UK site additional charges (1 Viewer)

[Ian.s]

Also awnings, as long as they do not extend beyond the pitch paid for why charge extra, that is my gripe

The reason that this has to happen is for health and safety reasons {fire}, There has to be a set distance between one unit and another, technically if this distance is compromised is should sterilise the opposite pitch. It also stops Billy Smart turning up. However I know of no park operator that would enforce this armed with a tape measure and adenoid problems

 

[Ian.s]

I do wonder how many sites manage to cover their costs, let alone make a profit, and smaller CL / CS sites I suspect are little more than a hobby for the owner. There is an objection by many on here to paying out for even a piece of grass.

Without adding in the physical cost of land purchase and ownership, or the cost of building facilities (even the basic water tap and elsan), just the operating costs would make me wonder.

Someone has to be available to check the site. You may only have 5 pitches for that CL, but if visitors are there for an average 2-3 days, you've probably got at least one check in a day, yet the arrival time will be variable so someone is on standby most afternoons - even if that is the site owner they should still award themselves minimum wage equivalent, and think of the add on employment costs. Meanwhile they might be able to turn their hand to grass cutting whilst waiting (wear and tear on the mower, and it's fuel cost), or some add hoc maintenance repair (expenses for materials). That elsan will be attracting sewerage costs. Water is probably metered. Refuse disposal from the site will be considered commercial waste and chargeable. Oh that field now has some form of use - are there rates payable? Larger sites have costs for cleaning the facilities blocks along with water heating and lighting. If you've added EHU points, even when they aren't used there is a standing cost to keep them tested and maintained. Get to a certain size and you'll need staff to be covering for when you want time off (are you going to do a 7 day week?). Now there is back room costs of dealing with booking enquiries, your own accounting, are you going to shell out for any advertising, licencing fees, and suchlike.

Provided the site owner is clear up front as to what might be considered extras, you can work out what your cost will be for your stay. Personally, I prefer the model where I am able to pay for the basic pitch and then decide what extras I might want, rather than having to pay more for stuff I don't need or want.

As a park owner I can say you just about nailed there. The other main point is length of season, Making hey when the sun shines. Now add Covid. Extra cleaning more PPE etc less season less hey. Prices will have to go up

 

[Madcaravanner]

Every way you turn nowadays there are slimy characters waiting to pounce on you and rip you off for as much as they can. No one wants to make a living any more, they all want to make a killing, a big deal that they can boast about to their friends. I hate this aspect of daily life and treasure those contacts I can find who still have some values of decency.

This is the banks fault - you HAVE to make a larger profit than the year before or you are not moving forward !!!!!
AND of course you will always find someone that will pay extra
Like glamping in a garden shed call it a pod and charge £400 a week
We have noticed over the years some sites charge for everything separately
Car
Caravan
awning
water
electricity
drainage
on pitch parking
off pitch charging
Dogs
Cats
more than X number of guests usually more than 2 even though you have paid for the pitch and your motorhome sleeps 6


Any wonder why we like to tour using pubs and aires

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[eddie]

<Broken link removed>

There we go then, these are our "rules" when we opened in 2005 with a brand new campsite we had half of these "rules" but argumentative tossers, barrack room lawyers and morons have forced us to add more and more "addendums" to ensure that our wardens can run the site so that the "majority" of people are left in peace, and have a relaxing stay without being affected by some one that "Can't see why I can't do this"

We are really really really happy for people that don't want to observe our terms and conditions not to stay, in fact we compile a list of people who "won't ever stay"

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

Has the OP asked the site specifically about the 'extra car' ?
Any site I have been on that charges states in the small print that one car is permitted per pitch (no matter what your sleeping unit is) so the 'extra car' is not your tugger or toad

I did when we booked a site for New Year. No mention of extra for my wifes Smartie when we booked, only when we got there. I queried it and got the take it or leave it reply but we could park it in the car park for free. Work that one out.

As a park owner I can say you just about nailed there. The other main point is length of season, Making hey when the sun shines. Now add Covid. Extra cleaning more PPE etc less season less hey. Prices will have to go up

I totally accept what you are saying and we pay whatever the site fees are but that doesn't explain why motorhomes with cars are expected to pay more than a caravan with a car. Same pitch, same facilities. Actually with many motorhomes they don't use all the site facilities so should arguably be charged less.

 

[Ian.s]

I did when we booked a site for New Year. No mention of extra for my wifes Smartie when we booked, only when we got there. I queried it and got the take it or leave it reply but we could park it in the car park for free. Work that one out.

I totally accept what you are saying and we pay whatever the site fees are but that doesn't explain why motorhomes with cars are expected to pay more than a caravan with a car. Same pitch, same facilities. Actually with many motorhomes they don't use all the site facilities so should arguably be charged less.

I agree with you. I wouldn't and don't charge for an extra car with a motorhome. In fact we would help you arrange to have it delivered to you. However some parks do. I suppose my point is as long as you are pre warned of the conditions for booking then you are able to book or not no matter how mad they seem. There are some parks with a dress code, no bikinis or bathing trunks except around the pool. Bonkers if you ask me. These places don't last. Ive watched them come and go over the years. In the end you have the choice although I do empathise with you in this case. As for charging less if you dont use the facilities. That will never work, They are there at a cost wether you use them or not

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[joe and sue]

I have no problem with charges for anything if known at time of booking, my actual point is that we booked with a site we have used for many years, who charged a flat rate for a pitch and nothing was "extra" dogs, more people, awnings, cars, as long as you did not extend beyond the pitch.
The park changed hands at beginning of this year and now everything above 1 caravan plus car, or 1 motorhome and 2 people is classed as an extra, and as no dogs, our grandson, a small gazebo, for shade were noted on our booking they are now classed as extras, even the previous owners knew and the new owners said in their first email to everyone who had bookings that "nothing would change" and they claim that they know nothing about the "extras" we require.
When i asked about this, which we would have not known about had we not looked at their re-vamped website, they said that they are only bringing the charges up to the industry standards.
So more CL's & pubs for us now

 

[Kozikot]

they said that they are only bringing the charges up to the industry standards.

Surely they are well within their Rights to do so, Sorry but I don't see your Gripe...

 

[Mr porky]

In defence of small cls and camp site owners we have been using electric to heat our motorhome with the fridge lights and telly all day and night.
This is averaging at about £7 a night so before a profit is made in the winter before any other costs a huge chunk is electric, hovever obviously in the summer months most persons wouldn’t have the heating on.

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[eddie]

In defence of small cls and camp site owners we have been using electric to heat our motorhome with the fridge lights and telly all day and night.
This is averaging at about £7 a night so before a profit is made in the winter before any other costs a huge chunk is electric, hovever obviously in the summer months most persons wouldn’t have the heating on.

No, in the Summer it is Air Conditioning, electric BBQ's Induction Hobs and lots of mains cooling fans

 

[Nigel P]

Like many others I see no logic in charging for extras that incur no additional resource on behalf of the site. There would be justification for charges for additional numbers of people who would increase the load on facilities but an extra car or awning have no such cost implications. As others have said the choice remains that of the person booking, if the conditions do not appeal don't go. We are happy to pay for our dog when we book in France as the sites provide a dog bath, dog waste bins and a supply of dog waste bags so there is an element of logic and justification. I have yet to find a car hire company that charges 'extras' if you take passengers!

 

[eddie]

Like many others I see no logic in charging for extras that incur no additional resource on behalf of the site. There would be justification for charges for additional numbers of people who would increase the load on facilities but an extra car or awning have no such cost implications. As others have said the choice remains that of the person booking, if the conditions do not appeal don't go. We are happy to pay for our dog when we book in France as the sites provide a dog bath, dog waste bins and a supply of dog waste bags so there is an element of logic and justification. I have yet to find a car hire company that charges 'extras' if you take passengers!

OK Awning! define one! a roll out awning off of the side of the camper, no impact, a 8m awning with additional ends and sun canopy up for a week killing the grass has an impact.

Dogs, chasing owners that don't clear up the mess, cleaning up the mess after pigs have left leaving crap everywhere, tracking down owners that have gone out and left their dogs "howling" in the van, Pacifying guests that are complaining that the dog has been left in the van and is howling, pacifying guests that complain that the "Pig" next door opens his/her door in the morning letting that flea infested mongrel shit all over my pitch" and the classic "Why am I paying the same as that mad old bird who has six dogs on her pitch" Oh, and actually clearing up crap that pigs have ignored or "pretended not to see" Let your dog crap on our campsite and refuse to pick it up? do it at your peril!

Your rental car is an interesting analogy, but totally up the wrong tree. Our pitch is for two people. Bring four and potentially you have four people using our toilets our showers, additional electricity, four people using our free WiFi "They wee in the van" I hear you cry, well they don't in reality but your cassette fills up twice as fast and has to be emptied twice as often!

We tried just a pitch and do what you like, five tents a caravan and a pack of feral children throwing stones at each other oblivious to the people who gave a shit about their possessions

We charge from about £17 a night and bring your car and trailer, if it fits sensibly on your pitch we won't charge, likewise wind an awning out, we won't charge, but we need rules to stop the idiots and the morons ruining it for everyone else

We opened in 2005 and wouldn't have the strategy we have now if we hadn't been forced into adopting it, and our policy didn't suit the vast majority of our fee paying guests, which is why (Shock Horror) we do it

TO MAKE MONEY

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[Kannon Fodda]

If I didn't know better Eddie makes his site sound more officious than the C&MC wardens

 

[barsteward]

A caravan absolutely must have a tug, a motorhome. does not so another vehicle is an extra. Got that? Good! now can we please shut up about it

 

[barsteward]

As a park owner I can say you just about nailed there. The other main point is length of season, Making hey when the sun shines. Now add Covid. Extra cleaning more PPE etc less season less hey. Prices will have to go up

iI hope you take that view when your local pub charges you double the price for a pint, or will you just have a drink at home?

The same logic will apply and eventually groups like Wetherspoons will take up the slack

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[joe and sue]

Surely they are well within their Rights to do so, Sorry but I don't see your Gripe...

Read the whole post then you will see what my gripe is, new owners not honouring conditions of original booking with previous owners!!

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

Having read your T&C eddievanbitz I would be happy to stay on your site. Nothing contentious for anyone unless they want to be tw**s.

 

[dulvil]

Cornish farm ain’t too bad, it’s the security.
Most people turn up happy with life and have no security worries, But within one night of feeling uneasy they have put their vans in the big shed and spent a fortune on an alarm, then he tracks you for years to see where you go.

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[Ivory55]

If I had a site and charged £100 a night for a pitch it would not be enough to put up with joe public.

 

[Ian.s]

iI hope you take that view when your local pub charges you double the price for a pint, or will you just have a drink at home?

The same logic will apply and eventually groups like Wetherspoons will take up the slack

I most certainly will and rightly so, although we have far from doubled our prices. I get the point non the less

 

[Twogirls]

We opened in 2005 and wouldn't have the strategy we have now if we hadn't been forced into adopting it, and our policy didn't suit the vast majority of our fee paying guests, which is why (Shock Horror) we do it

TO MAKE MONEY

And this is the crux of it. A campsite is a business, same as any other business, with all the associated costs involved, some costs will be obvious to the paying customer, probably most of the costs are not obvious to the paying customer. How many times on this forum do you see people complaining about being charged "to park on a piece of grass". Clearly they've never run their own business.

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[Twogirls]

Read the whole post then you will see what my gripe is, new owners not honouring conditions of original booking with previous owners!!

Do you happen to know why the site was sold to new owners? I'm wondering if the previous owners weren't making it profitable enough? In any case, a new owner has the ideal, probably the only, opportunity to revisit the pricing strategy, at least for the first couple of years, it's their opportunity to start afresh. They'll lose some customers but they'll gain new ones if they have a strong marketing strategy.

 

[Ian Bosman]

Do you happen to know why the site was sold to new owners? I'm wondering if the previous owners weren't making it profitable enough? In any case, a new owner has the ideal, probably the only, opportunity to revisit the pricing strategy, at least for the first couple of years, it's their opportunity to start afresh. They'll lose some customers but they'll gain new ones if they have a strong marketing strategy.

Years ago we stopped using commercial UK sites as we found the Brits are loud and noisy with everything they did (maybe not as loud as the Italians we once had the misfortune to pitched next to in Spain who the camp guards eventually at 2am told to be quiet). We have noticed that in Europe at most sites 10 pm is the marker for quiet and 11pm absolute silence which virtually all abide by and no traffic movement after the earlier hour. Now I know that we all have views about other nationalities but through observation I am sorry to say that owe don’t cut the mustard when it comes to keeping to the rules, that applies wherever we are even on cruises where sun loungers are not supposed to be bagged before breakfast or any other time for that matter but we (Brits) do, not the Germans, not the Dutch, Spanish, Italians. So we personally prefer a European site as you know where you are with extra cars, awnings, numbers of people and the respect for your neighbours. Having lived in other countries for a while, we have learnt to hear all, see all and say nowt. So, to sum up, respect the rules of wherever you go, respect the owners, employees and the other guests and if they really are being a nuisance (to you) try to have a quiet word with them without being offensive.

 

[joe and sue]

Do you happen to know why the site was sold to new owners? I'm wondering if the previous owners weren't making it profitable enough? In any case, a new owner has the ideal, probably the only, opportunity to revisit the pricing strategy, at least for the first couple of years, it's their opportunity to start afresh. They'll lose some customers but they'll gain new ones if they have a strong marketing strategy.

Yes we do, after 30 years they decided to retire, and they made enough to do so very comfortably, ran the site themselves with some staff, new owners will be absent with "wardens" , their word, running the site as they also own others in the same part of the UK, my gripe is that the dogs, awnings etc were always included and now they want extra even when the booking was made 12 months back, and they stated that all bookings would be honoured.
Don't object to extras, but not in this case.

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[Ian Bosman]

Yes we do, after 30 years they decided to retire, and they made enough to do so very comfortably, ran the site themselves with some staff, new owners will be absent with "wardens" , their word, running the site as they also own others in the same part of the UK, my gripe is that the dogs, awnings etc were always included and now they want extra even when the booking was made 12 months back, and they stated that all bookings would be honoured.
Don't object to extras, but not in this case.

Did the new owners say they would honour the bookings or was it the previous? You may have a case with if it was the new owners but not if they merely had passed on to them the bookings made but with our reading their T’s and C’s I cannot comment further.

 

[Nigel P]

OK Awning! define one! a roll out awning off of the side of the camper, no impact, a 8m awning with additional ends and sun canopy up for a week killing the grass has an impact.

Dogs, chasing owners that don't clear up the mess, cleaning up the mess after pigs have left leaving crap everywhere, tracking down owners that have gone out and left their dogs "howling" in the van, Pacifying guests that are complaining that the dog has been left in the van and is howling, pacifying guests that complain that the "Pig" next door opens his/her door in the morning letting that flea infested mongrel shit all over my pitch" and the classic "Why am I paying the same as that mad old bird who has six dogs on her pitch" Oh, and actually clearing up crap that pigs have ignored or "pretended not to see" Let your dog crap on our campsite and refuse to pick it up? do it at your peril!

Your rental car is an interesting analogy, but totally up the wrong tree. Our pitch is for two people. Bring four and potentially you have four people using our toilets our showers, additional electricity, four people using our free WiFi "They wee in the van" I hear you cry, well they don't in reality but your cassette fills up twice as fast and has to be emptied twice as often!

We tried just a pitch and do what you like, five tents a caravan and a pack of feral children throwing stones at each other oblivious to the people who gave a shit about their possessions

We charge from about £17 a night and bring your car and trailer, if it fits sensibly on your pitch we won't charge, likewise wind an awning out, we won't charge, but we need rules to stop the idiots and the morons ruining it for everyone else

We opened in 2005 and wouldn't have the strategy we have now if we hadn't been forced into adopting it, and our policy didn't suit the vast majority of our fee paying guests, which is why (Shock Horror) we do it

TO MAKE MONEY

Firstly I totally agree with the business position and have no problem with establishing a profitable setup. I do however think the business of feral customers is nothing to do with finance. Most booking terms and conditions stipulate certain behavioural expectations; if they are abused they should be asked to leave. The awning position seems a little strange, the 'dead grass' scenario would apply equally under the motorhome and likewise on any caravan and car combination parked on a pitch; so the argument around covered awnings seems thin. European sites have such dry summer weather that the pitches seem perpetually parched so an awning or not is completely irrelevant there. I certainly did not suggest a free for all, quite the opposite. My reference to a hire car was a little tongue in cheek but illustrates the argument around extras, without a logical link to a cost implication they become spurious. I also made it clear that additional people create extra costs and have no trouble with the normal pricing structure of unit+2 people as the staring point for a pitch price. Certainly no intention to offend site owners, simply an observation on spurious costs.

 

[eddie]

Firstly I totally agree with the business position and have no problem with establishing a profitable setup. I do however think the business of feral customers is nothing to do with finance. Most booking terms and conditions stipulate certain behavioural expectations; if they are abused they should be asked to leave. The awning position seems a little strange, the 'dead grass' scenario would apply equally under the motorhome and likewise on any caravan and car combination parked on a pitch; so the argument around covered awnings seems thin. European sites have such dry summer weather that the pitches seem perpetually parched so an awning or not is completely irrelevant there. I certainly did not suggest a free for all, quite the opposite. My reference to a hire car was a little tongue in cheek but illustrates the argument around extras, without a logical link to a cost implication they become spurious. I also made it clear that additional people create extra costs and have no trouble with the normal pricing structure of unit+2 people as the staring point for a pitch price. Certainly no intention to offend site owners, simply an observation on spurious costs.

Ah but you see as we run a really nice site, so our pitches are well drained gravelled hardstanding, with an adjacent grassed area.

When you arrive and refuse the pitch as the grass that should be yours to sit out on, BBQ'ing on, sunbathing on, yours to enjoy, is actually a slimy area of half rotted grass, mould and mud as the people that vacated your pitch that morning had put a huge awning up bigger than their van, with a heavy ground sheet that killed the grass after a few days

"No problem Sir, we'll find you another pitch and leave that one empty for a few days at our cost, scarify it, reseed it and whilst the Sun resurrects the grass"

Ring Ring Ring goes the phone!

"Hello Cornish Farm Touring Park, can I help you?"

"Right you money grabbing Scumbags, my wife booked earlier and I am disgusted that you want to charge to put an awning up! Disgusting, what's the justification for that? Eh? EH? RIPP Off Britain That's what I say, you wait this will be all over Facebook, my friends will see this! What do you think they will think? Eh?"

"Don't worry Sir I am sure that the people that know you will already realise that your a knob. We will refund your deposit and cancel the booking, Goodbye"

Here is a definition list to help some understand the "rules"

"Pup tent" 8m circular Bell tent heated by 3 fam heaters
"Small car" Mitsubishi Shogun parked on next doors pitch
"Small dog" Yappy rat that winds every one else up and craps everywhere
"Baby" Ten year old tearing around the site sat in an electric car, "drifting" around the gravelled corners
"Toddler" Thirteen year old on a moped racing the "Baby"
"Firepit" Will be once removed from the old washing machine which will end up in our recycling slips
"late checkout" Next morning
"Wife's Birthday" 16 cars arrive and a major piss up
"Borrow a "XYZ" Nick it when they leave

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