Price increases after booking confirmation

obbernockle
obbernockle Forum Participant Posts: 616
500 Comments
edited August 2022 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

We booked in December 2021 a club site for 5 nights December 2022. We received a confirmation email quoting the price of £204.

My Booking showed the price confirmed originally, but at some stage has been increased in line with today's advertised prices, to £213.50.

Is that normal policy? To advertise and sell at a price and then raise the price? It doesn't seem fair to me.

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Comments

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,138 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2022 #2

    It’ll be the electricity surcharge, no doubt. See the old thread Obbernockle -

    https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-together/discussions/sites-touring/uk-sites-touring/email-regarding-price-increases-2/

     

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,859 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2022 #3

    I received an email on 21st March 2022 explaining the increase due to electricity. Did you not get the same email?

    David 

    Dear Mr....

    We look forward to welcoming you shortly on our UK Club campsites.

    Ahead of your arrival, we wanted to give you advance notice that we’ll be making a small increase to our UK Club campsite prices for stays between 5 April 2022 and 3 January 2023 inclusive.

    The unfortunate and sad events which have engulfed the world in recent weeks have meant worldwide electricity costs have increased exponentially. In fact the Club's electricity costs are forecast to increase by an unprecedented amount of around 50% this year.

    The fairest way for the Club to manage the rising cost of energy required to run our UK Club campsites is for all members to pay a little bit extra when staying with us this year. This small price increase will support the Club in the face of the rising cost of energy and also help ensure that we can continue to reinvest in improving the UK Club campsite network.

    What this means for you 

    The increase will be between 70p and £2.50 per night depending on the season and the campsite you are planning to stay on. These calculations are based on a standard touring pitch and two adults.


    From 5 April 2022 you’ll be able to see the exact new price you’ll pay by logging into ‘My profile’ and clicking on the ‘My UK Sites Bookings’ section.

     

    There’s no need for you to do anything, on arrival at the campsite you will be charged the appropriate amount. 

    We appreciate this price increase will not be welcomed, however we would like to share that members have saved over £12.5 million on stays at our UK Club campsite network since July 2020, as the Club passed on the full Government VAT rate saving to members.

    We need your support to ensure our wonderful Club can continue to operate all of our amazing campsites at the same high standards during the busy summer season and into the winter, when we expect utility costs to rise further.

    What can you do to help  
     

    Below are a few hints and tips to help reduce the cost of electricity usage when you are staying on one of our campsites. 
     

    If you have a solar unit on your outfit please use it as much as possible
    Make sure indoor and outside lights, any heating appliances and electrical equipment are all turned off when you go out for the day and overnight  
     

    We want members to enjoy many holidays with the Club this year, so thank you for your continued loyalty and support, and we wish you an enjoyable 2022 season of touring.

    Best wishes,
    The Caravan and Motorhome Club
     

     
     
     


     

     
     
     

     
     
    To make sure we deliver to your inbox, not to your junk mail, please add theclub@mailing.camc.com to your address book.

    Privacy Policy | Update Preferences | Unsubscribe
     
     

  • wedgy
    wedgy Club Member Posts: 429 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2022 #4

    How benevolent of the Club to have passed on the full government  VAT rate saving. 

    Surely this was never open for debate??

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,426 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2022 #5

    Yes it was as I recall from previous threads, some companies did not pass it on. 

    Also while not being as you say fair it is in the booking T&Cs or written somewhere that the club can do this.

    If you feel it is unfair then you can still cancel, and of course you won't have lost anything, and find an alternative.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,138 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2022 #6

    Quite true. It wasn't mandatory to pass the reduction on because it was designed to help businesses, not customers.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,302 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2022 #7

    The C&CC didn’t, not on the bookings we made well before the announcement at any rate, the cost didn’t change. However, to be fair, they have also not increased those we made months ago to allow for the increase in electricity costs.
    In the case of the electricity, perhaps they have significantly  less advanced bookings due to deposits and they are able to cover it by just increasing charges on new ones.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,138 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2022 #9

    It was to help businesses in the hospitality industry because they suffered financially during lockdown. As we witnessed, once lockdown ended, there was a bow wave of demand and having to only pass on 5% instead of 20% to the Govt, helped businesses. Many holiday companies jacked their prices up to cash in on the boom so there certainly wasn't an element of helping the customer there!

  • watto64
    watto64 Forum Participant Posts: 162
    edited August 2022 #10

    The cut in vat did not reduce any profit the club should have made, it simply had a lower tax liability to pass via the VAT that customers pay. Business that did not pass it on simply made more profit from the customers.

    The club have hiked prices to regain the money lost during lockdown not the loss of tax the customer pays. 

    I dont mind prices increasing when i see value for money but one of the sites we visit have seen no investment in facilities, by which i mean improvement to toilets, stability of electrical supply at the pitch etc. and not spending it installing unused service pitches, glamping pods.

  • Unknown
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    edited August 2022 #11
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  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,138 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2022 #12

    I'm glad you can see how the VAT reduction benefited businesses but not necessarily customers due to the reduction not always being passed on. At that point, CAMC did the right thing by its members rather than pocketing the difference.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,302 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2022 #13

    and not spending it installing unused service pitches

    I would question wether they are underused. On the sites we stop on they are generally difficult to obtain and weekends accepted are normally well subscribed, despite there being plenty of standard pitches available. That’s even on all HS sites, so it can’t just be to guarantee surface type.

    Surely the club are just providing what members have been asking for, plus making another £5 a pitch night.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,044 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2022 #14

    I am sure that somewhere in the small print, it will say the Club can alter prices. It’s not the first time it has happened, we had a booking a couple of years ago to go to a cycling event, and the prices were raised after the initial price rise announcement. On that occasion, anyone with an existing booking got their stay at the original price.

    Club is much more hard nosed about charges now. I wouldn’t be surprised to see yet another price rise this Autumn at those few sites that stay open over Winter. All depends on where electrical supply costs go🤷‍♀️

  • wedgy
    wedgy Club Member Posts: 429 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2022 #15

    I recall the VAT reduction was sold as a benefit to the Economy i.e.everyone in society. If theclub had withheld the reduction I'm pretty sure the membership would have revolted 😄

    As for the Hospitality market the increases there were capitalism with a capital C   AKA GREED 😡

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,044 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2022 #16

    I don’t think most Members would be up in arms Wedgy. Most Members seem happy enough to go along with whatever the Club chooses to do, charge or change. 

     

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2022 #17

    I think it's standard practice to add a clause that prices can be subject to alteration, the "company reserves the right" is usually found somewhere in the Ts &Cs.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,044 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2022 #18

    Yes, very much so. Much beloved of mobile phone and media providers, not least.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,138 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2022 #19

    It's there somewhere along with words to the effect of it being the price at the point of payment being the contracted price.

  • wedgy
    wedgy Club Member Posts: 429 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2022 #20

    We are in York Rowntree Park shortly and I can tell you there are not many there who are happy to be paying 50 squid a night but most have a very specific reason to be there so have to bite the bullet. 

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,044 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2022 #21

    There you go😁 Folks moan, but they still go. We only stayed at YRP because we went to a specific event, and could safely take and leave our dogs on site. Mind we still grumbled at £27 per night. Nowadays, living only 45 minutes away, it’s far cheaper to drive there and back, and pay someone to dog sit for us🤣

    At the moment, Club is enjoying a rosy period where more are staying in UK, buying a second hand (o even new) outfit, and it’s still cheaper than going into a UK hotel or cottage. Once World gets back to pre pandemic, and more folks head back overseas, some of the general holiday prices might change. We are still picking up some decent Winter break cottage prices, paid £250 last December for a cottage right on Hadrians Wall. Not worth dragging MH or caravan out for that price. 

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,138 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2022 #22

    How can you speak for "not many" and "most", Wedgy? You're not there yet but seem to know the mindset of folk who will be there when you visit.

    Methinks that's speculation.

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,426 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2022 #23

    there are not many there who are happy to be paying 50 squid a night but most have a very specific reason to be there so have to bite the bullet.

    I've said this before but I personally can't understand anyone going on a holiday, knowing the price before going, pay on arrival and then feel unhappy about it. And do people really go about grumbling to everyone about it?

    I'm only speaking for myself but any slight unhappiness anywhere along the line when buying something will mean I won't buy it. I suppose I should add that yes sometimes I've bought things that were more expensive than I would normally pay and was left feeling unhappy but that's usually when faced with no other choice at all (lack of fuel, wine...). 

  • wedgy
    wedgy Club Member Posts: 429 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2022 #24

    Because we have already been 3 time this year and spoke to many regulars. 

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,138 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2022 #25

    They’re miffed at the price yet continue to pay it to the extent of becoming "regulars"? 

    I suspect, Wedgy, they’re just whingers and would moan whatever the price was. No sensible person would pay a price they were unhappy with on a "regular" basis. It defies common sense.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited August 2022 #26

    I'm unhappy with the price of petrol/diseasal ..... but I have to buy it on a very regular basis 🙄

  • wedgy
    wedgy Club Member Posts: 429 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2022 #27

    As I said " specific reasons for visits" 

  • wedgy
    wedgy Club Member Posts: 429 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2022 #28

    Spot on 👍

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited August 2022 #29

    It was the main subject at the site we have just returned from especially the older more sociable membership as whether or how much longer they can afford to use their RV/LVs

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,859 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2022 #30

    I wonder if the VAT reduction has been a bit of a double whammy in a strange sort of way? Whilst it was nice to have and I think it only ended in March 2022? So many are now seeing prices with the full VAT included and any annual increase added which doesn't help the impression that prices are rising exponentially? 

    David

  • wedgy
    wedgy Club Member Posts: 429 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2022 #31

    Spot on 👍