Just been 'thrown off' site

[ScouseIan]

Well, not literally of course, or even verbally.

Allow me to explain. I am working away from home (which is Liverpool) in Essex and I thought I would stay in my 'van. So 2 weeks ago I booked myself into a C&CC site for 2 weeks. When I asked today about extending it, I was told curtly 'no'. When I asked what the reason was I was told that the site is not for people working, it is for leisure purposes. Now maybe this is in fact the rule and I am flouting it, but it didn't feel like that. It felt as though I had done something wrong. I haven't caused any mess, any noise or had any conversations with any wardens or other guests so I'm a bit confused.

I would also add that my car and caravan are 'new' and I look like an accountant rather than any type of road digger type.

I now don't know whether I will continue to have this problem if I move to another site around Maldon/Colchester area.

Anybody got any comments on this?

Regards

Ian

 

[Zafiral]

Site licences can include maximum length of stay so the site's hands may be tied on this topic.

 

[jacky3]

hi,

as far as i know the only sites that allow you to work from a caravan/motorhome/static are resedential sites.non resedential(ie 10-11 month sites)where you have to be off or close for a period of time should and will state that you are not allowed go to work from the site,you must have a home address what you can use.

 

[ScouseIan]

1. I've only been here 2 weeks and i wasn't asked how long i wanted to extend my stay for

2. I am not 'working from' my caravan. I stay in it and then go into the office. I could/should have said I'm fishing or something.

 

[jacky3]

1. I've only been here 2 weeks and i wasn't asked how long i wanted to extend my stay for

2. I am not 'working from' my caravan. I stay in it and then go into the office. I could/should have said I'm fishing or something.

thats the problem.......some if not all,you are not allowed to travel to and from work from the caravan unless its a resedential site,then you would pay poll tax etc,unlike non resedential sites.some sites turn a blind eye,but others dont.

 

[ScouseIan]

I see Klarky, maybe I had a 'jobsworth' warden.

 

[GillC1]

The site obviously don't need the money, my husband is on a site he can stay on the same pitch for 21 days then he has to move pitches.

It is guaranteed money all year round for the site, and they don't give a discount for long term booking he pays the same as any other holiday maker.

 

[LMH]

I thought you could stop on a site for 21 days.

Let this be a lesson, when you move to another site, don't tell them you're working whilst stopping there. I can't see why it's any of their business anyway.

Lisa

 

[David.O]

Ian

Running our CL we oftern have the likes of yourself and welcome them. Yes there is a 28 day rule, which as all rules can easerly be overcome, we would ask you to leave and come back 10 minutes latter. try a CL it would be cheaper.

David from Suffolk

 

[Jimbob1]

Scouse Ian,

You really need to address your complaint to the C&CC I'm quite sure they will investigate your genuine complaint.Good Luck.jimbob

 

[marlot]

I was staying in hotels 3 or 4 nights a week in the midlands a couple of years ago, and (being the open, honest chap I am), asked at a CC site, to be told 'no'.

I managed to find a seasonal pitch elsewhere, and they welcomed me - after all, I wasn't using the facilities when they were busy, at weekends. And during half term/a lot of the summer I took the caravan away, so they got extra income.

I'd not waste your breath complaining to the C&CC - they probably have the same rule. Just try a CL, or a private campsite.

 

[Steve L]

Hi Ian.

I think you have met "jobs worth" aka Richard Crainium also goes under the non-de-plume of A S Nobbery. Amongst other expleteives.

Unfortunately there is little you can do with such bafoon's.

When the accounts reflect the attitude then the owner or club might look into it.

On my seasonal pitch I worked the first year building chicken sheds and cycled every day 2 miles to pick up my works van from the yard. I had no complaints at all. this last year and a half that I've been on ESA due to arthritis flareing up in my shoulders and elbows, I've had on average a moan every 3 weeks from Jobs worth.

I just put it down to green gills at me being able to do nothing. But trust me afer 33 years of slogging my guts out is heaven compared to felling 40 years older than you are and struggling to do even the simplest tasks.

All I can do if I get evicted is to move to another site and enjoy.

I have a list of sites in my black book where I don't go on principle because of the way I've been treated. Only in winter time do you struggle to find good sites.

Atb Steve L.

 

[Rioja]

I used to use my van as a base when I worked as a sales rep. Never had a problem but never stayed more than a few days.

I remember staying at the CC site in Pembury and I was the only one there in winter time.I had a choice of two heated toilet blocks all for myself but didn't use either as I like to use my own !!!

 

[AnthonyNornIreland]

Totally agree with this warden, sites are for leisure, not for working from.

at the end of the day, there are far too many working people livinh on sites, and ruining it for others.

(see my post re Tollymore forest)

anthony (ni)

 

[Steve L]

Now, now Anthony.

I am living fulltime on a seasonal pitch and I would dare you to try to spot us. We go out of our way to be tourists and in fact it's our wardens who tell the weekenders that we are locals to the area, so thta they have a free tourist info office on site.

It's nice to be thought of in thta way as it does give us peace of mind that we are accepted. But I'm sure if we stepped out of line, we would get the boot just as easily as any tourist.

There should be no demarkation between caravanners as long as they don't do anything to draw attention to themselves.

I have and will always believe that caravanning should be a classless society.

Steve L.

 

[ScouseIan]

Anthony, you seem like a bit of an 'angry old man'. to 'totally agree with this warden' is a bit over the top really. I do agree that sites are primarily for leisure purposes.

Its a bit different here though. First of all, the site was empty. Nobody within 50 metres of me. Secondly, I did ask/offer to put my caravan in storage (which is provided at this C&CC site as part of MY club services) at the end of the first week when I was returning home for the weekend, to which I was told it was not necessary. So even at a weekend when the site was possibly at its busiest I/my caravan would not have been in anybodies way. This is also AFTER I had paid the full pitch fee for each night (what an accomodating person am I).

Thirdly, please explain how I am 'ruining it for others'. I genuinely don't understand what you mean here. This is what I am really confused about here. Both you and the warden seem to hold a similar view and its not being explained to me.

As regards to looking for your other post, I don't even try and use the search facility on this forum as its useless.

I have now found another site in Essex where they 'interviewed' me over the phone. I went down to see them and they were really nice. When I explained the situation they said I was welcome to stay as long as I wanted. Its in a better position for me too so I'm happy now.

Ian

Secondly, the job I do is office based to I left the site each morning with no obvious signs of being a 'worker'

 

[Dustydog]

No question of doubt imo Ian has been treated most unfairly here.

When my dad died last year we spent 3 months at a site in North Devon. The owner / warden knew we had plenty of business to sort out and was quite happy for us to stay as long as needed.

When I was working I fixed meetings across the country to allow us use the caravan on the thursday and friday and then stay on for pleasure for the weekend. Off I'd go at 8.00am dressed in suit . No one ever bothered me except for the wardens to say good morning, don't work too hard.

Anthony ,

I was only working during the day.Thus on my return late afternoon I was then enjoying leisure! What's wrong with that??

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[ScouseIan]

Exactly DD, this is why I'm miffed. I feel a bit victimised.

I wonder if it was my accent? ;-)

 

[andyp1]

Exactly DD, this is why I'm miffed. I feel a bit victimised.

I wonder if it was my accent? ;-)

I struggle with the scouse accent - and i am married to one !!

mind you she laughs at my 'essex' accent !

 

[waffler]

This is totally unacceptable. I am a sad type who knows the rules of both clubs and no where does it put an intention qualification on bookings. that is you can use your van or tent for whatever legal purpose you want. You can't run a business but you can have visitors. How would this HSM deal with someone who is say a retired builder who is spending their leisure time renovating a grandchild's house? Suggest you write to the director general explaining what happened. It might improve it for others, and hq take complaints very seriously.

 

[chrissie2]

The rules of both clubs are perfectly clear on this point - sites are only for use for leisure purposes. I'm not saying this hasn't been an inconvenience to us over the years - there have been times when we have been working away from home when we have wished to live in the caravan. We have simply looked for private sites that are happy to accommodate longer stay units, which has usually seemed cheaper in the end.

Looking at it from the clubs' point of view, I don't think this stance is unreasonable: suppose there were to be a major construction project underway near to a club site...how would you feel if you arrived to find half of the pitches on your favourite site occupied by workers? On the other hand, if there were a few units on the same site used by 'white collar' workers from a nearby business, the site management could not accept one group while turning away another.

On the whole, the rules are there to make life on site better for all members, and though the ban on using club sites as accommodation while working away from home may be inconvenient for some (including me, as I have said, on the whole I think it serves the best interests of the majority of members. There may also (although I don't know about this) be issues around licencing and the clubs' status which govern the use of sites.

 

[Parksy]

It looks as though the site manager was sticking strictly to the rules Ian.

I wasn't sure what the rules of the C&CC are as applied to situations such as your own so I've just had a look in the Big Sites Book and Rule 8 states:

'Length of stay

Units can be occupied at a site for up to 28 consecutive days.

This limit may be less at certain times at the Club's discretion.

All club sites are to be used for recreational camping only'

Perhaps the site manager could have been more tactful but 'rules is rules' and if they are applied to a member of a tarmacking gang or a demolition worker then they must be applied equally to a worker who wears a suit.

 

[Guest]

Scouse Ian, may I ask, how did they find out you were working?

and what exactly does "recreational camping only'" actually mean?

I pretty sure its not a legal definition unless there are some sub clauses printed to that effect, so if Ian's appearance was not a give away, I would like to know how they found out?

 

[ScouseIan]

When the female warden refused my request to extend my stay I really didn't understand. However as parksy has pointed out it is by discretion that they can refuse too extend my stay. Although not explained to me this is probably down to absolute adherence to the rules as written in some book. Now rightly or wrongly I understand that these rules exist and that they can be used to refuse access to certain types or groups of people, and that is/should be a campsite owners prerogative. In this case I think they have done what they 'can' do rather than what they 'should' do.

Let me tell you this though; and I could be wrong and its just my opinion, if the site was their own private site and their income was based upon people staying there then they would never have refused my extension/asked me to leave. My behaviour was perfect. Clean car, clean van, no noise, no mess, etc. Thats whats all so confusing and ultimately a little bit hurtful.

John [me]; I may have let slip (I say it as though it should be hidden or something) that I was working, but it shouldn't have been a secret.

The site was bloody empty and it was a disgrace. I've a good mind to contact the C&CC club about their site just north of Brentwood.

What would they do, apart from quote rules about how they had a 'right' to do what they did rather than whether they 'should have'.

wow, doesn't one type a lot after a few drinks?



Anyway just home frome ssex for the weekend.

nitesville

 

[chrissie2]

Ian, I know the site you mean, and when we stayed there last October, it was pretty clear that about 75% of those staying there were using their caravans as a base for working. It was not an issue for us, and we certainly would not have dreamt of complaining, but your experience leads me to wonder if there may not have been some recent complaints. It may be that the managers there had been given some sort of warning on this issue.