Show membership card
of all the CL s I have stayed in, not one of them has asked to see my cmhc membership card. I wonder whether therefore if non members are using these sites.
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I've never been asked for it when arriving on site. I sometimes get asked whsn making a phone booking but always volunteer the number when not asked.
As to whether non members are staying on site I would be surprised if one or two don't play the system. Maybe former members or relatives of members and I am sure that out of over 2,200 CL sites a few owners will turn a blind eye. However I do believe most owners are straight about bookings. At least I hope so.
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We have been asked by CL owners at least a couple of times on this trip to see our cards, and one has even take note of the card details, although I did supply it when booking. I always give my number whenever I book a site either by phone or by e-mail.
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We have used dozens of different CLs down the years. Most ask for membership number when we book, or ask for card when we arrive, a few don’t bother. It’s not something we stress about to be honest, and in over a couple of decades, we have never encountered anyone who obviously wasn’t a member. The website only allows Members to view full CL details, although they might be available on other websites.
If I am being really honest, I don’t think being a Member influences behaviour any different from being a none Member. There are (mainly) good and (a few bad) examples in both camps.
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The website was updated quite a while ago TDA and the CL section is visible for anyone to view.
Like others we usually write our membership number on emails etc but have rarely been asked to provide a card. I can't say it's a major concern for us.
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There is a text check facility for owners to verify membership numbers. I check every membership number in this way and it tells me whether they are current members, membership expired or 'unkown'. I then act on that information accordingly.
As a consequence I don't check membership cards on arrival unless it's someone who turns up on speck and we have an available pitch for them.
I do know many other CL owners also use the text check facility.
Nicola
www.skybarnfarm.co.uk
Telephone: 01522 681218
Email: enquiries@skybarnfarm.co.uk
Site 920, page 392 of the 2019/2020 Sites Directory
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Didn’t know that brue. It still insists I log in to view CLs I think, but I might be wrong.
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As Nicola - Skybarn Farm CL
As a CL owner I also use the CAMC text service to validate membership numbers when they book. So I don't check membership cards on arrival.John Clifton
NEWTON GROVE, Barford Road, South Newington, BANBURY, OX15 4LN
E: newton.grove@btconnect.com,
P: 07722 918265
W: https://newtongrove.co.uk/
Caravan & Motorhome Club Site Directory 2018/19 no: 1232 (p431)
Map coordinates of pitching area are: (lon.) 51.99806, (lat.) -1.403697 SP 441041 232984
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And what about frequent "no show" members, ie those that don't turn up following a booking and don't inform the site owner. Do owners exchange names & membership numbers of them in their private forum?
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I have just opened a new CL Cherry Cottage www.cherrycottagecl.com and have been provided with the details of the text service, as a member I wasn’t previously aware of this. Excellent idea and a service I will use to check all members details prior to arrival.
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Like Nicola at Skybarn Farm and John at Clifton Grove, we take membership numbers as part of our online booking process, I then check those against the CAMC service. Without photographic ID being part of the card, there is little point in checking that the card presented on arrival is the person concerned, they may have 'borrowed' the card of a relative or friend.
It is not yet clear to me, although I have a pending question with the CAMC, what sanctions are available to CL owners should they have problems with a member.
Anyone can become a member, there is no vetting (as there was in the very early days of the club). So is it up to Campsite Wardens and CL owners to report to the Club those that they feel don't abide by the ethos of the Club? What is that 'ethos'? How many times can a genuine 'member' cancel or be a 'no show', or overstay their booking (or the 28-days) and refuse to move from a CL site before they are warned or sanctioned? What about early-departure without paying for the full booking, or being rude, obnoxious or too loud late at night?
Thankfully, problems of this nature very rarely happen, but in the recent weeks there have been paid-up 'members' visiting some CLs that have not been the type of member most of us would 'expect'. Is there a procedure for ejecting these from the Club? What is the procedure? It's far from clear to me.
Maddie, perhaps you could enlighten us.
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Not the right type of visitor. I love it. Were they not proposed and seconded for membership in the proper way ?
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The behaviour expected from members (and their guests) is clearly laid out in the ‘Club Site Rules’ and the ‘Club Bye-Laws’. For non-members there is also a set of rules published on the Club website at: www.caravanclub.co.uk/uk-holidays/uk-sites/tent-camping/non-member-club-site-rules/
Site Staff have the ability to ask individuals to leave site if anyone disregards the Club rules and disrupts the enjoyment of others and owners of Certificated Locations (CLs) are equally able to ask people to leave if they fail to abide by the Club’s Code of Behaviour and/or breach any local rules that are published for their site. Whilst fortunately a rare occurrence, and generally only used as a last resort, members can be suspended temporarily for a case to be investigated and the Club will fully support Site Staff and CL owners alike through that process. The Site Staff or CL owner just need to report each case to their Regional Manager or Head Office respectively to start a conversation about the best way forward at any given time. Ultimately, this might result in termination of membership for the member(s) involved in the worst cases; particularly where there is a proven unpaid debt, physical and / or verbal abuse and / or deliberate damage to property.
The Club is constantly looking at ways to best address the issue of last minute cancellations and ‘no shows’ and CL owners may take full payment on arrival (as at Club sites) to ensure that early departures don’t leave anyone out of pocket. If a member is unable to pay on arrival then there is no requirement to allow entry but it is accepted that CL owners make pragmatic decisions based on specific circumstances. It is, after all, their site to manage as they wish.
As stated in your post, thankfully problems very rarely happen but where they do, there is full support available if the Club receives full details of incidents, in a timely manner. We understand the disruption and will follow those through in the most appropriate manner.
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Rowena - Thank you for your reply and clarification. Good to know that the Club will follow up on clear cases of poor behaviour and possibly suspend members.
One point to note thopugh is that all the Club Site Rules etc. (as per your link) are just that; CLUB site rules - not rules for CL's. Each CL runs their own show and may have their own terms and conditions.
In the Handbook there are a couple of pages about what is expected of a member on a CL site. FYI I have scanned the pages here
This useful information was available here on the Club Website, but mysteriously disappeared, and despite a number of requests over the past few years has not been reinstated.
It might be handy if the Club could put this information back online. On social media, it seems that there are a good number of members who haven't got a clue about CLs and it would be nice to be able to point them at a page that explained a bit more about CLs and what the normal etiquette is. Few people would ever find these pages in the Directory!
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The last two CLs I have booked using the phone have both asked for my membership number, one only yesterday, and I think the last one I did on line also requested a membership number. A couple of years back this would not have been the case!
peedee
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You can't blame them for doing that either, peedee. Talking the other day to the owner of the CL we are at present stopping on, and she was complaining about a member who had gone out early in the morning of the day they were leaving, only returning late in the afternoon after having been asked to ensure that they left they leave by noon as the pitch they were on was required by a new visitor coming in at lunchtime, and they had then driven off with out paying for their stay. When contacted on the phone by the owner they said they would pay if she provided them with her bank details, as if she's daft enough to do that!! They have not sent their fees by cheque, surprise surprise.
I did advise her to contact the club's CL section and also the CL owners FB page to warn other owners of this persons name and membership number, as she is the newish owner of an old established CL. I'll also point Rowena's above post out to her.
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Perhaps it would be prudent to note the vehicle registration. That would make the individual traceable and then a small claims court action could be instigated. Tedious but if a few were made an example of perhaps it would nip such conduct in the bud. Alternatively "cash up front". Whoever it is, they should be thrown out of the club without any prevarication.
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We have been on both a Club Site and the odd CL where visitors have been requested to leave following unacceptable behaviour. (And no, not Travellers JVB, but persons who think they can behave probably as they do at home without due regard and respect for other people sharing a close environment, loud, abusive, drunken foul language, children and pets not supervised safely).
CL owners would get our full support if they found someone like this on their site. I think as the Club Site prices get ever higher, a larger percentage of members are trying out CLs, and not fully understanding the provision and respect required when being allowed onto someone’s private property. As for Club Sites, I find them way too lenient sometimes in terms of what is tolerated.
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