Extra charges

[Surfer]

I can understand when a site charges extra for additional people, i.e. unit with 2 people inclusive, but you pay extra for each addiotnal person.

What I cannot fathom out is when you are charged an extra £2 or more to erect an awning on the pitch that you are renting especially if it is a hardstanding. Secondly, why are there charges for dogs, i.e. £1 or more per dog per night.

Then there is the killer when you have to pay over and above all the above 50p or more for 2 minute shower.

All these little charges add up on your pocket and a weekend away can be an expensive outing at nearly £50 for weekend away if there are 4 people in the unit. This equates to £2600 per annum in site fees alone never mind cost of caravan, fuel, servicing etc. Cheaper to fly to Spain for 2 weeks!

Maybe PC can do a survey amongst site owners regardfing these extra charges and why the site owners think they are necessary. One good reason why we pick CLs and I think CLs are going to be busy in the coming year.

 

[Stephen_374341239]

Yes and with every body turning to caravaning holidays this year thinking its cheaper. The aircraft will not be full no crowds back to how it was.

 

[Melanie_374363360]

I agree I was looking today for a site for this weekend. The one I was interested in charge

 

[Colin_374329018]

Ian.

We charge by the person to make things cheaper for single people and we show a little discretion if the group is large. We do not charge for awnings so I tend to agree with you on that one.

Dogs were free here until I hit several "accidents" with the strimmer. One "accident" hit me full in the face - this on a site where absolutely every dog owner told me on arrival that they always pick up after their dog! The

 

[JD6620]

We stick to CC sites, you know the price and there are no hidden nasty charges when you arrive. We were ripped off once at a site which charged for every possible extra, and it was a bank holiday so extra for that too, never again. The beauty of caravanning is we are in control, if you dont like the charges go somewhere else. If everyone refused to pay for the extras site operators would hopefully soon get the message. Vote with your caravan!

 

[Chrisbee]

Ian.

We charge by the person to make things cheaper for single people and we show a little discretion if the group is large. We do not charge for awnings so I tend to agree with you on that one.

Dogs were free here until I hit several "accidents" with the strimmer. One "accident" hit me full in the face - this on a site where absolutely every dog owner told me on arrival that they always pick up after their dog! The

 

[xtrailman]

Charging for people, it's just a way of saying families are not wecome?

charging for dogs, it's just a way of saying, we don't what your dog?

The most mean charge is being charged for visitors. One of my favorite sites has started this last year, it was

 

[Surfer]

If you come across a site charging seperate for electric i.e.

 

[doylie]

If you come across a site charging seperate for electric i.e.

 

[WilliamLX]

I think all extra charges are outrageous, especially charging for extra people. One major attraction of caravaning rather than weekends etc in hotels is that once you have bought a caravan with enough births it should not cost extra just because you happen to have children. A B&B can justify charging more for extra people because the price includes breakfast, extra bed linen etc. A touring caravan park does not feed you, nor does it provide bedding. It costs the owner no more to host a caravan with a single person than one with 6 plus a dog. This is just part of rip off Britain. The charge for electric should only be made if non electric pitches are offered as it is fair to charge more for greater facilities, however if all pitches offer electric then there should simply be a single charge per night for each pitch. sadly even the Caravan Club has extra charges per head (even at Rallys).

 

[ValA.]

But on a site with full facilities (and some of us do like those, rather than using the caravan showers, etc.) if six people use the toilets and showers that's definitely an extra useage, extra toilet rolls, extra hot water, extra waste water to dispose of, and just extra wear and tear on the installations, if six people are walking across the grass then it wears out more quickly, if four children are playing on the play equipment then it will get more use. If you're boiling kettles to make tea for six then it would use more electricity than for two, if you have a TV and two video consoles for the kids then it would use more electricity than just a couple without a TV.

I don't think these extra charges are avoidable, and I know it doesn't seem fair, so perhaps the AMOUNTS some sites charge should be queried, rather than the charges themselves.

 

[doylie]

hi again, a dog at a very popular new forest site gets charged

 

[DavidKlyne]

Surely the whole point of the 'extras' is to keep the headline figure down which otherwise might look too expensive if it was quoted at a combined price. Also many outfits don't consist of extra people or dogs so why should they pay a proportionatly more? Like Julian we tend to stick to CC sites as we know what we will get.

David

 

[Jennifer2]

We too stick to CC sites as much as possible, both for reliability and straightforward charges.

I agree with Val and David, extra people do cost the site more, and couples (or single campers) should not be expected to subsidise families.

There are sites that have a flat fee, and family deals on C&CC sites, so everyone can make a choice to suit their circumstances.

 

[Big S]

We've just tried to book a couple of sites in North Wales for Easter.

 

[DanPaula]

We are in agreement with the extra charges we stayed recently at a site and was charged for electric, bearing in mind it was February and the weather was pretty cold we used approx

 

[WilliamLX]

We too stick to CC sites as much as possible, both for reliability and straightforward charges.

I agree with Val and David, extra people do cost the site more, and couples (or single campers) should not be expected to subsidise families.

There are sites that have a flat fee, and family deals on C&CC sites, so everyone can make a choice to suit their circumstances.

Problem is a traditional reason for couples with young families to turn to caravaning for holidays is because of how much more expensive it is to use hotels etc when you have a whole family. By charging extra you are negating a large part of the point of caravaning. Any extra amount having a couple of kids will cost the site is negligible, so the charges amounts to profiteering by the owner (just read the ridiculous above post trying to justify charging for dogs). Sites that have static caravans/mobile homes don't charge extra to owners of caravans who happen to have children, so why should tourer owners be penalised.

 

[stephen_374410182]

I agree I was looking today for a site for this weekend. The one I was interested in charge

 

[Poppasmurf]

My son and I stayed at a site in Dorset two years ago. Amongst their charges was a

 

[xtrailman]

What i find strange about expensive sites, is you still find some rough caravaners on site.

Its not as if paying top wack, gives you the most pleasant company.

I have in the past found myself parked next to a group that was arrested by the police, after asking me to look after there property while they were out, as it turns out they were robbing the pay as you go showers!

 

[xtrailman]

What i find strange about expensive sites, is you still find some rough caravaners on site.

Its not as if paying top wack, gives you the most pleasant company.

I have in the past found myself parked next to a group that was arrested by the police, after asking me to look after there property while they were out, as it turns out they were robbing the pay as you go showers!

 

[RayS]

If it's any consolation, the same sort of extras apply in many European sites especially in high season. The site I am currently on in Spain then charges for pitch, adults, Children, dogs, tents, awnings, extra cars, motorcycles, bicycles, extra trailers if with motorvan, electricity and visitors. Whether electic powered bycycles are 'motorcycles' still remains to be decided.

 

[Dustydog]

There's a rumour that a no frills airline may in due course charge travellers for using the planes toilets.

Do I need to save my pennies for the sites facilities? LOL

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[Rioja]

As long as it's all up front and obvious what the cost is when you book then it's up to the individual to decide whether they perceive it value for money.

If you don't like it don't book.

To me the more facilities you use the more you should pay, I don't want to subsidise the heated swimming pool if I don't use it.I don't expect the washing machines to be free of charge.

More often than not we don't use the shower toilet blocks. I like sites that don't have them because they are cheaper but I also am prepared to pay to go to sites that do have them knowing they are included in the cost.

 

[Lennie]

As long as it's all up front and obvious what the cost is when you book then it's up to the individual to decide whether they perceive it value for money.

If you don't like it don't book.

To me the more facilities you use the more you should pay, I don't want to subsidise the heated swimming pool if I don't use it.I don't expect the washing machines to be free of charge.

More often than not we don't use the shower toilet blocks. I like sites that don't have them because they are cheaper but I also am prepared to pay to go to sites that do have them knowing they are included in the cost.

I thought about taking the caravan to Ireland this year. On looking at some of the site charges I thought again! Up to 5 euros for electics, and the same again for an awning. Showers were extra. Not all the sites were this expensive but the ones I checked out on the west coast near Killarney were. Decided instead to go to France as usual.