Non Refundable Deposits due to Covid

[DDJC]

Just tried to book a site for a week in June and found that for a total cost of £300-odd*, the deposit requested was £214! Two hundred and fourteen quid!! Not even the highwaymen at Kwikfit could charge that sort of amount.

Furthermore, it is not even refundable, and they suggest that I arrange insurance. I have checked and my travel insurance does not cover Covid from 1 January this year. Terrific.

Talk about taking libs. I haven't progressed the booking.
Anyone else found this? What did you do?


(* before anyone starts gasping for air, we always book the premium & largest pitches with water, EHU and grey water drain)

 

[M-J]

Does the actual booking not have covid cover?

If restrictions mean they are closed they wouldn’t be able to keep your money if that’s what they are implying.

 

[The Wino]

I suspect that the site owners have had a really bad year through no fault of their own last year and think this year it's the customers turn to take the pain. I wouldn't book on those terms but if they are upfront and clear they will probably have enough takers to get away with it.

 

[suavecarve]

Just tried to book a site for a week in June and found that for a total cost of £300-odd*, the deposit requested was £214! Two hundred and fourteen quid!! Not even the highwaymen at Kwikfit could charge that sort of amount.

Furthermore, it is not even refundable, and they suggest that I arrange insurance. I have checked and my travel insurance does not cover Covid from 1 January this year. Terrific.

Talk about taking libs. I haven't progressed the booking.
Anyone else found this? What did you do?


(* before anyone starts gasping for air, we always book the premium & largest pitches with water, EHU and grey water drain)

Change my tactics of booking a site.

300 nicker for a week !!!!!! Thats my annual amount and I get 10-12 weeks away !

If i didnt like you so much a firm but fair slap round the face would seem an appropriate wake up call

Edit: Didnt notice this (* before anyone starts gasping for air, we always book the premium & largest pitches with water, EHU and grey water drain) when I read it. I was obviously gasping for breath after the first sentence

 

[Robert Clark]

No deposit on Caravan club bookings

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[Lenny HB]

300 quid is the grass gold plated, I winge if my camping fees come to more than €50 for 6 weeks away.

 

[Robert Clark]

300 quid is the grass gold plated, I winge if my camping fees come to more than €50 for 6 weeks away.

That’s only because you spend most of your time in hospital

 

[Larrynwin]

We have tongue in cheek booked four nights Easter week on a site in Norfolk , £31 deposit with transfer to later booking if covid prevents.
Not far from home but anywhere away from the four walls in our second home will be great.

 

[Lenny HB]

That’s only because you spend most of your time in hospital

Got paid for that, £50 a day from travel insurance.

 

[Robert Clark]

Got paid for that, £50 a day from travel insurance.

Tax free ?

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[Lenny HB]

Tax free ?

Of course.

 

[Clipgate]

I suspect there are quite different motorhome lovers, for me the idea of booking ahead or even paying is an anathema.
However I understand your desire to be secure in your pitch.
My observation is this, if customer's pay as requested the market with harden and become the norm.

 

[Pausim]

I think some sites will be trying to protect themselves from backup bookings, knowing that some will be no shows if they can travel abroad.

 

[Larrynwin]

I suspect there are quite different motorhome lovers, for me the idea of booking ahead or even paying is an anathema.
However I understand your desire to be secure in your pitch.
My observation is this, if customer's pay as requested the market with harden and become the norm.

This year will be very different with many more staycationers in their new caravans and motorhomes plus those that would normally be in Europe sites and wilding places will be in short supply.

 

[DDJC]

As I have said elsewhere on this lovely forum, we HAVE to book in advance because we have two boys with severe autism and need the certainty of knowing there is a place at the end of the day. We also go for the absolute premium sized sites so that when we have yelling or other agitation, we are more than a few feet from judgmental neighbours...

Rest assured, once we have them in sheltered accommodation, me and Mrs DDJC will just head off, go off grid and take chances like everyone else and get mugged, gassed, de-tyred, arrested, bail-bonded and every other misfortune that happens or is reputed to happen (and probably doesn't)

I suppose I was asking more for advice on holiday insurers that would still indemnify against covid.

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[DDJC]

I think some sites will be trying to protect themselves from backup bookings, knowing that some will be no shows if they can travel abroad.

We're actually doing the opposite. We have scrapped Normandy and instead looking for UK.

 

[Pausim]

I suppose I was asking more for advice on holiday insurers that would still indemnify against covid.

I would hope if they cancelled because covid rules had closed the site you would still be entitled to a refund.

 

[Gaston aires]

This is one good reason to join the CAMC if you haven’t already. No deposits needed.
Phil

 

[Gaston aires]

We have tongue in cheek booked four nights Easter week on a site in Norfolk , £31 deposit with transfer to later booking if covid prevents.
Not far from home but anywhere away from the four walls in our second home will be great.

We went to Seacroft Cromer just before total lockdown. Not far but loved it. The food and wine tasted just as good.
Regards Phil n Gill

 

[DDJC]

This is one good reason to join the CAMC if you haven’t already. No deposits needed.
Phil

I bet this has never ever been asked, ever before. Which club should you join? I'm in neither, and we (normally) do more Yerp than UK.

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[Nigel P]

Non-refundable payments and fees​

In the CMA’s view, for consumer contracts the above rights to a refund will usually apply even where the business says part of the payment is a non-refundable deposit or advance payment.


This is because the contract will have been frustrated and terms which allow a business to provide no service but keep a consumer’s money (including deposits or advance payments) are likely to be unfair, and therefore unenforceable under Part 2 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

 

[Gaston aires]

Personally, the CAMC. It works for us and I believe the other one takes a deposit. You certainly don’t need both. The certified locations (5 pitch sites) are great as well .
Phil

 

[Pausim]

This is one good reason to join the CAMC if you haven’t already. No deposits needed.
Phil

Except some of their more popular sites get choked by bog roll bookings i.e. people making more bookings than they intend to take up. I wish they would take deposits to discourage this.

 

[Larrynwin]

We went to Seacroft Cromer just before total lockdown. Not far but loved it. The food and wine tasted just as good.
Regards Phil n Gill

It’s just to get away, if time is limited we might head to sunny Hunny or Sheringham or somewhere in the Suffolk countryside, always enjoyable.

 

[Gaston aires]

Except some of their more popular sites get choked by bog roll bookings i.e. people making more bookings than they intend to take up. I wish they would take deposits to discourage this.

They have all but stopped this malpractice, three strikes and you are suspended from booking.
Phil

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[Janine]

Haven holidays require just £25 deposit and have some lovely sites for mohos.

 

[Nirvanauk]

Except some of their more popular sites get choked by bog roll bookings i.e. people making more bookings than they intend to take up. I wish they would take deposits to discourage this.

I do wish the CAMC would insist on taking a deposit. People need to stop block booking sites at the beginning of the season! Does me head in!

 

[Nanniemate]

I do wish the CAMC would insist on taking a deposit. People need to stop block booking sites at the beginning of the season! Does me head in!

Maybe that is why they are asking for such a silly deposit, to make sure only genuine people are booking and not holding pitches that will not be used
But no I would not be paying that kind of deposit maybe using a credit card could be an option

 

[Swifter]

I do wish the CAMC would insist on taking a deposit. People need to stop block booking sites at the beginning of the season! Does me head in!

Indeed . Try and find a club site anywhere that has space at Easter . All booked up . People seem confident they will be able to go away

 

[Larrynwin]

Indeed . Try and find a club site anywhere that has space at Easter . All booked up . People seem confident they will be able to go away

That’s why we booked early as it seems schools planned to return beginning of March , Easter early April almost a safe bet. We booked in county in case of tiers being used again.

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