Air-con technician blames 'misleading' signage for $272 parking fine at Farrer Road condo

After completing a job at a condominium apartment, an air-con technician found that his van had been wheel-clamped at the car park.

It turned out that he had unwittingly parked in a lot meant for residents. The 50-year-old, surnamed Lin, had to fork out $272 to get his vehicle released, reported Shin Min Daily News.

But Lin said he genuinely thought he had parked at a visitor's lot and blamed his mistake on the "misleading" car park signage.

The incident occurred around noon last Friday (June 7) at D'Leedon condo along Farrer Road.

When he was at the car park, Lin said he noticed two pillars painted in purple with the word 'visitor'. He parked his van in the lot on the right side of one of the pillars.

But when he returned to the car park around 45 minutes later, the vehicle had been wheel-clamped. He was told that he had parked in the space reserved for residents.

Lin headed to the management office and was reportedly told that visitors can only use the parking lots marked out with purple grid lines.

"I think the parking signage at the condo is misleading. I parked there because I saw the purple pillars, and the whole row [of pillars] on the left were purple too," he said.

"But they told me I had to see if there were purple grid lines and said that the parking spaces with yellow lines on the right are for residents."

Lin stressed that he did not deliberately park in the resident's lot for the sake of convenience, adding that there were many other available lots at that time.

"I parked in the wrong spot as I was really misled. If the [security guards] saw that I had parked in the wrong place, they should have called to inform me first."　

A security guard at the condo told Shin Min that Lin entered the estate at around 11.57am. After the security office received a complaint about his parking, they clamped his vehicle at about 12.38pm.

"I waited there for seven or eight minutes but didn't see the driver return, so I wheel-clamped the van."

The guard admitted that some visitors had previously provided feedback on not knowing where to park.

Visitors are reminded that they can only park between the purple pillars and will be given a parking slip as well, he added, though many pay little attention to it. 

"For Lin's case, he can appeal to the condo management and they will decide whether to give him a refund."

AsiaOne has reached out to D'Leedon's management for more information.

ALSO READ: Man made to pay over $100 to release wheel clamp despite parking at condo's visitor lot

lim.kewei@asiaone.com