Did you know that there is a new plan to standardize public parking costs in Mexico’s capital? This effort tries to reduce excessive parking fees. It is also notoriously difficult to get a secure parking spot in Mexico City.
Once you find one, the hourly charges can be unexpectedly pricey and vary greatly by location. Even if you simply go over the time restriction by a few minutes, you may be obliged to pay for the entire hour.
One hotly debated question is whether businesses may charge excessive parking costs. Businesses are compelled to supply parking places under present legislation, therefore they should not consider them as an additional source of income.
Issue of High Parking Fees
This situation becomes especially problematic in shopping malls, where excessive parking fees are a popular complaint. When people shop, dine, or watch a movie at a mall, they indirectly pay for parking. A rising number of people believe that short-term users should be given particular care. Those who use the parking facilities for less than 15 minutes should not be charged the same rates as long-term parkers.
Proposed Parking Fee Considerations:
- Businesses should link parking fees with the necessity to provide parking places, rather than as an additional revenue stream.
- Customers who buy, dine, or attend movies are already indirectly paying for parking.
- To avoid excessive costs, set a grace period for users who do not exceed 15 minutes.
Understanding Parking Fees at Walmart
Going to a store like Walmart frequently requires paying for at least an hour of parking, unless you can validate your ticket and save a few bucks. However, this is not always simple.
Specific Conditions in Commercial Plazas
In some commercial plazas, such as Parque Tepeyec, validating a parking ticket with a Walmart purchase requires a minimum purchase of 185 pesos, which is more than $8. This means that your purchase must meet this threshold in order to receive parking perks.
Furthermore, it’s worth noting that the parking validation only applies to product purchases and not service charges.
Legislative Initiatives for Fair Parking Fees
There have been ongoing initiatives to address the issue of unified parking fees. It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first attempt to prohibit high parking prices.
In December 2023, a proposal was filed in the Chamber of Deputies to exempt residents from paying parking fees at shopping malls, clinics, and private hospitals across the country. This effort is intended to achieve this goal by amending Article 58 of the Federal Consumer Protection Law.
