We're praying for rain!

[Timbo1]

Today is quite literally the first sunny caravanning day we have had this year and I'm sorry to say we are praying for rain.
I just cannot believe our luck. We booked on to a five van CL and arrived to find we are sharing the field with a rally. We've had Fagash Lil since 7ish this morning screeching, screaming, laughing, shouting up the field and generally making a noise. She is one of those women with a voice like a nutmeg grater who loves the sound of her own voice and thinks everyone else does too. Now the suns up, the tribe have got together. The bevvies are going down the noise levels are increasing tenfold, the kids are out with their football and we are sitting here with all the windows and doors shut trying to escape the noise. I did try to have a nap on the bed but gave up after about twenty minutes - I just wonder why we bothered to come at all because there's been no joy at all in this weekend whatsoever so far. The barbies are just stoking up as I write so we're hoping to get five minutes peace whilst FL's gob is filled with grub.

Just where do you stand as a Caravan Club member expecting Caravan Club Rules (i.e. 5 vans and no footballs for instance) and you are pitched on a coned off area of a field being used for a BCC rally? Surely we should have been advised on booking that this was the case? And the kids have the audacity to come on the CL coned off bit to play footie!!!! Thud. Thud. Thud. Its unrelenting.
Its never happened to us before and we certainly won't come here anymore, but it makes me a bit concerned that maybe we've just struck lucky up till now and this is more widespread that we know? Another thing I've noted is the electric steel wired armoured cable for the EHU is laid above ground, is this right? I've never been to a CC site like it to be totally honest.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Timbo,

I'm sorry your holiday hasn't been what you were expecting.

Down to the nitty gritty.
It seems from your report that you booked onto the site because it was listed and advertised as a CL. That means a site is limited to five caravans. The sites licence to be a CL is approved by the government on a recommendation by the CC (or some other similar bodies) so its not just an ad hoc arrangement.

Unless you were advised there was a large rally on the site before you agreed to book, then it seems the site was not as advertised and may be in breech of its operating licences restrictions.

When you booked you entered a contractual agreement with the sites operator. So if the site was not as advertised, the operator is in breech of that contract, and guilty of false advertising. Both these are serious matters, and its about time that site operators began to realise they do have contractual obligations to their customers.

The site is also failing to uphold the CC's sites by-laws on ball games that form part of the CL's protocol.

You should contact trading standards, and consumer direct who should be able to offer professional advice on how to proceed

but I suspect they will tell you to write to both the sites owners and the CC with your complaint. I believe you are in a strong position to expect a refund, from the site and at least an apology from the CC.

Sadly the noise you refer to from the person you mention is just a natural risk on any site, but unless the site has a stated policy on noise, I don't think you have a sustainable complaint there.

 

[RayS]

Some CL descriptions state 'rally field adjacent' - did this one ?
Either way I suggest a strongly worded factual complaint to CC immediately, plus words with the owner (if the matter progresses you will inevitably asked if you spoke to the owner and, if not, why ?).

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi Timbo,
unfortunatly not all CL's are the same, the licence will vary dependant on circumstances, I think you have just been unlucky in choosing that site at that weekend, coinsidently it has happend to most of us at some point, it is most important that one reads the site description before booking, sometimes this is not enough though and you can be disappointed.
adults only, means just that but it does not mean there wont be barking dogs, and if the CL is behind someones house the neibours might have kids,
a working farm will be just that with the smells and hustle a working farm gets with tractors moving around even at night if its harvest time and so on,
the CL we stayed on in june was brilliant exactly as described, but the site was set in an orchard amongst the trees fine in june but august and sepember when the trees would be in fruit I can just imagine the wasp problem,
we have a book in which we write down all the sites we stay at with comments some we would go back to others never,
choosing a CL can at times be pot luck on this occasion I think you have been just unlucky,

 

[Timbo1]

There was certainly no mention whatsoever that the CL pitches were actually on a rally field and only separated by three cones. When I went to pay I asked the lady about the rally and she told me she holds rallies there a couple of times a month. There was certainly no apology or anything. I shall drop a line to the CC but I doubt very much anything will be done.

 

[Raywood]

We have been ona rally where a similar system applied. The farmer had let out a field next to the CL and we shared the CL facilities but as far as I know we didn't disturb those on the CL. I think it is a fairly common arrangement and should not be a problem except in this case you seem to have had one bad apple.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Raywood
From the CC's own website "
Certificated Locations
The Club range of around 2,500 small five-van only sites, reserved exclusively for members, offers the broadest range of choice for those who might want to get away from it all"

The key elements are:
small five-van only sites
[*]
reserved exclusively for members[*]
or those who might want to get away from it all.
If a CL permitts none members, it contravenes the legislation that allows the site to be authorised by the CC If a CL is located next door to a rally or other larger site, it certainly is not getting away from it all and thus does not conform to the ethos, intention and letter of the CL licence.
It hasnt happened to me yet but If I were to book a CL and the situation the OP describes were to unfold I would use trading standards for false advertising, and SoGA for breach of contract. and lobby the CC to revoke the sites licence.Its like ordering a RR and being supplied with a Lada.

 

[Gabsgrandad]

As I understand it (from My CC rallying days) that the CC brought in a rule for Cl owners (after similar complaints) that said to the effect that " the Cl must have a separate entrance to the rally field and that tha tap should not be a shared one" (I stand to be corrected) So if a complaint is registered and for instance an ultimatum given - Cl or rallies. The land owner may well think rallies are more profitable than the Cl, and could result in another Cl closure (or I have known them to go over to the other sideCCC) Is that what is wanted - another CL closure - they seem to disappear at a frightening rate anyway.
PS I believe there is also a 'law' that limits land use to a max of 28 days per year for rallies - wthout planning permission, and each rally a max of 120 hours (5 days) without local authority planning permission, thats how it was when I had involvement.

 

[Dustydog]

The real problem is that until you get there you don't know what you are going to get.
However over the years I have overcome that problem to a degree by consulting

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/
http://www.5van.co.uk/

Genuine caravanners post their views and I suggest you may wish to post on both about your sad experience to help others in the future.
Very sorry the rabble spoilt it for you.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi all,
I would only add from my last post that in the last 2years (since joining the CC to take advange of insurance and mayday) I have been asked for my membership no, only ONCE

we have stayed on 2 club sites and about 10 CL's in that time not many true but in that time have been overcrowded " more that 5 vans" 3 times, been on a CL attached to a commercial site twice, and arrived at a CL where there were perminant setups "seasonals" around although not part of the CL pitches but all using the same ameneties, twice.
thats 7 out of 10 CL's according to John's post that are not up to standard, plus 11 out of 12 sites that have not asked for membership confimation either on booking or on arrival. bit worrying eh,
however that could just be the sites we have chosen, because of the wife's disability we have to have EHU and showers I suppose it is only to be expected that if the site owner has taken the trouble and at no small cost to provide facilities he would want to maximise the income, so a bit of bending might be expected even if it's not srictly in the rules,

 

[Bri2]

Sorry about your weekend but your comments about FAL certainly gave me and SHMBO a good laugh.

 

[ProfJohnL]

The government act that control the issue and revocation of "certificate of exemption" can be found here.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/8-9/62/schedule/FIRST
Suffice to say that the minister can revoke any exemption certificate issued by the CC if the office becomes aware of breaches of the terms and conditions of the certificate.

It is not expresses in this document but I imagine the CC also has the right to recommend the minister withdraws a certificate if the CC finds abuses.

In essence if a site owner fails to observe the T&C's they could have their certificate removed, and it is unlikely they would be granted a future certificate by the minister.

If members are finding their cl's clogged up with none members, then they should complain to the CC or even to the minister.