Nearly half of private parking companies fail compliance audit
A government audit of private parking companies found that nearly half have serious compliance issues around their use of personal data.
This is according to data obtained by the RAC following a Freedom of Information request to the DVLA.
It found that there are 57 private parking companies able to apply to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for vehicle owner data. Of these, 23 (40%) were rated ‘red’ by the government audit. A red rating signifies serious weaknesses or compliance concerns around the misuse of DVLA keeper data.
Five more private parking companies (nine per cent) were given an ‘amber’ rating, which identifies non-critical compliance or data protection controls.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “These government audits into the way private parking companies work with DVLA data are very revealing with more than half (52%) being identified as having practices which led to them being rated as ‘red’ or ‘amber’.
“These findings demonstrate the desperate need for the government’s Private Parking Code of Practice to finally be brought into force since becoming law back in 2019. Crucially, it will require all car park management companies to have to meet a number of key operating standards in order to have access to the DVLA’s keeper database. Without this of course, they will not be able to issue parking charge notices to drivers.”
This comes as the government unveils a new Private Parking Code of Practice, which includes a guaranteed five minutes to decide whether to park, 10 minutes to leave once the session ends and a maximum fine of £100.
The new code also gives drivers the right to have charges cancelled on appeal for issues they are unable to control.
