Attorney General Settles Deceptive Ticketing Practices with Unified Parking Partners
Burlington, VT – Unified Parking Partners, a private parking firm with over twenty lots in the Burlington area, has reached a settlement with the Vermont Attorney General’s office, agreeing to pay a $150,000 fine for deceptive ticketing practices. The investigation, announced on June 5, 2025, revealed that Unified Parking used misleading language on violation notices, mimicking government terminology such as “citations” and “fines.”
The Vermont Consumer Protection Act violations included implications that unpaid fees could adversely affect consumers’ credit ratings, vehicle registrations, and rental car capabilities, despite Unified Parking having no governmental authority. Attorney General Charity Clark emphasized that while companies are entitled to charge for services, they cannot instill fear in consumers through deceptive communications regarding penalties.
As part of the settlement, Under an Assurance of Discontinuance, Unified Parking must cease all misleading representations suggesting governmental involvement in their violations. The company is mandated to remit the imposed fine by June 20.
This is not the first time Unified Parking has faced scrutiny. Last summer, Rhode Island’s Attorney General filed a complaint against the company’s parent organization, UPP Global LLC, for similar deceptive practices, including the use of disguised fees that misled consumers. Critics in Vermont have raised concerns regarding Unified Parking’s practices for years, with a notable 2017 article highlighting these issues.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Unified Parking Partners expressed the firm’s commitment to complying with all local laws and regulations and asserted that their practices and signage are fully lawful. Clark’s actions represent a significant step toward protecting consumers from misleading private parking enforcement.
————————————————————————
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
————————————————————————
