CLEVELAND — A woman called the News 5 Investigators about parking lot fines on the same car weeks apart that she thinks are not warranted.
Laura Plas says in early August she drove her daughter and her daughter’s friends to downtown Cleveland to celebrate a birthday.
“I drove around a couple times. No parking, no parking. I said, okay, cool, I’ll park here,” Plas said.
The lot is located at 1239 W. 9th St. in Cleveland’s Warehouse District.
Plas says she followed the QR code on the sign to pay $15 on her credit card to park.
She thought everything was OK until she left the lot.
“I was no farther pulled out into the road when I got a text that said your payment’s declined,” Plas said.
Plas says she texted the company, Parking Revenue Recovery Services, to pay the fee, but was told she would get a citation in the mail.
“And sure enough, I received a citation, and it was $102,” Plas said.
Plas disputed the amount with the company and says PRRS knocked it down to $82.
Several weeks later, she says her daughter pulled into the same lot with the same car and drove right back out, without parking.
“The only notice she got was from a lawyer saying they’re trying to collect $102,” Plas said.
Plas said her daughter hasn’t paid it yet. Plas called the News 5 Investigators tip line for help.
“I said I’m going to take care of this and that’s when I called you guys,” Plas said.
There are several signs with a QR code showing LAZ parking.
But there’s also a big red sign out front about the rules set by PRRS based in Aurora, Colorado.
“They’ve been on our radar at the Better Business Bureau for a few decades now,” Colorado BBB’s Cameron Nakashima said.
Nakashima says PRRS is an enforcement company for lot owners with a B rating with the BBB. He says they’ve received 2,673 complaints against PRRS in the past three years.
“I’d say the silver lining, to kind of get out ahead of it, is that they’re very responsive when it comes to their BBB complaints,” Nakashima said.
Nakashima says it’s important to keep a paper trail for disputes, and the company has waived fees.
“The important thing is to prove to them, 'hey, I did pay what was due,'” Nakashima said.
In 2023, Colorado’s Attorney General announced a settlement between his office and PRRS after an investigation found the company illegally collected or attempted to collect parking fines already paid.
The Ohio Attorney General's office has received 74 total complaints.
“I think that company needs to pull out of Cleveland,” Plas said.
News 5 Investigators reached out to both companies, which are looking into Plas’ parking issue.
