wipe your car registration details off

27 February 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Scam Artists

The grace period for paying your ticket to the time you leave is ridiculous. 5 minutes or more of being late either way will result to a PCN. Appeal process is just a sham, regardless of the amount of evidence you provide.

15 March 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Would give a zero if I could

Would give a zero if I could. Would have parked at my usual car park for a dog walk at Praa sands Maggie's field but it was full. Went to car park opposite initial runs it. Paid my usual £1 for an hour. Cash as only a £1 so no proof... I guess it's a legalised scam got ticket nearly 2 weeks later and had cleared out car for ticket proof. How many could prove by cash? Pay by credit card or avoid would be best as it seems appeals don't actually work either. Wonder if the other 2 cars got a ticket as well?

24 March 2025
Unprompted review

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