Excel Parking: Sheffield firm doubles profit as government clampdown looms

The company’s ‘profit before tax’ rocketed from £2m to £4m last year, annual results show.

The firm sends £100 demands to drivers for allegedly breaking car park rules.

Last year it requested 207,220 addresses from the DVLA, up 42 per cent on the year previous.

The results also show boss Simon Renshaw-Smith was paid £240,000, plus dividends of £413,000 - a total of £653,000. Wife Karen Gillott is company secretary.

Excel Parking’s results state: "The group prides itself with contributing to charity." No details or amounts are disclosed.

Over the last year, The Star has reported the stress, financial hardship and misery of motorists sent disputed demands by the firm, as well as ratcheting costs and threats of debt collectors and court action.

The government is working on a Code of Practice to crack down on the industry. Announced in 2019, it has triggered a rise in ‘fines’ issued, set to hit £1.5bn this year. 

A representative for Excel Parking Services Limited said: "We deliver a variety of parking related services and do not operate exclusively on parking enforcement. As such, there are many factors that influence our commercial performance and none have any connection to the advent of the proposed Single Code. 

"We operate to the IPC (the International Parking Community) Code of Practice and we remain fully supportive of the proposed single Code of Practice which will further improve consistency and clarity for motorists, landowners and parking operators.

"We pride ourselves on providing valuable parking services which benefit almost everyone in society, including the silent majority of compliant motorists, and we remain committed to supporting charities in a variety of ways."

Excel Parking Services Ltd is based in Tinsley and includes subsidiary Vehicle Control Services VCS.

Private parking firms issue Parking Charge Notices, which sound similar to Penalty Charge Notices issued by the council and police, they also have the same initials: PCN. But many argue they are simply invoices for allegedly breaching a parking company’s terms and conditions.

Ageco.co.uk, part of charity Age UK, states: "Although parking charge notices are sometimes referred to as ‘fines’, it is often argued it is simply an invoice requesting payment in what has been perceived as a breach of agreement between a car park operator and the driver.

"This means that it can be disputed directly with the owners of the car park, and it’s possible that you may even find that you have no obligation to pay them anything at all."

Citizens Advice states: "The Parking Charge Notice might look like an official fixed penalty from the police but it isn't one."