Caravan and Camping Club-disillisioned member?

[Guest peter]

Bazza454 - 2007-07-30 11:14 PM

peter - 2007-07-30 11:09 PM Hello Frank! Still banging on about the Caravan club I see. Nothing changes does it?. I happen to think their sites are very good and better run than the C&CC. No little man on his bike directing you to your pitch and checking if your van is dead straight. I don't like the prices of either club so only stay on them when neccessary.

I think that if you read all the posts on this thread, Frank is actually complementing the CC, not criticising it.

I know he is Bazza. It's one of his passions in life. I was merely balancing it out so it doesn't look like I am against the C.C.

[Guest caraprof]

Mmmmm, your post is a bit confusing Peter, but we'll let that go.

You are right however, I do have a passion but it's for fairness. I suppose that it comes from my role as a retailer and my growing annoyance with what I would call unreasonable consumer expectations, which seems to be getting worse.

I hate it when people denigrate the CC or C & CC or any other organisation for some minor error. You have members who have a bad experience with one warden out of a thousand, or who have a problem booking a site and sudenly the whole club or firm is rubbish and run by charlatans. They then often cut off their nose to spite their face and leave a club which otherwise provides them with superb facilities.

A wonderful example is the recent thread headed something like 'Ripped off by Caravan Hospital' where some guy was charged £800 to replace a shower and his insurers only wanted to pay him £600.

So what's his first reaction? "I've been ripped off by Caravan Hospital." So he joins a forum for the sole reason of possibly libelling a repairer whose price may well have been fair.

Now it could well be that he was overcharged but it could also be that the insurer was in the wrong. But of course his immediate reaction was that he'd been 'ripped off'.

It's this sort of unfairness that I object to and I and a few others explained to him that before he libels a firm, he should check his facts.

So yes Peter, I have a passion, but it's for fairness and reasonableness when dealing with any firm or club. It's particularly galling with clubs because anyone who really understands how they work knows that they are run by the members for the members. What better way can there be?

Right, I'm off on hols now to stay on one or two CC and C&cc sites and the odd private one too I hope.

Keep well!

[laikaman]

I am not against either the CC or the CCC. as some people posting are suggesting indeed I am a member of both, all I asked was why is not possible to book 1 night on a CCC? and have the people who are running them lost sight of who the clubs should be for, members or non-members?

[cedric]

We are members of both,The C-C-C is far more friendlier.By the same token

we use a lot of C-L,s & C-S,s. Cheaper= nice location,s It,s all down to the

preferences of the Member,s

Cedric AKA Dave or Pilote B-)

[CliveH]

 

 

Hi laikaman

 

I would suggest that the reason why one night stays are not welcome is that the site owner finds it expensive and let’s face it most sites can hardly make a huge profit out of a one night stay at between say, £15 to £20.

 

As we live in the New Forest close to the Ports of Poole, Southampton and Portsmouth we are familiar with most of the local camp sites. All of which do not allow single nights stays because they find people that want them are just passing thro' on their way to the Ferry's. As such "single nighters" are never going to use the facilities on site and could block another camper who wants a pitch for the whole week.

 

We know this because we have been approached by many friends asking us if we know of a single night stay camp site for them to use as they have a ferry booked early in the morning!

 

As for those who wish to rant - let them! - There are more people on this Forum determined to take offence than any other I know.

 

Personally I think it funny that when they go off on one - you can post a "poke them in the ear" post and come back days later and they are still at it!

 

 

(lol)

[laikaman]

Thanks Clive and yes I do see your point. However these 2 clubs should be run for the benefit of its members.We have had a reply from the CCC this morning and they are going to discuss this rule so we shall see, although I am sure not alot will change as this must have been raised before.

[howie]

CliveH - 2007-08-01 7:38 AM

 

 

 

Hi laikaman

 

I would suggest that the reason why one night stays are not welcome is that the site owner finds it expensive and let’s face it most sites can hardly make a huge profit out of a one night stay at between say, £15 to £20.

 

 

 

 

(lol)

I,m not sure if "not welcome" is the right phrase Clive, but we often feel a reluctance on the part of the site wardens/owners when trying to book ahead for one night only.

It might be that both the C.C. and the C.C.C cater predominantly more for caravanners who might book in for a week or a fortnight and use the site as a base for touring the local area etc, as opposed to motorhomes, of which i,m sure the majority use these sites as a convenient stopover before moving on and touring other areas.

Sites just for this kind of touring may be asking to much, but room for one nighters on the lines of pitches for late arrivals, which many sites operate , would help, although this of course comes back to your point of whether or not it can be justified from a financial viewpoint.

 

 

[breakaleg]

HI i bet the same site owners would object to a large aire being opened to accomodate the motorhomes that couldnt find a site for a night.?

pete

[Brian Kirby]

laikaman - 2007-08-01 11:57 AM Thanks Clive and yes I do see your point. However these 2 clubs should be run for the benefit of its members.We have had a reply from the CCC this morning and they are going to discuss this rule so we shall see, although I am sure not alot will change as this must have been raised before.

In the interim, did they explain why the rule was introduced in the first place?  It seems perverse, so I assume there must have been a reason. 

Maybe, at the time, the administration of a booking was deemed expensive relative to the return on a single night?  However, with on line booking, that cost shold now be close to zero.  Can't really be pitch blocking, as they'll take bookings for any number of nights over one.  In principle, after all, someone who books two nights blocks a one week booking just as effectively as someone who books a single night.

However, I've never really been able to understand why the clubs have become so fixated about booking.  When we first got our van we wandered up the East side of England, crossed to the Lakes, and back down the West.  Stayed at a mix of CC and CCC sites, only booking York and Keswick for obvious reasons.  I got quite fed up with being "told off" by wardens for just turning up at sites without booking!  Not all, of course, but Cambridge (about 75% empty when we arrived) had quite a paddy about it.  The one site that didn't bat an eyelid was an affiliated (so not club run) CCC site; so maybe its about extra work for booking in the unbooked arrivals. 

That, and the fact that I somehow suspect the decision to become wardens is driven by one member of the couples involved.  We noted that one frequently seemed a bit moody, while the other was in his/her element.  His mainly: all day long droning round on "his" mower removing another 3mm of grass, while she manned the office and cleaned the washblock.  Hmmmm.

[CliveH]

We have only ever had one officious type try to tell us what to do and exactly where (to within an inch it seemed!) he wanted our caravan.

 

He said "that won't do" - I said it will and told him to bugger off.

 

He threatened to have me thrown off the site - I told him he could try but would he first like to talk to the CC which I was just about to phone on my mobile to complain about his stupidity.

 

At that point he did bugger off and we had no more problems.

 

But this was the guy that followed me on dog walks to check that we picked it up. He also was seen to tell off a young couple with a small dog when the dog played with a mole hill.

 

A few of us decided at one of those spontaneous meetings you sometimes get on a camp site that he was a recently retired parking attendant.

 

 

But all the other wardens have been totally great - both husband and wife.

 

[laikaman]

Thanks Brian

Your post made me chuckle, yes what is it about the fixation that wardens seem to have about getting the old sit on out and the continual mowing day in and day out. and no they didnt say why this 1 night rule had been introduced only it was for the benefit of the members. We have replied asking how does this rule benefit the members we are still waiting a reply.

[Guest caraprof]

I'm back from a week in the North-East and this was my experience.

Our first night we headed for Hexham and rolled up at the C & CC site. Unfortunately it was full but the warden, who was apologetic about having no room, offered to let us use the lavatories and fill up with water etc. if we wished to.

We found a small private site which was OK but its sanitary facilities weren't a patch on either of the clubs.

Our next stop was Berwick-upon-Tweed and not wishing to take a chance we phoned the CC site and were offered a pitch for the one night that we wanted. Beautiful site, friendly wardens and the usual good quality facilities.

The following day we drove down the coast and called in on the off-chance at the C & CC site at Beadnell. They had a pitch available and we spent the evening admiring the superb view over the sea as this site is in a superb location. There was no problem whatsoever booking for just one night so I can only assume that this minimum two-nights rule does not apply to all sites.

We then had a night at the CC site at Rothbury, again we hadn't pre-booked and phoned them before we set off to make sure that they had a pitch.

We then went on to the CC site at Durham, the only one that we'd pre-booked as we'd an engagement over the weekend. We'd booked three nights but this morning, after two nights and for reasons I won't bore you with, we decided to come home. I went in to see the warden to give her the barrier key and explained that we were leaving early. I wasn't bothered about the fee as to my mind, a deal is a deal, and if you book for a night, which may reserve a last pitch and preclude someone else from coming, then I've no problem in paying for it.

The warden would have none of this and insisted on refunding one day's fee!

All in all, a most satisfactory few days, with the only site a little lacking being a private one, but to be fair it was a small one run by a farmer making a few extra bob.

[Guest Syd]

Please feel free to rip my head off

 

I would like to propose that

 

Most members of the clubs that complain do so because they are too mean to pay a fair price for a fair deal.

 

Any seconders

[JohnP]

Some of you obviously have strong views on the clubs. Here is your opportunity to have your say with the CC.

 

The Club operates a number of Regional Committees which offers feed back from members up to the Club.

 

The Regional Committees are always on the lookout for "ordinary" Club members (ie not registered to a Centre) to serve on these committees.

 

For information on the Regional Committees go to www.northernhomecountiesregion.info this has links to the other region.

 

If you do not want to become a Committee member you could always attend the Regional AGM in your area and put your views forward.

 

Not all members of the CC Committees listed in the handbook are caravanners. They may be Club members in that they have paid a subscription but some neither use or even own a caravan. You do not have to own a van to be a member.

[Col]

Syd - 2007-08-06 11:11 PM

Syd says

Most members of the clubs that complain do so because they are too mean to pay a fair price for a fair deal.

 

Not fair Syd. Many complaints are about attitudes encountered. I have not used the either club much but have only met one difficult warden and many very pleasant ones.

I do have a gripe with the CCC about the Keswick site rules about having to stay for 3 nights to get electricity and even longer in the summer. I know it is a big and busy site but it is not fair on many working people who cannot manage a 3 day weekend. On the other hand I do like their off-peak over 55 reduction.

Col

 

 

[Guest Syd]

Col - 2007-08-08 8:39 PM

 

Syd - 2007-08-06 11:11 PM

Syd says

Most members of the clubs that complain do so because they are too mean to pay a fair price for a fair deal.

 

Not fair Syd. Many complaints are about attitudes encountered. I have not used the either club much but have only met one difficult warden and many very pleasant ones.

I do have a gripe with the CCC about the Keswick site rules about having to stay for 3 nights to get electricity and even longer in the summer. I know it is a big and busy site but it is not fair on many working people who cannot manage a 3 day weekend. On the other hand I do like their off-peak over 55 reduction.

Col

 

 

Morning Col

Just threw that remark in to spark some controversy, please dont take it seriously.

Im a member of the CCC but I dont know why though. I very seldom use their services as I find it easier to do it myself, they never seem to have a site where I want to stay anyway, especially on the continent.

I was a member of the CC but dropped them after getting sick of reading complaining letters in the magazine, plus after pestering me for months to take out their credit card they refused me one when I did succumb but refused to give me any reason other than "we have found something" and to top it off they refused to insure my caravan.

 

I dont rate either of them very highly but they are so big my little membership being dropped will go entirely un-noticed by them won't it and there lies the problem

[CliveH]

As I live in a very rural area - we tend to use the NFU a lot - mainly because we have to drive off road a fair bit and were surprised to learn that a major insurer would not cover us unless our Discovery was on tarmac.

 

No such nonsense with the NFU

 

However, when we changed our caravan from a single axle Avondale to a twin axle Bailey, NFU would not insure the Bailey because it "was too big".

 

My first port of call was then the CC who were truly excellent and had us covered in minutes over the phone.

 

My point is that both the NFU and the CC are good organisations in my view. But both suffer from the big organisation malaise of not being able to pander to everyone’s whim or need.

 

The only firms I will not use on principle are those that use call centres rather than a local branch.

 

So my business bank account is with RBS - Direct phone to my branch. My personal bank, HSBC, whilst only 5 min walk away could only offer a Call Centre in India for my Business account.

 

My car insurance is with NFU - again direct phone to local branch - excellent service but why do they not insure a British made caravan because of its length?

 

My caravan insurance is now with the CC - again direct phone call to East Grinstead and the jobs a "good-un"

 

The CC cannot please all of the people all of the time - no organisation can. But we can all make that difference by selecting what WE want and telling those organisations that try to foist bad service on us. Blanket condemnation of an organisation is no use – that just labels you as a nutter in most peoples eyes.

 

But then as proved by the NFU “letting me down” over the caravan insurance, even good organisations you respect can have some silly rules that bite you. So sycophantic support of any organisation labels you a nutter in my book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[donna miller]

CliveH - 2007-08-09 9:23 AM

 

 

However, when we changed our caravan from a single axle Avondale to a twin axle Bailey, NFU would not insure the Bailey because it "was too big".

 

 

We had this trouble when we had caravans a few years ago. We had a twin axle Hobby, which 80% of insurers wouldn't touch because of the amount that were stolen by (alleged) travellers.

Any way, after it WAS stolen and we looked at replacing it, Many others didn't want to know about other big twin axles for pretty much the same reason. Thats when we decided on a M/home.

 

We have got pretty much everything insured with NFU apart from the M/home because we found that their policies for it were pretty basic.

[CliveH]

Hi Donna

 

We only went for the twin axle because it has a fixed bed and we got fed up keep having to make the bed! - So pure laziness on our part.

 

A few caravanning friends said "Oooo! - you will find TA 'vans not welcome on many sites!" - with much sucking of teeth and shaking of heads.

 

So I rang arround and/or emailed the sites we have used before or have thought about using. And the result?

 

Not one said that TA caravans were a problem and I specifically asked the question.

 

In fact two sites emailed back and said that the TA "problem" was basically a myth!

 

As for "Travellers" nicking caravans - they certainly try - We have the Dorset Steam Fair each year and last year the police checked every caravan in against its CRIS number and recoverred 8 stolen caravans!

 

Bloody well done the Dorset Old Bill!!!

 

The "cackers" as they are also known who come to the fair also wander round trying to nick any equestrian stuff they can. Scum of the earth.

 

 

 

[Guest caraprof]

On holiday in France last year, we found some sites that stated that they would not take any twin-axle 'vans. Obviously, we saw this for what it is, an attempt to keep out 'travellers' whilst not finding themselves sued for 'racism' or whatever.

To be fair, I never found out if, when an obviously 'normal' family arrived in a TA 'van, they would turn a blind eye and let them in. However, if they did, they then leave themselves open to the same discrimination charges!

So Clive may be basically right, in that it is an exaggerated problem, but nevertheless, it does exist, certainly in Europe.

[donna miller]

Hi Clive,

Ours was pinched off of a site in Devon, they broke off 2 wheel clamps and lifted the van up with a tractor to tow it up a terraced field, complete with hitchlock, at 3 in the morning.

The police said they usually know when a big van will be nicked, because a 4x4 goes earlier in the night. Ours was the 8th that month, all big twins.

They also reckon it would have been out of the country by dinnertime.

 

I wont comment on the fact there was a large fair 2 miles away.

 

[Thai Bry]

CliveH - 2007-08-10 8:39 AM  In fact two sites emailed back and said that the TA "problem" was basically a myth! 

Not really, as I know of a particular site up in the North East - a favourite of ours as there is nothing to do but relax, no club house, 3 amp electric,no heated shower block, ect,ect,ect.

They have this year displayed a sign saying "No Tag Axle Vans" allowed, they are also a C&CC site.

Thai

[CliveH]

We must be much more accomadating in the South Bry!

[Thai Bry]

Clive

Should state that I think this applies to caravans & not M/Homers

Thai

[Guest Syd]

For three years plus now I have had a large Tabbert caravan, had the same insurance problems as mentioned previously, in all that time though I have never come across any site that has refused TA vans, not in the UK or Europe and I have been to a great number of sites.

This is the first I have heard of it.