Recently, Dongguan Municipal Market Supervision Bureau issued a "Caution Statement on Regulating the Charging Behavior of Parking Services" (hereinafter referred to as the "Statement") to all parking lot operators in the city and put forward the following requirements.

Parking fees shall be publicised

The Bureau stated that in order to regulate the city's motor vehicle parking service charges, safeguard the legal rights and interests of consumers, guide operators to operate by law, as well as to standardise prices, it decided to remind and admonish the operators for the charging behaviour of motor vehicle parking services under the "Price Law of the People's Republic of China" and "Law of the People's Republic of China on the protection of consumers' rights and interests", "Regulations on the Implementation of Clearly Marked Prices of Goods and Services", "Prohibition of Price Fraud" and other relevant laws and regulations, as well as the applicable provisions of "Notice of Dongguan People's Government on Issuing the Implementation Rules for the Management of Motor Vehicle Parking Service Charges in Dongguan".

The first article of the Statement requires all parking lots that operate on a fee-per-service model in Dongguan must give accurate pricing information for parking and implement a publicity system. It is necessary to show the charging basis, the rates of charges, the billing method, free parking time, service content, complaints hotline 12315, 12345 in a visible spot.

Regarding the parking fees that car owners are most concerned about, the Statement requires all parking lot operators to strictly implement the relevant price policies for motor vehicle parking services.

Operating parking lots that apply the local guiding price must strictly implement pricing standards that should not exceed a price cap or change the prescribed pricing method. Those who use the market modulated price must not overcharge and formulate parking service charges legally, fairly and with integrity, based on its operating costs, market supply and demand conditions, social affordability and other factors.