This article explains how idle parking fees work, what your obligations are when a Charger User disputes one, and how to process a refund where appropriate.
What is an idle parking fee?
An idle parking fee is a charge you can configure on your charger for the time a vehicle remains connected after a charging session has ended. It is set and enabled by you in the Wevolt Hub as part of your Tariff Profile, and the rate and any maximum cap are displayed to drivers in the Wevolt App before they start a session.
Because you set this fee, you are also responsible for managing disputes related to it.
When complaints are likely
Idle parking fee complaints most commonly arise when:
- A charging session stops unexpectedly (due to a hardware fault, connectivity issue, or other reason) and the driver is unaware.
- The driver did not notice the idle parking fee terms before starting their session.
- The driver believes the fee was applied unfairly or without adequate warning.
Higher risk scenario
If the session stopped due to a fault with your charger — not the driver’s choice — and an idle parking fee was applied, this is a strong basis for a refund. Refusing in this circumstance may result in a formal complaint to Wevolt and corrective action under Clause 10.4 of your CPO Agreement.
Your refund obligations and authority
The idle parking fee is part of the Charging Cost. Under Clause 8.5 of your CPO Agreement:
| What you can do | How |
| Issue a Partial Refund of all or part of the Charging Cost (including idle parking fee) | Via your Stripe Account dashboard. You have sole discretion to do this at any time. |
| Request a Full Refund (Charging Cost + Service Fee) | Email contact@wevolt.com.au with session details. Wevolt will assess — this is only approved if the failure was caused by a Wevolt Software malfunction, duplicate transaction, or billing error. |
Important
You cannot refund the Service Fee directly. Only Wevolt can process this, and only in the circumstances above. Stripe may also charge you a fee when issuing a Partial Refund.
How to assess a complaint
When Wevolt forwards you a driver complaint about an idle parking fee, consider the following:
- Check the session data in your Wevolt Hub — confirm when the session started, when it ended, and how much idle time accrued.
- Determine why the session stopped — was it a charger fault, connectivity issue, or did the driver end it themselves?
- Check whether the driver had any way to know the session had ended (e.g. was there an in-app notification?).
- Use your judgement — if the session stopped due to a fault on your end and the driver was not at fault, a refund is strongly recommended.
How to issue a Partial Refund
- Log in to your Stripe Account dashboard.
- Locate the relevant transaction using the session date, time, and amount.
- Issue a partial or full refund of the Charging Cost as appropriate.
- Notify Wevolt at contact@wevolt.com.au so we can update the driver.
- Retain refund evidence for five years as required under Clause 8.7(d) of your Agreement.
It may take up to 10 Business Days for the refund to appear in the driver’s account, depending on their financial institution (Clause 8.7b).
Responding to Wevolt within 24 hours
Response time obligation
Under your CPO Agreement, you must respond to queries from Wevolt about your Charger Users within 24 hours. Please advise us of your refund decision promptly so we can update the driver.
Reducing idle parking complaints
To reduce the likelihood of these complaints:
- Ensure your idle parking fee rate and free period are clearly set and accurate in your Tariff Profile in the Wevolt Hub.
- Keep your chargers well-maintained and connected to minimise unexpected session stops.
- Consider setting a reasonable free idle period before fees begin, to give drivers time to return to their vehicle.
- Ensure your Support Contact details are up to date in Location Management so drivers can reach you directly.
Related articles
- How tariffs work in Wevolt Hub — set the idle parking rate, free period and cap in your Tariff Profile.
- Charging Fees and the Service Fee (for Operators) — how the Service Fee works on a charging session.
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