What do you think about the high charges for electric hook up? We want to go to Wales this year and the sites seem to be higher than other parts of the country. Some sites charge from £20 per night plus between £3-5 pe night for hook up. I do not use £3 a night let long £5 so why so high. We visited a site in Stowmarket which was metered electric. We put £3 in when we got there, used the electric for TV, water heater, low heating a couple of times, hair drier, lighting and kettle. When we had packed up on our last day we visited the tea shop on site and the owner came in and gave us £1.50 back!
I also don't agree with charging for awnings although we don't use ours but surely a pitch is a pitch and the price should include everything. We've been on sites that include everything even TV aerial and your own water for £15 a night. We usually go to 5 CL/CS sites but do like electric.
------------- We never get lost. We take the scenic route.
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They're businesses, so will charge what they can. However you have to bear in mind that you are not just paying for the electric used, but the cost of supplying it. Newly supplied would cost the campsite more than EHUs that have been in for years.
I think awnings and tents should pay more than a caravan or motorhome, as they damage the pitches a lot more - I've never seen a mud patch under my van and the grass grows quite happily, without going yellow
As above. They are commercial enterprises. The owners do it for a living so will charge what they can get away with. They choose to charge these prices. You choose whether to accept those charges or go elsewhere for less money.
£3 for electric is quite normal. £5 seems quite high but you do not pay just for the electric. You also pay the installation & maintenance costs.
You may also pay for better pitch locations, views, privacy, pitch size etc. It might not just be the difference of electric and no electric. Plus the obvious supply vs demand.
------------- Crows Nest Caravan Park
Filey - Scarborough
T - 01723 582206
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Well we paid £14 per night in Oakham, Rutland for water tap at each pitch with electric 10 days ago and it only goes up another £2 Bank Holidays. It was a five site which we like. Some other five sites charge much more plus electric. If we went to a site with all the bells and whistles then I would perhaps expect that but when all you have is a field with the grass being cut once a week if you are lucky then I don't see the difference.
------------- We never get lost. We take the scenic route.
They legally can't charge you more for the electricity used than they pay for it!
So meters are good news in that legally they can't be overcharging and you pay for what you use. With an excess of your money locked in a coin meter you might have an interesting legal case.
To get round the law on most sites you don't pay for electricity used, only for the provision of it to your site, the amount you use being of no direct consequence.
This leads to "pigging out" by some campers and hence a high charge having to be levied on everyone for the provision of electricity to all.
We typically don't take it in summer and run off our solar system and gas, we have an adversion to funding others excesses.
If you go to a site that is all bells and whistles i.e bar/restaurant, shop etc; the campsite is getting more money out of you for the use of these facilities...you are still just renting the same old patch of grass so why does it cost more?
Seriously though, I have never yet heard of an expensive campsite failing to get plenty of customers. All the time there are people willing to pay there will be campsites willing to take their money...complain with your feet and go elsewhere.
I am still able to find campsites within my preferred price range. Yes, far more expensive than 10 years ago but then everything is. As a solo camper I sometimes suffer more than most because I usually have to pay for two people and the same EHU charges. Fortunately I am now finding many campsites are starting to charge per person, which for me is great but may cost families more and probably brings in more for the campsite too.
As for the electric well, for me, it's what my total bill is more than what it pays for. If I think it is too much I look around for something cheaper and I am usually successful.
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