FAQ
Below are some of the other most frequently asked questions we receive.
General FAQ
No. We are a parking management company, property owners hire us to manage their parking facilities.
f you are looking for daily parking, then please look at our ‘parking locator’. Here you can find all lots that offer daily parking. On the parking locater, you will also find all options for monthly parking.
We manage parking facilities on behalf of different property owners and every location is a separate entity so this is not possible.
We are committed to ensuring equipment is repaired as soon as possible. If you encounter out of order equipment, please let us know by calling 250-382-4411 ext. 3, and we will immediately dispatch a technician. Please leave your licence plate number to ensure you don’t receive a violation notice
No, unused time for paid parking will not be refunded.
While this should not happen on a regular basis, there are occasions when a lot may be full. If this is the case, please park on the next available Robbins lot, displaying your decal in the usual way and call our office so we may inform our patrol staff to ensure you do not receive a violation notice
Please note that some lots may not permit you to park with a permit from a different location. Please contact one of our Customer Service Representatives for details. For more details on Monthly Parking click here.
Please, please let us know about it. We will be happy to provide further explanation about the issuing of the violation notice. We really want to avoid unfairly written notices. You will find our agents courteous and understanding. For more information on appealing a notice, click here
Robbins patrollers are notified of vehicles on a “tow list” (consisting of persistent violators with unpaid notices). When encountering a vehicle on the tow list patroller is alerted to, impounded or immobilize the vehicle.
Avoid being on this list by contacting us with any payment notice queries.
Please, please let us know about it. We will be happy to provide further explanation about the issuing of the violation notice. We really want to avoid unfairly written notices. You will find our agents courteous and understanding. For more information on appealing a notice, click here
If you enter the wrong plate in at a meter or on an app, contact us. and we can help you out. If it is after office hours, please call and leave a voicemail. If you get a payment notice during this time, let us know. In most cases, we will need to verify your payment, and then advise our patrol team.
Yes, you will need to pay for each stall. If you are in a lot that is ‘pay by licence plate’, then pay for a second stall with a different “dummy” plate number and place the receipt on your dash.
If you have purchased parking via the onsite meter, you will be prompted to enter your cell phone number, after payment. When your time is 20 minutes away from expiry, you will receive a text message to extend. You must extend before your time expires. Once your time has expired then you would need to purchase extra parking through HONK mobile. Please see our BC Ferries pages for more information, which are located under the Customer menu.
Most of our credit card machines will initially send out a pre-authorisation to your credit card provider to ensure there is sufficient credit available, once confirmed, it will then proceed to take the payment. Due to this process sometimes, it will take 3-5 days for the first pre-authorisation to drop off. Please monitor your statement for 5 days after the transaction is processed. If there is still there after this time, then please contact us, and we can look for you.
None of our cash meters give change.
Always give us a call with any thing related to the meters. If it is out of hours, leave the front desk a voicemail and we will call you back on our return. Any tickets you may receive can be reviewed at this time. If you have entered the correct amount of money, then do not put more money in.
Unfortunately, we do not have any lots that cater to campervans. RV’s or motorhomes.
Call us, and we can help you further. If it is out of hours, you can leave a message for our maintenance team, and we will contact you if needed.
Some of our lots offer EV parking. Currently they are –
- Lot 222—The Bay Centre
- Lot 143 – Harbour Centre Parkade
- Lot 112 – The Victoria Conference Centre
You must pay for parking as usual at these lots.
Victoria has a city-wide housing crisis. We work with the City of Victoria and VicPD frequently to try and keep our lots safe. Our maintenance team work both proactively and on call to attend to our lots. If you find there is anything of concern in your lot, contact us.
Most of our lots are 24/7, but please ensure to check the signage when parking. If it is a ‘customer only’ lot, then the lot is closed to the public when the stores are closed. For paid lots, there is usually a 24-hour rate, or a rate that begins for 5/6pm. Use HONK Mobile or PaybyPhone to check out the pricing and lot opening times.
License Plate Recognition (LPR) FAQ
Below are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about our new license plate recognition (LPR) system.
LPR is a method of patrolling with the use of a vehicle or device. The vehicle or device scans license plates in our managed lots or locations and compares with a list of valid plates, whether these are monthly or daily parkers.
We are slowly transitioning all lots over to LPR. This means that our monthly parkers move away from using a decal, and daily parkers ‘pay by plate’ in the lots. As all our lots are owned separately, we must gain landlord approval for each transition.
If you enter the wrong plate in at a meter or on an app, contact us. and we can help you out. If it is after office hours, please call and leave a voicemail. If you get a payment notice during this time, let us know. In most cases, we will need to verify your payment, and then advise our patrol team.
LPR utilizes a vehicle with an on-board computer and rooftop-mounted cameras to scan and photograph license plates in a geographic area. A photograph is taken when a license plate is detected, and the license plate photo is converted into data format. This data is cross-referenced with permit-holder data (license plate number/province, permit number, timestamp data) that has been securely uploaded to the on-board computer (laptop) from the existing database housed at Robbins. This system will the query the license plate database is also cross referenced with another database stored in Burnaby as a final check to determine if the suspected vehicle has purchased parking in the last few minutes. Permit-holder information is periodically updated throughout the day via the same secure connection, encrypted, to ensure permit-holder information on the laptop remains current. All data and photos on the laptop are automatically deleted at the end of the day via the vendor’s proprietary process.
LPR means that we eliminate the need to decals or tickets to be displayed in order to confirm you are a valid parker.
Monthly Parking FAQ
If you have a question about Robbins’ monthly parking service or are looking to arrange monthly parking, please check out the FAQ’s below.
To enquire about a monthly parking pass or to get a spot on the waitlist, please fill out our Monthly Parking Enquiry form below. We will get back to you shortly. Alternatively, give us a call (250-382-4411 in Victoria or 250-753-6789 in Nanaimo) and we can give you more information. Do not forgot to check our ‘parking locator’ for more information on each lot.
Our customer service representatives will arrange a time for you to pick them up at one of our offices in Victoria or Nanaimo. Our offices are open 8.30am-4pm Monday- Friday. Decals can be mailed, but access cards or fobs cannot. A deposit is required for decals and access cards or fobs.
Yes. After cancelling your monthly parking pass, return your decal, access card and/or key fob within seven days and we will return your deposit ($30 for a decal; $30 for an access card; $50 for a key fob).
Damaged decal/key/card can be exchanged, at no charge to you. If you have lost the decal/key/card we will quickly issue you a new one – please note that a new deposit may be required.
After your parking application has been processed and you have paid the appropriate deposits, your monthly parking can start immediately (please note that your first bill may include some prorated charges). If you wish to begin on a different day, then just let us know. Each lot is different, but generally the latest you can start is the beginning of the following month.
To cancel your pass, contact us using the form below– please remember we need a one full calendar month’s notice to cancel your monthly parking pass (for example, to cancel monthly parking on August 31, you must provide notice on or before July 31). Any payments taken prior to cancellation will no be refunded. We do not offer mid-month cancellations.
Unfortunately, no. Each Robbins’ lot and parkade is owned by a different company (we manage parking services on the behalf of our clients), meaning every location is run as a separate business.
In the rare occasion you cannot find a spot in your regular lot, please give our office a call (250-382-4411 ext 3 in Victoria or 250-753-6789 in Nanaimo). Our customer service representatives will direct you to the nearest lot, flagging your car in our system to ensure you do not receive an unfair violation notice.
You can find our Terms Conditions here.
Yes. After cancelling your monthly parking pass, return your decal, access card and/or key fob within seven days and we will return your deposit ($30 for a decal; $30 for an access card; $50 for a key fob).
Payment Notices FAQ
Please be advised: by paying a notice you accept the charge. Once a notice is paid, you cannot submit an appeal. No refunds will be issued.
If you are paying online, please enter your license plate without any extra characters. Only letters and numbers are valid.
If you are paying for a handwritten notice beginning with H or S then sometimes it takes a couple of business days to be entered into our system. When the notice has been entered it will be the original/reduced value, and the 72 hours will begin once it has been entered.
Please call our office if you need assistance.
Here are the numbers you can call to pay over the phone:
Victoria: 250-382-4439
Nanaimo: 250-753-6789
Toll-free: 1-866-382-4439
Monday to Friday, 8AM to 4PM
Payment Types: Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Visa Debit, Mastercard Debit.
Our offices are open between 8.30am-4pm Monday-Friday. We are closed on Stat holidays. We are located at 1102 Fort Street, Victoria and 373 Albert Street, Nanaimo.
Please send your payment to:
Robbins Parking Service Ltd.,
PO Box 427 Victoria Stn CSC,
Victoria, BC V8W 2N8
Payment Types: cheque, money order (payable to Robbins Parking Service)
DO NOT MAIL CASH. THE PAYMENT NOTICE MUST ACCOMPANY YOUR PAYMENT.
Appealing Payment Notices FAQ
Robbins is tasked with managing parking facilities and ensuring revenue is properly received and accounted for on behalf of our clients that own the properties. A crucial component to achieving compliance in self-park operations is providing patrol, enforcement, collections, and appeals, conducting each firmly, but fairly. Robbins works hard to ensure we keep this reputation with polices designed to gain compliance while being reasonable.
When speaking with one of our patrollers or our office customer service representatives, we ask that you treat them respectfully. This will help in dealing with your parking notice. Please note that the usual appeal time is 7 days after a parking notice is received. After this time, any appeals outcomes may be limited.
Below are a list of questions or payment notice reasons, which may help you understand why you received a ticket. If in doubt, reach out to us.
Common mistakes when purchasing parking at the meter or mobile app are: Incorrect license plate, entering an “O” instead of a zero in your plate number, entering the wrong zone/lot, not displaying your receipt (if applicable). If you believe you were wrongly ticketed, please fill in the ‘contact us’ form below or call (866-382-4439) our office to appeal within 7 days of the notice issue date.
If you visit a timed lot multiple times in the day, the patroller will not know if you have left in between visiting. If this is the case and you have left the lot, please call or email our office to appeal.
Your permit must be clearly displayed on your rearview mirror or dash, please check when leaving your vehicle to ensure your permit is visible. If you are ticketed for this reason, please submit a photo of your parking pass through the ‘contact us’ box below to appeal.
At certain parkades, before the exit will no longer be staffed for the day, an attendant will issue parked vehicles an Honour Notice. This is a notice of parking charges; not a violation notice parking ticket. From your displayed ticket stub, the attendant will use the time you entered the lot to determine how much you owe in parking charges. If a ticket stub is not displayed, the attendant will charge you for the full day. If you believe the amount is incorrect, please submit a photo of your ticket stub through the ‘contact us’ box below for review.
On every notice, there is a pay by date near the bottom of the notice. If you are trying to pay after that date, the notice will increase to $80.00. Please call our office if you wish to appeal this amount. Appeals are required within 7 days of receiving the notice.
If you are experiencing issues with the meter, please call our office to advise us of this at the time of your payment. There are notes on the signage near the meter to help.
When a notice is left outstanding for over 90 days, this notice may be sent to a third-party collection’s agency. If you are being contacted by them and do not recall having a parking notice, please call our office.
City of Victoria’s Street parking is free after 8 pm (please check with them for confirmed times). However, private parking lots managed by Robbins Parking, have pay parking is in effect 24/7, including holidays. Robbins lots may have a day rate that allows you to park until 6 pm. After this time, you will need to pay the hourly parking rate.
In most timed customer lots, there will be a Applicable parking lots have designated staff areas and/or require displayed a staff parking passes. Speak with your manager about your work’s parking policies and procedures. Staff are not entitled to park in the customer parking area. If the staff areas are full, staff must park off the lot.