The Wellington woman fined for parking in a car park she was never in

Sunday, 26 April 2026

Bridget Murdoch, right, and her partner Harriet Hamilton. Murdoch was wrongly fined for parking in a Wellington parking lot that she was never in.

A Wellington woman who received an infringement notice for parking in a car park she never used is no longer being chased by debt collectors after Stuff asked questions about the case.

Bridget Murdoch and her partner were driving to town in November, when a quick stop at the Brooklyn shops resulted in an $85 fee.

The pair had parked legally by the Penthouse Cinema, however the fine they received days later suggested they had parked illegally in a nearby parking lot.

“We were really frustrated. If we had parked in there fair enough. But it’s the principle of this and we absolutely did not park there,” Murdoch told Stuff.

The letter, from parking enforcement firm Smart Compliance Management, contained an image of their vehicle entering the parking lot and another of it leaving 15 minutes later.

“This vehicle has exceeded the maximum allowed stay limit without payment. This is supported by camera images of the vehicle entering and exiting the car park,” the letter read.

Bridget Murdoch's car captured entering and exiting a car park that she never parked at, but was fined for doing so anyway.

However Murdoch said they never parked at the lot at 55 Cleveland St, or in any of their car parks.

They had instead used the lot to make a u-turn and park by the Penthouse Cinema. They then used it again 15 minutes later to get back on the road.

“They [Smart Compliance Management] never even provided proof we were in the parking lot for the 15 minutes,“ Murdoch said.

Since the letter, the pair were being chased by debt collectors after two appeals to Smart Compliance Management failed.

The debt had racked up to $178 and the pair were considering taking the case to the Disputes Tribunal.

However, an hour after Stuff contacted the firm about the validity of the fine, Murdoch said the debt collectors dropped the case.

“My partner and I are very stubborn when we have done nothing wrong and hate the idea of companies getting away with this, especially if people cannot afford these fines.”

1852 Pub and Kitchen, which leased 20 car parks within the parking lot, said it used Smart Compliance to protect parks for its customers.

Manager Jono Cox said he was not a “fan” of how the firm operated given the “heavy tone in their correspondence”, however he had to have “something in place” or his customers missed out.

He said he had “no reason” to disbelieve Murdoch and he had worked with customers to resolve similar issues in the past.

“While we don’t always get things right, we work bloody hard to provide positive experiences – our customers deserve nothing less,” he said.

In a statement, Smart Compliance Management said it acknowledged the “concerns raised” and “circumstances described” regarding the infringement.

“We take these matters seriously and will be conducting a thorough investigation into the case,” it said.

“[That includes] a review of the available evidence and the processes followed in issuing the notice. Please also note the breach notice issued will be closed at the debt agency to ensure no further escalation while the matter is being investigated.”