Houston – Key Takeaways
- Fans at 8181 North Shepherd had their cars towed despite having paid to park using the ParkWhiz app.
- Geoff Roberts and others found the parking lot empty after the game -- all their cars were towed.
- ParkWhiz refused to issue refunds and claimed no responsibility, citing their role as a third-party listing service.
- Similar incidents have been reported online, with numerous not-so-flattering reviews.
- Documentation suggested ParkWhiz should have removed from parking lot from their listings months long ago.
A winning night turned into a Texans parking game issue and costly headache for more than a dozen fans at 8181 North Shepherd. One of them, Geoff Roberts, said he and others paid to park at the lot, only to find their cars gone after the game.
Roberts said he parked at the lot on Nov. 20 using the ParkWhiz app. “Sure, so it wasn’t just me, it was a couple dozen others,” Roberts said. He added that the lot was full before kickoff but empty by the end of the fourth quarter.
When fans returned, confusion and frustration set in. “In fact, I’ve talked to the other two guys. They filed their own complaints. They say they’ll look into it,” Roberts said.
Roberts showed reporters the spot where he had parked. “I was parked in between these two handicapped signs around the one spot that’s not reserved right here,” he said.
Roberts’ receipt shows he paid more than $40 to park. He said ParkWhiz refused to issue a refund. “They’re not interested in any kind of refund,” Roberts said.
And the costs didn’t stop there. Roberts said he paid $310 for towing, $60 for a late-night Uber, and walked roughly two miles to reach the ride. “And you know, I’m seventy years old, that wasn’t a fun walk,” he said.
The problem is not new, Roberts said, although they didn’t know that at the time. He has documentation showing the lot should have been removed from ParkWhiz’s listings last summer. “This is the email chain between the building owners and ParkWhiz from June 2024,” he said.
Roberts also contacted ParkWhiz directly, but the company said it was not responsible. “ParkWhiz is a third-party listing service and is not responsible,” a representative said. Roberts said other fans who were towed that night received the same response. “Exact same wording,” he said.
Online, dozens of reviews describe similar complaints. “I don’t want anybody else’s game night to be ruined,” Roberts said, explaining why he spoke out.
ParkWhiz said the issue would be looked into, but whether that will lead to refunds or changes remains unclear. Officials said they will continue following up.