Hi,new on here. Been camping for a while now but decided to get involved in the forums.
Has anybody else noticed this year that alot more campsites are asking for deposits. I use to find on a bank holiday weekend but when ringing sites up now, there nearly all asking for a deposit. Going to a site this weekend and have paid £20, only need to pay £8 when get there, seems abit steep especially if for some reason you can't make it. Not the first campsite to ask for £20 either.
Any idea why they suddenly asking this and will this put people off going to some campsites.
Don't forget to leave a review of the campsites you have visited this year or last!
Quote: Originally posted by eurobob121 on 11/6/2009
seems abit steep especially if for some reason you can't make it
I think you've answered your own question. You want the campsite to reserve you a pitch, whether or not you actually arrive.
Seems perfectly reasonable to request a deposit - if you don't turn up they would be out of pocket, as they may well have turned away other visitors who could have had your pitch.
I think you've answered your own question. You want the campsite to reserve you a pitch, whether or not you actually arrive.
Seems perfectly reasonable to request a deposit - if you don't turn up they would be out of pocket, as they may well have turned away other visitors who could have had your pitch.
So how come I have never done it before this year?
I know what you're saying, I think as more and more new people go camping, sites are probably finding they need to do it, as they are probably being let down more, regrettably.
I think it must be hard for campsites not charge a deposit because I bet a lot of people check the weather for the weekend and if it is bad just not bother going. Thats £30 they have then lost.
Don't forget to leave a review of the campsites you have visited this year or last!
I have o problems at all sending deposits or indeed the whole amount up front for a weekend (already paid for 3 in full and 50% for our summer hol).
I intend to turn up so am happy to pay.
Site owners are now probably fed up with half empty campsite because people just don't turn up - and they have probably turned people away because they thought they were full. It costs a fair bit to run a camp site - even an empty one!!
Hotels ask for deposits as do package deal holidays so why not campsites.
I'm fed up of being told campsites are full - and then being able to go because people haven't showed up - but by that time I have missed a nights camping...
I think campsites are perfectly within their rights to ask for a deposit... why should they be the ones out of pocket just because a punter changes their mind??
What would be good would be some camping holiday insurance that would cough up if the weather was unnaturally bad for the time of year such that going would damage your kit.
There have been numerous posts about people booking CC sites and not turning up, depriving others of a pitch. Charging a deposit is the best way to stop this from happening.
------------- Bernie
Don't forget to leave a review of the campsites you have visited this year or last!
There have been numerous posts about people booking CC sites and not turning up, depriving others of a pitch. Charging a deposit is the best way to stop this from happening.
And there have been a lot of posts pointing out that the CC have made a statement (CC magazine January 2008 ) that when they dropped deposits that their number of bookings rose considerably and that the number of people not showing up fell.
------------- Bill
For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013
I manage a campsite here in Yorkshire/Forest of Bowland area and I know the deposits are necessary. As other comments here note - we would (and have) say no to potential campers based on the numbers we have booked. If no deposit is taken (as happened when our machine had an off day!), we found a number didn't turn up and we have sadly turned away those that really want to come.
The deposit adds an element of certainty that we would otherwise not have ...and I think it helps the campers to get motivated even when there is a little drizzle. I too wish some insurance existed that protected our campers for cancellations due to really bad weather etc.