DFDS Height of Motorhome

[Drama Queen]

I actually need some help. I purchased a small motorhome crossing in October 2014 with DFDS but when we got to the port we were told our ticket was incorrect and the height of our campervan had to be less than 2.35m to get the small motorhome ticket.
The height isn't shown on the ticket (just says small motorhome).
Anyway this cost us over 100% more, hours of stress and missing our original crossing.....but when we got back to the UK we checked their website and it says < 4.5m high for small motorhomes.
DFDS say they changed their website on January the 5th. Am I being had? Or did I make a mistake? Did anyone book a small motorhome crossing with DFDS over Christmas and the new year and get the same problem? Impossible for me to prove as I didn't screen print my booking but seems odd, how many motor homes are less than 2.35meters? Thanks for reading!

 

[Deleted member 29692]

<4.5m doesn't sound right. That would be about the height of the upstairs windows on a two storey house and I've never seen a MH that high.

 

[gus-lopez]

This is what it says now.

Motorhome < 4.35m H x 7m L
Motorhome <4.35m H x 10m L

It used to be ;
Motorhome < 2.35m H x 7m L
Motorhome <4.35m H x 10m L

& it also never said H (height ) & L ( length)
It's only at Dover that you used to get pulled as they have auto height check whereas at Dunkirk there is nothing & no one was interested.
If you booked before The change on 5th January then they should have honoured it.P. S I came back in October & it was still these 2;

Motorhome < 2.35m H x 7m L
Motorhome <4.35m H x 10m L

 

[Funnymunny]

There have been a couple of cases of motorhomes being charged extra because of so called mistakes when booking, If it is causing problems then DFDS should look again at their website.

From what I have seen of their pricing policy lately it seems to me they don't want motorhomes anyway

 

[Minxy]

I actually need some help. I purchased a small motorhome crossing in October 2014 with DFDS but when we got to the port we were told our ticket was incorrect and the height of our campervan had to be less than 2.35m to get the small motorhome ticket.
The height isn't shown on the ticket (just says small motorhome).
Anyway this cost us over 100% more, hours of stress and missing our original crossing.....but when we got back to the UK we checked their website and it says < 4.5m high for small motorhomes.
DFDS say they changed their website on January the 5th. Am I being had? Or did I make a mistake? Did anyone book a small motorhome crossing with DFDS over Christmas and the new year and get the same problem? Impossible for me to prove as I didn't screen print my booking but seems odd, how many motor homes are less than 2.35meters? Thanks for reading!

From memory the height always used to be somewhere around the lower 2m range for 'smaller' mhs, so 2.35m high sounds about right. I can understand you being unhappy now it's been changed and you were charged more, but if you had booked it at the correct height in the first place it would still have cost you more then so wouldn't have made any difference to you anyway from what I can see.

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[Lenny HB]

Yep agree with Mel always been 2 heights for Motorhomes on DFDS, you probably just checked the wrong line on the drop down box.

 

[Neckender]

My last two motorhomes have been just under 3 metres high and just over 6 metres in length, I've booked as small motorhome and we cross the channel twice a year and the last time we towed a 4 x 3 trailer and booked it as a small trailer no problems at all with DFDS.

John.

 

[bernardfeay]

My suspicion is that they won't give you a refund unless you play hardball. Here is my suggestion. "Dear DFDS, I made a booking in good faith after reading your height specifications. On arrival at the port I was charged an additional fee because your height requirement had changed. I appear to be running out of options. If you are unwilling to compensate me for the overcharge I see no other option than to litigate. Within my claim I will be able to document the experiences of others who are aware of your height specification changes. I will await your response for 14 days and if we are unable to resolve this matter I will instigate a proceedings in the small claims court."....... then do it.

 

[busby]

My suspicion is that they won't give you a refund unless you play hardball. Here is my suggestion. "Dear DFDS, I made a booking in good faith after reading your height specifications. On arrival at the port I was charged an additional fee because your height requirement had changed. I appear to be running out of options. If you are unwilling to compensate me for the overcharge I see no other option than to litigate. Within my claim I will be able to document the experiences of others who are aware of your height specification changes. I will await your response for 14 days and if we are unable to resolve this matter I will instigate a proceedings in the small claims court."....... then do it.

Change that 14 days to 7....BUSBY.

 

[funflair]

This is what it shows now.

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[Tea Bag]

Hi.
The "7 Day",letter. Advice given by the Legal Eagle on the J.Y. Prog.Radio 2. some years ago on a problem ,i had a problem,remembered the advice and use it once and it worked for me,result.
Tea Bag..... "Whats the recipe today Jim ?" Golden days of yore

 

[bernardfeay]

Change that 14 days to 7....BUSBY.

I was always too soft, but I am no stranger to small claims court.

 

[Lenny HB]

If the OP booked the crossing when they still had the height differentials, which was the case until recently, unfortunately they are within their rites to charge the extra.
Still won't do any harm to send a letter may get a result.

 

[WAG2CRU]

The requirement if you seriously intend to litigate is that you must be seen to be fair, whilst 7 days may seem reasonable to you and I, as I understand it 21 days is the norm for a required response.

 

[TheCaller]

This is what it shows now.

Yes, for Dover - Calais, but Newhaven - Dieppe has a much wider range of heights.

I don't think we know which route the OP took.

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[funflair]

Yes, for Dover - Calais, but Newhaven - Dieppe has a much wider range of heights.

I don't think we know which route the OP took.

valid point @TheCaller Newhaven Dieppe must show as you go through the booking system as nothing on the first page.

 

[gus-lopez]

Yep agree with Mel always been 2 heights for Motorhomes on DFDS, you probably just checked the wrong line on the drop down box.

There was 2 heights until they changed it & only one now.

Yes, for Dover - Calais, but Newhaven - Dieppe has a much wider range of heights.
I don't think we know which route the OP took.

True ,would be handy to know but the heights shown are
for Dover-Calais or Dunkirk.

 

[Drama Queen]

Thank you so much for all your responses. We crossed Dover to Dunkirk and I have been in contact with dfds. My concern is that two posts say it has changed and there was two heights so maybe I did make a mistake. Less than 2.35m did seem very low but I can't prove when the height changed. Thanks