The C&MC and use of electricity.

[Fisherman]

The CaMC are not in any dialogue with CAMpRA. The CCC are speaking to us and looking for more ways we can work together. Like most organisations normal inertia rules, but there are more articles on off grid camping in their magazine. They can only promote wildcamping by stealth as many of their members see us in negative ways. Their "service stop off" regime is great for us.

Yes I reckon the CCC are far more switched on, than the other lot.
But they need to change also, and hopefully they both will.
We need more of us on their boards, the old guard have to go.

 

[Wheelie]

Here you are: https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/contact/. From this page choose 'membership', 'how to cancel my membership', 'email the team', and fill in the form.

Don't make it easy do they? There again, why would anyone possibly want to leave?

Thank you so much. Cancelled! (Well, waiting for a reply to the emailed form...... if one ever materialises.)

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Thank you so much. Cancelled! (Well, waiting for a reply to the emailed form...... if one ever materialises.)

Me too. Membership due for renewal 1st July this year (and we are currently looking but still haven't found a replacement camper! )

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Many thanks for this pudsey, Mull is an absolutely stunning island. In terms of wildlife, scenery, and size it actually offers a lot more than Arran. But what Arran offers is a better more pragmatic attitude towards us. But then Arran is not full of English people who reckon that they are entitled to change how a place thinks and breathes, forgetting why they moved there in the first place. The fact that an active alien minority on Mull hate us won’t stop me visiting “our“ Island. Even Argyle and Bute’s abuse of car parking rights won’t stop us. I have to many fond memories of Mull to ever write it off my places to visit, and I and most of us have to much high regard for its beauty to ever do anything to spoil its beauty.

I do however have some sympathy for Tiree, and Barra. Because of the size of these smaller islands and their environmental issues, things need to be managed there. But not on Mull.

To misquote someone's forum signature.

Some people are lucky and born in Scotland.
Others wish they were born in Scotland.
And other's have no feckin ambition at all.

 

[merl]

Shopped at Go Outdoors yesterday. By being a member of the C&CC, got an extra 10% off. Handy bit of cash off. Don't think the Snobs club offer that (members too posh to go to Go Outdoors probably )

They give you 10% off oysters and caviar at Harrods

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I love oysters, make me get up and go, but then I forget where I was going and what to do when I got there

 

[Lefty]

Do the C&MC not do pitches where you can use without EHU?
I have never been a member of or used a C&MC site, but I know it is certainly something you can do with the C&CC as you say (used the Walton on Thames site and paid £7 for the pitch, no EHU. EHU was certainly there on the site at an extra cost and there was a post with an EHU socket around 10 metres from me.)

Personally speaking, if there was a reasonable per night charge for the ACCESS to EHU (so a bit like a standing charge on your home electric) and then a METERED charge, that would make a great deal of sense. But to keep the EHU charge the same AND apply a metered charge would be surely unacceptable both to their customers and the club management?

As a motorhomes and campsite owner I prefer non electric pitches. You can either have electric or not on my site. Up till now I have charged £5/night for electric. Just recently I had a small caravan come for two days he used over 50 kw of electric. I now still charge £5 but excess is metered and charged for. It’s cost me a lot money to make it fair for all.

 

[Drover]

No wonder they probably only give them a 10% discount

They get free stays at club sites on retirement after qualifying years are reached.

 

[Debroos]

As a motorhomes and campsite owner I prefer non electric pitches. You can either have electric or not on my site. Up till now I have charged £5/night for electric. Just recently I had a small caravan come for two days he used over 50 kw of electric. I now still charge £5 but excess is metered and charged for. It’s cost me a lot money to make it fair for all.

Sounds good. Where are you?

 

[mariesnowgoose]

They get free stays at club sites on retirement after qualifying years are reached.

That’s correct. My friends qualify for this and have made good use of it the last few years when not actually working (usually over a couple if months in winter, but have used it at other times too - they live full time in their caravan), but I understand this ‘perk’ is now no longer available for newcomers.

 

[Jaytee]

Emailed a mcc cl to ask if they would do a discounted rate if not using electricity. They said no as they couldn't isolate the hook ups...

We’re a MCC CL and we charge pitch plus metered EHU if wanted. Easy so don’t know why they couldn’t.

 

[merl]

We’re a MCC CL and we charge pitch plus metered EHU if wanted. Easy so don’t know why they couldn’t.

They could but they wont because charging for something that doesn't get used is easy money for them, simple.

 

[Eriba]

There is no problem at all, I purchased internet rechargeable meters from Bulgaria.
The guest is given log in key and password, download's an app and is able pay as they use and monitor consumption.
As a guide one property 1880s only electric heating, the bill for one month £600 roughly before installing, (that made me jump). After installing £50 roughly which of course the guest paid.
Firstly guests will abuse on tap energy, not monitor or reduce consumption, secondly once aware that they are paying become responsible.
Although this is a property not a motorhome, I believe the situation is similar,of course not of the same scale

 

[Fisherman]

They could but they wont because charging for something that doesn't get used is easy money for them, simple.

Even worse when they surcharge you for something you did not want or require in the first place.

 

[Fisherman]

There is no problem at all, I purchased internet rechargeable meters from Bulgaria.
The guest is given log in key and password, download's an app and is able pay as they use and monitor consumption.
As a guide one property 1880s only electric heating, the bill for one month £600 roughly before installing, (that made me jump). After installing £50 roughly which of course the guest paid.
Firstly guests will abuse on tap energy, not monitor or reduce consumption, secondly once aware that they are paying become responsible.
Although this is a property not a motorhome, I believe the situation is similar,of course not of the same scale

This is the organisation that tells us it loves to listen. But it seems they only want to listen when it suits them.
Its obvious that when people pay for something as a flat rate many will over use.
But its also clear that for 8-9 months of the year many in motorhomes don't need EHU, and don't always want it.
How many times and for how long have we been telling the listening club this clear fact, and what have they done.......Nothing.

This lot need to wake up and smell the coffee, before it loses many of its unhappy motorhome members.

 

[Harrytherid]

I cancelled my membership for just these reasons. I have written about the attitude of CMC before, vis a vis Baltic Wharf.

 

[gasgas]

And you think you have problems with site EHU's? I had an electric car. At one recharging point a diesel van took the electric car parking spot. At another, a motorway service the charger was out of order at 6pm on Friday. The notice on the charger explained why there was no answer, nor any answering machine at the company: Office hours 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. So no one who wanted to charge their car from 5pm Friday to 9am Monday could even report the chargers as being out of order. Then there was the time when we had diverted 30 miles off our direct route in order to charge the car at the only available place, a Nissan dealer in Oxford.
"Can I charge my car please?"
With a slight grimace " I am ever so sorry sir but last night our charger was stolen". They ran a mains lead out of the showroom for us and we took a two hour walk before we could continue our journey.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

And you think you have problems with site EHU's? I had an electric car. At one recharging point a diesel van took the electric car parking spot. At another, a motorway service the charger was out of order at 6pm on Friday. The notice on the charger explained why there was no answer, nor any answering machine at the company: Office hours 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. So no one who wanted to charge their car from 5pm Friday to 9am Monday could even report the chargers as being out of order. Then there was the time when we had diverted 30 miles off our direct route in order to charge the car at the only available place, a Nissan dealer in Oxford.
"Can I charge my car please?"
With a slight grimace " I am ever so sorry sir but last night our charger was stolen". They ran a mains lead out of the showroom for us and we took a two hour walk before we could continue our journey.

Wrong thread I think

 

[QFour]

Just read a letter on their rag.
Apparently they are struggling to pay their leccy bills, and are trying to change how they charge for it. They are experimenting with metering it, Last year they applied a levy to help cover their costs. I sent them a very simple solution. I have no doubt that metering won’t create cheaper initial prices. Knowing this lot they will charge the full fees, then ad on the leccy used. Here’s the letter I sent them, I would be amazed if it’s printed, it doesn’t saynice things about them.

I read with interest the article by Natasha Shane, your head of strategic product development and sustainability.

I have an extremely simple solution to your problem, do what the the Caravan and camping sites do and offer more pitches without electricity. Most Motorhomes have solar panels and don’t need or indeed want to pay for electricity nine months of the year. I have been forced to pay for something I don’t want or need many times on your sites. I bitterly resented the surcharge you applied last year. Being surcharged for something you are being forced to take against your will is a bitter pill to swallow. And I have to say you were the only ones during our travels who applied a surcharge. With the increasing price of overnight stays providing this cheaper environmentally friendly option makes perfect sense.

Yours sincerely

It would be nice if you were given the opertunity to have a non electric pitch. One CL we visit tried it. No EHU or EHU. People were going for No EHU then nipping out at night and plugging in. All the sites are going to struggle as more and more electric vehicles turn up with a cable and 13A plug. One site we visit has signs up asking people not to use electric heaters in awnings and to switch the heating off if they go out for the day. I have added extra solar so we should be pretty self sufficient now. Especially during the summer.

 

[barryd]

It would be nice if you were given the opertunity to have a non electric pitch. One CL we visit tried it. No EHU or EHU. People were going for No EHU then nipping out at night and plugging in. All the sites are going to struggle as more and more electric vehicles turn up with a cable and 13A plug. One site we visit has signs up asking people not to use electric heaters in awnings and to switch the heating off if they go out for the day. I have added extra solar so we should be pretty self sufficient now. Especially during the summer.

That is disgraceful. And people wonder why they dont offer a choice on many places. Its basically no different to shop lifting.