Site Fees (1 Viewer)

[scotjimland]

Stroud Hill does, which is one of the sites I was thinking of when I first posted. We went there for a New Year break, had a wonderful meal and spent an awful lot of money with them, BUT they tried to charge for our small Yaris and when we queried the charge we were told " because that's how it is". No rational thinking. You just have to surmise it's because they can. They did however say that we could leave the car in the car park and then there would be no fee! Please someone explain the joined up thinking there.
Guy, you may think it's whingeing, but I see it as someone just taking the ****.

Stroud Hill isn't a CC site , but they give member discounts ..

Stroud Hill Park is a privately owned, exclusively adult, touring caravan site in Pidley, Cambridgeshire.

the tariffs are on the web site and show the extra for a car so it's not taking the pi$$ ..

Like all sites, you need to check before booking and if you don't like the charges you don't go .. vote with your wheels.. sorry, but there is no point in moaning after the fact ..

Link Removed

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

Stroud Hill may be a private site bit it was listed in the CC handbook at the time and there was no mention of charging for cars nor was it brought to our attention when we booked OVER THE PHONE. And no, we won't be going back again.
Despite all your comments ScotJimland, you still have'nt come up with a rational explanation as to why we should be charged for taking a car with a motorhome?
Just to further complicate matters ( and perhaps opening the door for more fees) we are never charged when we take our motorbike in the trailer.

 

[scotjimland]

Despite all your comments ScotJimland, you still have'nt come up with a rational explanation as to why we should be charged for taking a car with a motorhome?
.

Simply because they can.. there is no rational explanation and they are not alone, many sites charge for extras including cars, dogs, awnings etc etc .. and if the tariff is advertised then there is no deception.

That doesn't mean I agree with the charges, (see my previous post), I simply won't use a site that I feel is charging over the odds.. I couldn't use that site as I have a daughter, but even if I could I wouldn't pay the fees. They will charge whatever the market supports and if there are enough customers willing to pay it then it won't change and with an increase of caravans and motorhomes and fewer pitches available it's not going to change any time soon.

jim

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[GJH]

Stroud Hill may be a private site bit it was listed in the CC handbook at the time and there was no mention of charging for cars nor was it brought to our attention when we booked OVER THE PHONE. And no, we won't be going back again.
(snip)

Just out of curiosity I looked in the CC books.

The 2007/8 book says (on the Stroud Hill site page) that the site fee "Inc pitch, 2 adults, hook up and awning". It also cautions (pp 27 and 35) that one should call the site direct to confirm prices.

That caution is also printed on p 45 of the 2009/10 book - which also has the additional car supplement printed on the Stroud Hill page.

From the outside looking in it would appear that there has been a genuine misunderstanding with no intent to deceive. Perhaps it was the incident mentioned which prompted the clarification in the 2009/10 book.

Simply because they can.. there is no rational explanation and they are not alone, many sites charge for extras including cars, dogs, awnings etc etc .. and if the tariff is advertised then there is no deception.

That doesn't mean I agree with the charges, (see my previous post), I simply won't use a site that I feel is charging over the odds.. I couldn't use that site as I have a daughter, but even if I could I wouldn't pay the fees. They will charge whatever the market supports and if there are enough customers willing to pay it then it won't change and with an increase of caravans and motorhomes and fewer pitches available it's not going to change any time soon.

jim

Exactly, simple free market economics.

Graham

 

[vindiboy]

It's not only England you get charged extra for a Towed car, some sites in Spain charge also and also charge extra for a trailer if you bring your car on that, I think the rule there is if it fits on your pitch no charge, but if you use more space PAY, seems reasonable to me.I would never tow a car with a Motor home as that seems to me to be Caravanning in reverse, each to their own as they say.

 

[7735]

I bought my motorhome because it was what I always wanted to do, not because others have them. I do not wave to others in motorhomes, for which I make no apology, however if I see someone in difficulties I will go out of my way to assist. This item on fees justifies why I take this approach. Some people are just born to winge!

How can I recognise you on the road so that I know not to wave to you.

spongy

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[Douglas]

OK I will do it in joined up writing. Similar charges are made on many sites throughout
Europe. Whether or not it is a rip off is open to debate but it is certainly not unique to
" rip off Britain "

Ah! I see. well if you look at my post again you will find I made reference to ripoffs of all kinds.

Now as to the difference in the prices between the continent and the UK on camp sites you will find that on average the continental prices are less then the UK in addition in one continental country you can even park/camp with free electricity, water and toilet dump, for the grand sum of Nothing, set that against the UK and the UK is definitely a Ripoff,

Now if we look at some other differences, food is cheaper on the continent as is fuel, as are clothes, as are restaurants, as are houses. as are cars, add infinitum.

Now if you truly believe the the UK is not a ripoff I have to tell you that you are in a minority..

Oh! and before you say, " well if you like it so much why dont you go back to the continent" I would say " thank you, I'm on my way in a could of weeks.

Doug...

Roll on September.

 

[billym]

Doug.

Have a lovely time in the land of greener grass. I think you might be in for a shock !

Day to day living in Western Europe is no cheaper than it is here. Sure you might find

a cheaper house or slightly cheaper petrol but that's about it. ( ruling out beer and fags )

Generally I have found campsites are similarly priced to the UK ( where do you get your facts about continental campsites being cheaper ? )



Food is cheaper ? Where ?

Clothes are cheaper ? Where?

Restaurants are cheaper ? Where ?

Unemployment in Spain 18 % Germany 9 % France 9 %

IT'S JUST AS BAD OUT THERE

The only difference is that unless you are fairly fluent in the language you don't get
to hear about their problems and possibly do not care.

 

[sandyketton]

Doug.

Have a lovely time in the land of greener grass. I think you might be in for a shock !

Day to day living in Western Europe is no cheaper than it is here. Sure you might find

a cheaper house or slightly cheaper petrol but that's about it. ( ruling out beer and fags )

Generally I have found campsites are similarly priced to the UK ( where do you get your facts about continental campsites being cheaper ? )



Food is cheaper ? Where ?

Clothes are cheaper ? Where?

Restaurants are cheaper ? Where ?

Unemployment in Spain 18 % Germany 9 % France 9 %

IT'S JUST AS BAD OUT THERE

The only difference is that unless you are fairly fluent in the language you don't get
to hear about their problems and possibly do not care.

I don't know about the unemployment levels but I agree with all your other points having spent three weeks in France in May/June.
Sandy

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[pappajohn]

( ruling out beer and fags )

what else is there?

i'll eat when im dead

 

[staging lady]

Doug.

Have a lovely time in the land of greener grass. I think you might be in for a shock !

Day to day living in Western Europe is no cheaper than it is here. Sure you might find

a cheaper house or slightly cheaper petrol but that's about it. ( ruling out beer and fags )

Generally I have found campsites are similarly priced to the UK ( where do you get your facts about continental campsites being cheaper ? )



Food is cheaper ? Where ?

Clothes are cheaper ? Where?

Restaurants are cheaper ? Where ?

Unemployment in Spain 18 % Germany 9 % France 9 %

IT'S JUST AS BAD OUT THERE

The only difference is that unless you are fairly fluent in the language you don't get
to hear about their problems and possibly do not care.

I agree with the above as well having been in France in November and France and Italy in May. It used to be cheaper but not recently. We found food much dearer in France, e.g. Rotisserie chicken 12 euros, beach cafe meal at St Cyr 29 euros,straw sun hat at Beaune 16 euros, same hat local market £5. But we love the language, people,food, sun,wine so we keep going!
Lucille

 

[Douglas]

Doug.

Have a lovely time in the land of greener grass. I think you might be in for a shock !

Day to day living in Western Europe is no cheaper than it is here. Sure you might find

a cheaper house or slightly cheaper petrol but that's about it. ( ruling out beer and fags )

Generally I have found campsites are similarly priced to the UK ( where do you get your facts about continental campsites being cheaper ? )



Food is cheaper ? Where ?

Clothes are cheaper ? Where?

Restaurants are cheaper ? Where ?

Unemployment in Spain 18 % Germany 9 % France 9 %

IT'S JUST AS BAD OUT THERE


The onlydifferennce is that unless you are fairly fluent in the language you don't get
to hear about their problems and possibly do not care.

I have been spending the last 10 winters in southern Portugal and Spain and I'm telling you that what I have said is true.

I am not responding to your posts any more, it would seem that you don't want to know.

Doug...

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[wills5138]

Maybe you get charged for the car for the following reason.
I have frequently seen a motorhome turn up with a car in tow.
The first thing that happens is the car is dropped off the back and put onto an empty pitch.
Then the usual rigmaroll re filling up water tanks etc goes ahead.
Eventually the motorhome makes it's way back onto another pitch.
Then the chairs are got out, the electric cable is plugged in and tea is made and consumed. At some point, the car is retrieved from the "empty" pitch it has stayed on for a couple of hours and parked next to the motorhome.
Now I guess there will be a flood of postings telling me that none of you ever do this, but I have witnessed it on several occasions.
As a final point, I don't know if I'm the only one, but I HATE to see trailers that have been used to transport a car cluttering up campsites. Makes the place look like a paddock at a race circuit.
At the end of the day, if you don't like the rules don't visit the site.......

 

[Mill House]

Different View

Just a thought.

Maybe all those of you who are upset by the "extra's" charged by sites should look at it from a different angle, perhaps those of you who don't tow a car, put up an awning or own a dog are getting a discount on the pitch fee.

If the price was the same for everyone then those with smaller motorhomes would be complaining that it was unfair that they had to pay the same as the large motorhomes.

It is impossible to please everyone.

 

[scotjimland]

It is impossible to please everyone.

How very true..

jim

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[ips]

At the end of the day, if you don't like the rules don't visit the site.......

Totaly agree with "wills5138",
Its a free country and any business is free to charge whatever he or she wants to for a given service or prouct, and to enforce any rules they see fit. The public have a choice as to paying it or not. This is the way that GOOD business's remain and poor ones dont. I am big believer in VOTING with ones feet.

 

[TheAleMan]

Just a thought.

Maybe all those of you who are upset by the "extra's" charged by sites should look at it from a different angle, perhaps those of you who don't tow a car, put up an awning or own a dog are getting a discount on the pitch fee.

If the price was the same for everyone then those with smaller motorhomes would be complaining that it was unfair that they had to pay the same as the large motorhomes.

It is impossible to please everyone.

Hi

I was willing to pay 12 quid to visit your site. The reason I had the hump was because you put the phone down on me when I asked that very awkward question not because i had to pay 2 quid more. if you had answered my question there wouldn't have been a problem. I hope that has sorted that out.

steve

 

[sinbad1]

Just a thought.

Maybe all those of you who are upset by the "extra's" charged by sites should look at it from a different angle, perhaps those of you who don't tow a car, put up an awning or own a dog are getting a discount on the pitch fee.

If the price was the same for everyone then those with smaller motorhomes would be complaining that it was unfair that they had to pay the same as the large motorhomes.

It is impossible to please everyone.

Twist it round as much as you like, the point is if you are going to do the "extra's" bit it has to be reasonable and fair

I agree with Jims comments

quote Whatever your argument, charging more for a European van at 8.1m is IMO ripping them off, (they cost you no more than a 6m van) even if it is only an additional £2

regards

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[Zozzer]

Maybe it's time to call an halt to hidden extra's.

Maybe the UK should follow the European model of charging for everything.

Prices ......
per adult,
per child
per caravan
per motorhome
per campervan
per awning
per gazebo
per car
per motorcycle
per tent.
per dog.
Metered Electric @ £?.?? per kw/hour
Water at £?.?? per 100 litres.
Charge for showers.
Charge for waste disposal

Blanket charges that cover everything are totally unfair open to abuse, why should I
have to pay the same price as family of four in a large caravan and massive 4x4
or a large motorhome towing a car on an "A" frame, when there is only my wife and myself in a 5m motorhome.

 

[N Luyetund]

....why should I have to pay the same price as family of four in a large caravan and massive 4x4 or a large motorhome towing a car on an "A" frame, when there is only my wife and myself in a 5m motorhome.

There's just me and the dog and we're open to the price grab abuse.... £18.50 on one site....
Have feet and will vote with 'em :thumb:

Love to see a site owner justify charging a single the same price as a couple + sprogs.... but it won't happen 'cos only a numbty would seek to defend the indefensibleoh:

 

[gazznsam]

Your reasons are in the extreme and just do not stand up. I don't know of many, if any, 10m motorhomes that have a washing machine, (and they would need a permanent hose connection to be viable anyway)

my european motorhome is bang on 7 meters long, but has a washing machine, so as jim says, size of vehicle can't tell you what equipment it has in it.

i dont need a hose connection btw, my washer uses 33 litres of water a wash, and with 140 litres in the tanks, i can easily do a few washes if i chose to,

we last a week on a fill, that included one washing machine load a week,

we dont need lecky hookups either, got solar panels on the roof and a big battery bank, i have 20 litres of hot water heated by the engine as i drive, or by the eberspacher when camping, and i feed the washing machine warm water so as not to use the built in heater elements, that way i only pull 30 amps from the batteries via the inverter rather than 250,

even if i did hook up to lectric, my main load would be the tiddely 20 amp charger, pulls about 400 watts from the mains if that and only when in full boost mode,
after the batteries are full, it'd be 2 mins for the microwave once a day, and 3 mins for the hoover, hardly being a power hog, hence why i never use lectric hookups if i can help it.

i really do get anoyed by the 'dammage the grass' rubbish, i have twin rear wheels on my motorhome, so the load is spread out pretty well, i have not chewed any grass up yet, it's the caravanners i see wheelspinning as they try to get the van off the grass, and the front wheel drive motorhomers who put their foot down and dump the clutch,
if the campsite has such delacate grass, then spend some of the money they take improving the drainage so the site can be used in typical british weather.

we do tow a car, smart on a trailer, will go to an A-frame next year, i've had the charge extra for a motorhome and car, which is more than a car and caravan when i towed a beach buggy years ago, back then i gave up on commercial sites, see i have still made the right decision nowadays.

the latest buzz word is enviroment, a car and caravan is seen as more enviromentaly friendly than a motorhome and a toad????

the car and caravan... the car will usually be a 4x4, 3 litre engine or thereabouts, if it's a saloon car it'll be a 2 litre engine at least, (talking about the average, i know some people have bed bug caravans, and some twin axle 30 footers, but inbetween is a single axle 1.5 ton van tugged by a vectra or similar)

the car and caravan combo get maybe 20mpg when towing? when solo it's still a big engine, maybe 40 mpg if that??

we have a 2.8 litre engine in the motorhome, gets 20 mpg no matter what weight we are, and has been since we got the van as a panel van weighing about 1.7 tons, upto today when it weighs 4.3 tons, trailer and car is just over a ton, so we are 5.3 tons going down the road, and still get 20mpg,

BUT, when we are parked up, the car comes off the trailer, trailer is chained to the side of the van where a caravanner parks his car, and we go off sightseeing in a 800 CC diesel engined smart car, getting 70mpg, paying no road tax as it produces such low emmisions.

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[moandick]

A couple of months ago, I got caught with having to pay for an 'extra' car on the back of my 36ft RV (55ft overall length with the 'toad'. The car was parked on the same pitch as the RV and was off-site most of the day whilst I went to visit my daughter in hospital. I was asked to pay £2 per night for the extra car - although this point wasn't raised until after we had been there 48 hours - and we left immediately afterwards - we voted with our feet!

Interestingly enough we were pitched next door to a 36ft fifth-wheel - who did not get charged for the 'tow-truck' even though his total rig was well over 50ft long and he had to park his tow truck on a separate pitch, as there wasn't enough room on his own pitch.

Where is the logic there?

 

[Douglas]

This all makes me glad that I don't use Camp sites, especialy in the UK.

Roll on September.

Doug...

 

[TheAleMan]

my european motorhome is bang on 7 meters long, but has a washing machine, so as jim says, size of vehicle can't tell you what equipment it has in it.

i dont need a hose connection btw, my washer uses 33 litres of water a wash, and with 140 litres in the tanks, i can easily do a few washes if i chose to,

we last a week on a fill, that included one washing machine load a week,

we dont need lecky hookups either, got solar panels on the roof and a big battery bank, i have 20 litres of hot water heated by the engine as i drive, or by the eberspacher when camping, and i feed the washing machine warm water so as not to use the built in heater elements, that way i only pull 30 amps from the batteries via the inverter rather than 250,

even if i did hook up to lectric, my main load would be the tiddely 20 amp charger, pulls about 400 watts from the mains if that and only when in full boost mode,
after the batteries are full, it'd be 2 mins for the microwave once a day, and 3 mins for the hoover, hardly being a power hog, hence why i never use lectric hookups if i can help it.

i really do get anoyed by the 'dammage the grass' rubbish, i have twin rear wheels on my motorhome, so the load is spread out pretty well, i have not chewed any grass up yet, it's the caravanners i see wheelspinning as they try to get the van off the grass, and the front wheel drive motorhomers who put their foot down and dump the clutch,
if the campsite has such delacate grass, then spend some of the money they take improving the drainage so the site can be used in typical british weather.

we do tow a car, smart on a trailer, will go to an A-frame next year, i've had the charge extra for a motorhome and car, which is more than a car and caravan when i towed a beach buggy years ago, back then i gave up on commercial sites, see i have still made the right decision nowadays.

the latest buzz word is enviroment, a car and caravan is seen as more enviromentaly friendly than a motorhome and a toad????

the car and caravan... the car will usually be a 4x4, 3 litre engine or thereabouts, if it's a saloon car it'll be a 2 litre engine at least, (talking about the average, i know some people have bed bug caravans, and some twin axle 30 footers, but inbetween is a single axle 1.5 ton van tugged by a vectra or similar)

the car and caravan combo get maybe 20mpg when towing? when solo it's still a big engine, maybe 40 mpg if that??

we have a 2.8 litre engine in the motorhome, gets 20 mpg no matter what weight we are, and has been since we got the van as a panel van weighing about 1.7 tons, upto today when it weighs 4.3 tons, trailer and car is just over a ton, so we are 5.3 tons going down the road, and still get 20mpg,

BUT, when we are parked up, the car comes off the trailer, trailer is chained to the side of the van where a caravanner parks his car, and we go off sightseeing in a 800 CC diesel engined smart car, getting 70mpg, paying no road tax as it produces such low emmisions.

Hi gazznsam

A great post hitting the nail cleanly on the head. Says it all for me really.:thumb:

steve

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[ehuplad]

The leccy gets me, my RV has gas heating, not a combination of gas or electric that caravns have, also only have gas water heater and cooker not a combination that caravans have. How do i use more

 

[scotjimland]

The leccy gets me, my RV has gas heating, not a combination of gas or electric that caravns have, also only have gas water heater and cooker not a combination that caravans have. How do i use more

Clearly not in your particular circumstances ... however, many RVs including ours has

1. Electric panel heating ... 1600 watt
2. Electric water heating (6gal) 300 watt
3. Large Fridge Freezer .. 350 watt
4. Two large TV. about 160 watt
5. Electric Oven 1500 watt
6. Micro wave 1000 watt
7. Washing machine 2500 watt

We also use

1. Electric kettle . 2000 w
2. Toaster 1500 w
3. Coffee machine 150 w
4. Two ring Hot Plate 3000 w

Also, a 230v/110 set down transformer uses about 150 watt DOING NOTHING and it's on 24/7

Lets look at heating costs ...

Our RV is 36 x 8.5 x 6.5 ft = 1989 cub ft

Compared to a 5mt panel van

15 x 7 x 6'5 = 682.5 cub ft

So it is at least three time more volume to heat , and we don't have slides.. think about it.... It's like comparing a granny flat with a three bed house... logic tells you it costs more to heat .

The point is that a large RV has the potential to use a lot more leccy, we can store and use more power hungry gadgets, have large water tanks and hot water systems that allow us to use more of both ..

I have been beating the leccy meter drum for a long while.. during the past months I have closely monitored what we use because we PAY PER KW , charged at 15p per unit .. that's fair.

Pay for a pitch and pay for the leccy you use .. Metered Electricity is the ONLY fair and equitable way of charging .. then no one can point the finger and say.. look at that monster, why do they only pay the same as me ..

Forget charging for extras like awnings, dogs, kids, trailers etc etc etc .. these are only in place to try and recover the high cost of leccy and the leccy wasted by the the tugger brigade who heat awnings with 3kw fan heaters .. with the attitude, I'm bl*ddy paying for it so I'll bl**dy use it .. MAKE THEM PAY .. and those who have solar panels and don't use or need EHU will benefit in lower pitch fees.

In the meantime site owners have realised that big rigs can and often use more power and as a cheap and easy way to recover the cots have penalised all over a certain size .. that is NOT fair.. I say it again .. Site Owners FIT ELECTRICITY METERS and charge a fixed price pitch fee...

 

[bashers]

Doesn't anyone else park the towed car outside the camp site?

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[Braunston]

Hi,

Totally agree and to keep the costs down they could use these

Metermaid Portable Electricity Meter, Marine Electricity Meter, Inline Electricity Meter By Microcustom Ltd

Clearly not in your particular circumstances ... however, many RVs including ours has

1. Electric panel heating ... 1600 watt
2. Electric water heating (6gal) 300 watt
3. Large Fridge Freezer .. 350 watt
4. Two large TV. about 160 watt
5. Electric Oven 1500 watt
6. Micro wave 1000 watt
7. Washing machine 2500 watt

We also use

1. Electric kettle . 2000 w
2. Toaster 1500 w
3. Coffee machine 150 w
4. Two ring Hot Plate 3000 w

Also, a 230v/110 set down transformer uses about 150 watt DOING NOTHING and it's on 24/7

Lets look at heating costs ...

Our RV is 36 x 8.5 x 6.5 ft = 1989 cub ft

Compared to a 5mt panel van

15 x 7 x 6'5 = 682.5 cub ft

So it is at least three time more volume to heat , and we don't have slides.. think about it.... It's like comparing a granny flat with a three bed house... logic tells you it costs more to heat .

The point is that a large RV has the potential to use a lot more leccy, we can store and use more power hungry gadgets, have large water tanks and hot water systems that allow us to use more of both ..

I have been beating the leccy meter drum for a long while.. during the past months I have closely monitored what we use because we PAY PER KW , charged at 15p per unit .. that's fair.

Pay for a pitch and pay for the leccy you use .. Metered Electricity is the ONLY fair and equitable way of charging .. then no one can point the finger and say.. look at that monster, why do they only pay the same as me ..

Forget charging for extras like awnings, dogs, kids, trailers etc etc etc .. these are only in place to try and recover the high cost of leccy and the leccy wasted by the the tugger brigade who heat awnings with 3kw fan heaters .. with the attitude, I'm bl*ddy paying for it so I'll bl**dy use it .. MAKE THEM PAY .. and those who have solar panels and don't use or need EHU will benefit in lower pitch fees.

In the meantime site owners have realised that big rigs can and often use more power and as a cheap and easy way to recover the cots have penalised all over a certain size .. that is NOT fair.. I say it again .. Site Owners FIT ELECTRICITY METERS and charge a fixed price pitch fee...

 

[hilldweller]

Hi,

Totally agree and to keep the costs down they could use these

Metermaid Portable Electricity Meter, Marine Electricity Meter, Inline Electricity Meter By Microcustom Ltd

There seems to be a lack of security there. Unless they hard wire the feed end in the services post. Labour intensive.

To get a big site interested I think it has to be radio based or networked back to the office. You can buy a short range radio logger for £50 so it is possible with current ( ) technology.

 

[scotjimland]

To get a big site interested I think it has to be radio based or networked back to the office. You can buy a short range radio logger for £50 so it is possible with current ( ) technology.

I agree, radio based is the better (best) option..

On our present site we have pre pay meters, you buy a 1, 5 or 10 pound card.. it certainly focuses your mind on how much your using.. or wasting..

If there is any unused credit when you leave it is refunded and the meter is zeroed, works fine on a small CL but would be labour intensive on a large site..

Since it was introduced many have commented that it's a fairer system, a small minority have had a moan.. but once explained they tend to agree.. albeit reluctantly.

jim

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