Overview

• Consumer centers in several states report more cases, including 127 complaints in Rhineland-Palatinate by early August 2025 versus 109 in all of 2024, around 30 inquiries in Hesse since May, and an uptick in Saxony-Anhalt, while Saarland reports no increase.
• Grievances focus on unclear signage, high contractual penalties, debt-collection letters, and poor customer service on lots without barriers that rely on automatic license-plate recognition.
• Locations cited include supermarket parking areas, sites near doctors’ offices and hospitals, and cases reported at Hanover’s main station.
• Operators reject the criticism, with Mobility Hub citing 99.5–99.8 percent trouble-free transactions across roughly 100,000 spaces and only low-thousand violations, Park & Control saying fines follow documented breaches, and Wemolo calling penalties a very small share of about 2.5 million daily transactions.
• Consumer advocates advise saving receipts and photos of signage and seeking help from consumer centers if a penalty arrives despite a believed payment.