Totally agree Roger, I can't book long term and am finding it harder and harder to get onto Club sites at short notice. It's even more annoying knowing that there really are spaces but they are not available because someone is to selfish to cancel .
Hello Ian,
I disagree, a deposit and full fee before arriving should not be more difficult, in fact if it prevents multiple booking, or no shows, then it will release more pitches for the short notice holidayers.
It could work like this;
Customer books a pitch several months before the actual date, and pays a significant deposit - which is non refundable. At this point a contract exists, and it is up to the customer to keep to the terms, which require full balance of payment to be made a reasonable time (say 30 days) before the scheduled arrival.
Assuming the customer pays in time then the pitch is guaranteed. If the customer does not pay in time, then the contract allows the site operator to re-list the pitch, and it can be allocated to anyone who is prepared to pay the full price before arriving. This would suit your preference for short notice holidays.
I guess that most people who own a caravan will have a credit/debit card and so payments are quite easy to manage either over the phone or via secure web sites.
This process would work for club and private sites.
I disagree, a deposit and full fee before arriving should not be more difficult, in fact if it prevents multiple booking, or no shows, then it will release more pitches for the short notice holidayers.
It could work like this;
Customer books a pitch several months before the actual date, and pays a significant deposit - which is non refundable. At this point a contract exists, and it is up to the customer to keep to the terms, which require full balance of payment to be made a reasonable time (say 30 days) before the scheduled arrival.
Assuming the customer pays in time then the pitch is guaranteed. If the customer does not pay in time, then the contract allows the site operator to re-list the pitch, and it can be allocated to anyone who is prepared to pay the full price before arriving. This would suit your preference for short notice holidays.
I guess that most people who own a caravan will have a credit/debit card and so payments are quite easy to manage either over the phone or via secure web sites.
This process would work for club and private sites.
Gosh have I started a debate or what. Since my last post i,ve booked another couple of sites with the CC. and they didn,t charge me a deposit as we all know there is no deposit. 25o/o of your holiday cost is to much I think, I don,t mind paying say
I like the simplicity of not having to pay a deposit BUT if for any reason I found we could not go, then I would give as much notice of cancellation as possible. Surely with the question of no-shows who haven't notified wardens that they were not going to turn up, some sort of financial penalty could be imposed on that card number, after all they know who made the booking. I would think this would act as a deterrent against the same person just not showing up on subsequent occasions.
Erica says that people are leaving the C&CC and going over to the CC because of the deposits system. I have to say, I don't know of any, but I do know of a number of people who have left the CC because of the near impossibility of getting pitches on popular sites.
I have never minded paying the fairly modest C&CC deposit, and on the few occasions when we have had to cancel a booking,even at short notice, the deposit has always been refunded into a 'holding account' to be used against future bookings. The system has always worked for us.
I have never minded paying the fairly modest C&CC deposit, and on the few occasions when we have had to cancel a booking,even at short notice, the deposit has always been refunded into a 'holding account' to be used against future bookings. The system has always worked for us.
Hi Chrissylizzie,
It is one thing to know who made a booking, but to try and extract a fee for a no show is a major hassle for the site operator.
A contract is a contract, if you agree to hire a pitch, and then decide not to show up, its not the site operators fault, and they have lost the income and the chance to re-let. Then to have to write phone fax email or what ever to the inconsiderate person who broke their side of the contract is time consumming, and may not at first yeild the money, so further action would be necessary - small claims court or what ever, all more time expence for the business.
Basically the contract is for a slice of time on a pitch, Once its gone its gone and cannot be resold later, so it is a real problem for site operators and other business that operate in similar ways. If someone has failed to take up the pitch, they have basically stolen that time.
You dont go to the supermarket and take a bottle milk drink it and then decide to pay do you?
It all down to the abuse of trust that a few have perpertrated on the many, so the many now have to protect themselves against the possibility of fraud. Pay up front, There is a greater incentive for the caravanner to use the pitch or loose the money, the site operator is not out of pocket, so who looses? - only those who abuse the system.
It is one thing to know who made a booking, but to try and extract a fee for a no show is a major hassle for the site operator.
A contract is a contract, if you agree to hire a pitch, and then decide not to show up, its not the site operators fault, and they have lost the income and the chance to re-let. Then to have to write phone fax email or what ever to the inconsiderate person who broke their side of the contract is time consumming, and may not at first yeild the money, so further action would be necessary - small claims court or what ever, all more time expence for the business.
Basically the contract is for a slice of time on a pitch, Once its gone its gone and cannot be resold later, so it is a real problem for site operators and other business that operate in similar ways. If someone has failed to take up the pitch, they have basically stolen that time.
You dont go to the supermarket and take a bottle milk drink it and then decide to pay do you?
It all down to the abuse of trust that a few have perpertrated on the many, so the many now have to protect themselves against the possibility of fraud. Pay up front, There is a greater incentive for the caravanner to use the pitch or loose the money, the site operator is not out of pocket, so who looses? - only those who abuse the system.
I am afraid that the time has gone when people used to do "the decent thing" all the time. Bookings should either be paid in full at the time, or people who just don't bother to turn up should be kicked out of the club or clubs concerned. Try missing a dentist appointment and see what steps they take to recover payment for lost income. If both clubs took this approach the problem would quickly disappear.
Steve W
Steve W
My point exactly Steve W. Clubs could give enough notice in mags. etc. that if people REPEATEDLY don't show that a hefty charge would be made to their card or membership renewal refused.
Whilst I don't like the necessity for this type of action, when pitches are proving dificult to get these days, then something has to be done.
Whilst I don't like the necessity for this type of action, when pitches are proving dificult to get these days, then something has to be done.
This shortage of available club sites is becoming more & more of a problem. Personally, I am not going to renew my Caravan Club membership next time as I am fed up of never being able to get on the sites I want when I want. I am retired now and can be very flexible about times and dates, but it seems almost impossible to spend more than a week anywhere, because people book all the weekend for months in advance.
Steve W
Steve W
No, I just spend more & more time abroad, that's not to much of a hardship, but there are loads of places that I have never been to here at home and I would like to see some of them before I kick the bucket or get to doddery to tow a van around.
Steve W
Steve W
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