Residents on South Street in Walsall are facing hefty fines totaling thousands of pounds after the Walsall Housing Group (WHG) began enforcing parking restrictions in its South Street Gardens car park.
The enforcement took effect on February 1, 2026, when WHG introduced penalties for unauthorized parking. Many residents had been using the car park freely for years and claim they were not properly informed about the new rules.
Among those affected are Arun Singh Sidhu, Zubair Ahmed Shah, and Wajid Rasool Mir, who all parked at the site unaware of the changes. Before receiving their initial fines, they continued to use the car park and subsequently received multiple fines.
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Arun has now accumulated three fines amounting to £500 and faces threats of bailiff action. Zubair and his family have been slapped with fines exceeding £1,750; much of this has been paid off so his children’s mortgage applications would not be jeopardized. Wajid received two fines, paying the first but seeing the second escalate to £170.
Residents argue WHG acted unfairly by failing to provide proper warnings. While they are willing to pay the initial fines, they call on WHG to cancel the additional penalties. However, WHG has refused to waive any charges, emphasizing that signage was installed in December 2025 to notify users of the new parking rules.
Arun, 24, expressed frustration: “We’re trying to take accountability by paying the first fine, but the subsequent fines are unfair. WHG isn’t willing to negotiate—they don’t seem to care. We’re now getting solicitor letters threatening bailiffs. One neighbour has racked up £850 in fines for one vehicle. It’s stressful and could have been avoided if WHG had communicated properly.”
Zubair, 53, added, “If we’d received formal notice through the letterbox, everyone would have stopped parking there. WHG’s refusal to engage has only escalated the situation.”
Wajid, 51, also criticized the approach, saying, “They won’t accept payment of just the first fine. We could have resolved this quickly, but WHG isn’t cooperating.”
Councillor Aftab Nawaz, leader of the Walsall Community Independents, called for compassion, stating: “WHG should have informed residents before enforcing fines. To claim their land lets them do as they please is arrogant. Many are not well off and have been hit with fines up to £900 for parking in a place they used for years. Residents just want WHG to compromise and accept payment of one fine each.”
Fay Shanahan, WHG’s Corporate Director of Operations and IT, responded: “These car parks are provided for WHG customers who fund them through rent. Concerns were raised about unauthorized parking limiting space availability. After consulting customers, we introduced a permit scheme, with signage installed in December 2025 and a grace period before enforcement began in February 2026. Ten signs clearly communicate the new rules.
WHG does not profit from parking fines and acknowledges that receiving a notice can be distressing. Anyone disputing a fine can appeal directly to All Parking Services, where each case is reviewed individually.”