Frequently asked questions

A contractual penalty (Vertragsstrafe) is a form of damages that applies to the unlawful use of private property — for example, unauthorised parking on private spaces. It is grounded in the property owner's house right (Hausrecht) and clearly visible signage and typically ranges from EUR 40 to 80. The amount is set by the parking-space owner and may be higher in cases of blocked access, operational disruptions or lost revenue.

On parking spaces clearly marked as private property — by markings or private signage — and at blocked entrances to courtyards, underground garages or emergency exits. The driver must be unreachable and the parking space urgently needed. The FalschParker app dispatches a tow truck from our partner network within around 20 Minutes.

In three steps: 1) Photograph the vehicle with the FalschParker app, capture the licence plate and submit the case. 2) We identify the keeper via the responsible vehicle registration authority and issue the contractual penalty digitally with a QR code. 3) We take over delivery, collection and all communication — you receive the amount automatically, with no further effort on your part.

For you as a parking-space owner or lessee the FalschParker app is completely free — including towing, keeper lookup and collection. There are no setup or recurring fees. All costs are recovered directly from the unauthorised parker.

The process rests on the property owner's house right under German civil law and on validly agreed contractual-penalty notices. The key requirement is clearly visible signage on the private parking area. We work with specialist lawyers. Whether a claim is enforceable in any individual case depends on the specific circumstances; we cannot give any assurance as to the outcome of an individual case.

All data is processed in full compliance with the GDPR and used exclusively to handle the specific parking incident. Keeper lookups are performed by the responsible vehicle registration authority, sensitive information is transmitted in encrypted form and is never shared with uninvolved third parties. Full details are in our privacy policy.

Yes, it is completely free for parking space owners and tenants. You incur no costs – the fees are collected directly from the wrongful parker.

If the compensation isn't paid on time, we initiate the collection process. We handle all further steps – you don't have to do anything else.

No, a court injunction is not required. You can claim compensation for unauthorised parking on your private space even without one. An existing injunction does, however, enable additional legal steps such as a criminal complaint.

Our GPS-based network of towing providers across Germany automatically identifies the nearest driver. You can track the tow truck's arrival in real time on the map.

The compensation is usually between EUR 30 and 50. The exact amount is set by the parking space owner or tenant and depends on the actual effort involved and the local parking conditions.

We collect licence plates, proof photos and GPS location. All data is processed in accordance with the GDPR and used solely to enforce your legitimate claims.

A contractual penalty is a form of damages that applies to the unlawful use of private property — for example, unauthorised parking on private spaces. It covers the effort the injured party incurs to enforce their rights and is grounded in the property owner's or holder's house right (Hausrecht).

No — a court order is not required to issue a contractual penalty. What is required is clearly visible signage stating that a contractual penalty applies, so the driver is informed of the parking restriction and the penalty amount when parking. If an additional court prohibition exists, further legal steps may apply.

An assignment (§ 398 BGB) transfers a claim from one party to another. The debtor-creditor relationship changes because the claim is transferred to us. The assignor (Zedent) transfers the claim to the assignee (Zessionar), who can then collect it independently.

A contractual penalty typically ranges from EUR 40 to 80, with the exact amount set by the owner or lessee of the parking space. If the violation causes lost revenue or other damage to the lessee or owner, a higher amount may be charged.

Our service is completely free for our customers. There are no costs to you — fees are collected directly from the unauthorised parker.

On parking spaces that are clearly distinguished from public areas by visual and signage features — markings, private signs — as well as at entrances to courtyards, underground garages, etc. In particular, when the driver cannot be identified and the parking space is urgently needed.

Under § 398 BGB, the towing costs can be assigned (ceded) to ParkGuard Solutions GmbH. Once the assignment is in place, the right to recover the costs from the unauthorised parker passes to the towing service, which then pursues collection independently.

No — under German law a court order is not required. Clearly visible signage stating the parking restriction (and, where applicable, the contractual penalty) is sufficient. On that basis the owner can have unauthorised vehicles towed under their house right (Hausrecht).

The FalschParker ParkGuard service is ideal for B2B customers such as retailers, larger businesses and other facilities with high-traffic parking areas. It is particularly suited to operators whose own staff do not have the capacity to enforce parking themselves.

Our professionally trained ParkGuards check your parking areas according to your specifications. They verify whether vehicles hold an active parking booking or are listed as authorised in the FalschParker app. ParkGuards complete a three-week training programme covering a wide range of on-site situations and wear clearly identifiable clothing to ensure a visible presence on site.

If our ParkGuards identify a parking violation, a digital contractual penalty (Vertragsstrafe) with a QR code is issued according to your specifications. You benefit from full transparency: every step is documented in the FalschParker app.

Yes, the service is free as long as the parking volume is in reasonable proportion to the enforcement effort required.

Yes. Your bay is private property. Anyone parking without authorisation commits unlawful interference — under German law you can act and issue a contractual penalty through the FalschParker app. We handle owner identification, administration and collection.

It's free for you as the space owner, tenant or manager. There are no subscription or setup fees — the contractual penalty is paid by the wrongful parker.

Yes. Whether an outdoor bay, underground garage or visitor space — you capture the outside parker by photo in the app and issue the penalty. We can supply matching notice signs on request.

Yes. Property managers and cooperatives manage any number of properties, zones and bays centrally in one app — with a complete overview of every report.

Using the FalschParker app you capture proof photos of the vehicle (with the licence plate visible) and a photo of the fuel receipt for the suspected fuel theft. We handle the entire administration and collection. Once we have received the outstanding amount, we transfer it to you the same day.

The processing costs for a fuel theft amount to EUR 20.00 to cover our administrative effort, since in most cases there is no intentional fraud behind it.

When a foreign-registered vehicle is involved, we use the power of attorney you sign with us to contact the relevant authorities, trace the person responsible and invoice the applicable claim.