Gudja residents fume over car hire company’s illegal parking

A controversial car hire company is illegally parking its vehicles on the street in Gudja, leaving residents fuming over the loss of parking spots.

Movis Car Rental, previously known as Smart Car Rentals is gobbling up parking spaces in this small town situated just across Malta International Airport.

Images and footage sent to MaltaToday by Gudja residents show rental cars parked in white parking spaces, and even on double yellow lines, both of which are illegal.

Car hire companies are required by law to “ensure that all vehicles  registered under their licence and used in their operations are, at all times, garaged or parked off-street while not hired out.”

This illegality has become a thorn in the side of Gudja’s residents, who told MaltaToday that the company was even caught reserving parking spaces with rental motorbikes, that are then moved to make space for rental cars after clients bring the vehicle back to the company.

Apart from parking problems, residents who live on the same street as Movis’ office have become increasingly weary of traffic chaos in the area. One resident explained that tourists’ lack of knowledge of the area meant that one must be extra careful when driving near the office.

Speaking to this newspaper, Gudja mayor Romeo Baldacchino said the local council has no power to address the situation. Baldacchino noted that while he has contacted Transport Malta and LESA, “no solution has yet been found.”

This is not the first time this car hire company caused frustration among Gudja’s residents. Last September, MaltaToday reported residents’ fears that the small town will lose its tranquility due to the development of garage complexes and offices by the same company.

On one street, the company applied through one of its owners, Gerald Camilleri, to demolish two existing garages in order to excavate three storeys and construct private and public service garages at basement levels. This application also includes the construction of an office on the ground floor as well as four storeys of apartments.

A stone’s throw away, Camilleri plans to demolish a two-storey townhouse in order to excavate one basement level “including two public service parking spaces.” The application will also see the construction of four floors that will include more office space, a domestic store and three residential units.

Meanwhile, the company’s reputation does not help to calm residents’ sense of uneasiness toward it. When operating under the name Smart Car Rentals, customers gave the company abysmal reviews, even describing its operators as “thieves” and “fraudsters.”

The company was even subject to legal proceedings filed by Malta International Airport, prompting the removal of Smart Car Rentals from the airport premises. The issue stems from the reputational damage suffered by the airport due to customers’ horrid experiences with the car company.

Just last July, one customer said that Movis is “scamming people in broad daylight.”

MaltaToday attempted to contact Movis for comment but an employee told the newspaper to send questions via email. The company had not yet replied by the time we went to print.