The Executive Yuan's Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) visited the parking lots of 18 department stores, hypermarkets, hotels, and amusement parks in 8 counties (cities), including Taipei City, between May and August 2022 to conduct a joint inspection of parking management, fire safety, building management, and public security. Results showed that 13 parking lots did not meet requirements on parking management (1 parking lot did not apply for a parking lot registration certificate), 2 parking lots did not meet requirements on fire safety, 1 parking lot did not meet requirements on building management, and 1 parking lot did not meet requirements on public security. Local authorities have inspected deficiencies in accordance with the law, and urged the companies to complete improvements. All parking lots met requirements at the end of November 2022.

The DCP conducted a joint inspection of department store, hypermarket, hotel, and amusement park parking lots together with consumer protection officers and authorities of 8 special (Executive-Yuan-governed) municipalities and counties (cities), namely Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taichung City, Kaohsiung City, Yilan County, Keelung City, Hsinchu City, and Chiayi City, in order to understand the current status of parking and public security management at large consumer locations and protect consumer rights and interests. Key points of the inspection include: Whether the parking lots have a registration certificate, whether business items were announced according to parking regulations, whether requirements specified in the standard contract for leasing off-street parking lots are met, whether designated parking spaces were occupied, and requirements on fire safety, building management, and public security. Results are described below:

I. Inspection of parking management: A total of 18 parking lots were inspected, in which 13 failed to meet requirements.

(I) 1 parking lot did not have a permit and the agency-in-charge imposed a fine of NT$6,000 and required corrections to be made within a time limit in accordance with the law. The company submitted an application within the time limit and the local authority of transportation issued a parking lot registration certificate.

(II) 3 parking lots did not announce business hours, parking fees payable if the card is lost, and rights and responsibilities when using the card and parking lot according to parking regulations.

(III) The fee standards of 3 parking lots did not comply with the Mandatory and Prohibitory Provisions.

(IV) Parking spaces designated for people with disabilities or women and children were occupied in 9 parking lots.

Local authorities of transportation ordered the businesses to complete improvements of the non-compliance in Paragraphs (II) to (IV) within a time limit according to Articles 27, 32, 37, and 40-1 of the Parking Facility Act, and the businesses all completed improvements.

II. Inspection of fire safety: A total of 18 parking lots were inspected, in which 2 failed to meet requirements. Violations included fire extinguishers with insufficient pressure, fire alarm wire failure, no emergency lighting equipment installed, or emergency direction lights were covered. Corrections were completed within the time limit prescribed by the agency-in-charge.

III. Inspection of building management: A total of 18 parking lots were inspected, in which 1 failed to meet requirements. Violations include obstructed escape route and sandbags and cones placed in the pathway from the underground parking lot to 1F. The agency-in-charge ordered corrections to be made on the spot and corrections were completed in the second inspection.

IV. Inspection of public security: A total of 18 parking lots were inspected, in which 1 failed to meet requirements. Obvious places of the parking lot did not have alarms or other safety measures. The inspection item is an administrative guidance item, so the agency-in-charge asked the business to periodically inspect and strengthen surveillance camera images to protect consumers' safety.

The DCP reminds consumers to pay attention to the following matters when they are in parking lots:

I. Park their vehicle in a parking lot with a registration certificate, and make sure the parking lot registration certificate is on display in the parking lot, and that parking fees, management rules, business hours, fee standards, fee collection method, and contact number are clearly displayed outside the parking lot before parking.

II. According to the "Mandatory and Prohibitory Provisions of Standard Contracts for Leasing Off-Street Parking Lots," parking lots only lease parking spaces for vehicles to park, and are not responsible for the safekeeping of parked vehicles, unless due to reasons attributable to the operator. Hence, when choosing a parking lot, pay attention to whether the parking lot has complete surveillance equipment, so that footage will be available to protect the rights of car owners when an incident occurs.

III. Please do not occupy parking spaces designated for people with disabilities and women and children. If you meet qualifications, place your parking permit in an obvious place on your windshield for inspection. Drivers will be fined NT$600 to NT$1,200 for occupying designated parking spaces in violation of regulations.