# Booking Rules - Are These Normal?



## DavyS (Jan 10, 2009)

Last summer we stayed at the much-recommended Bingham Grange site just north of Bridport in Dorset. They asked for a booking deposit which I refused but they accepted us - better than an empty pitch I suppose. The site was OK but too regimented for us so we stayed one night only.
Now I have received a Christmas card (nice) and a booking form for next year. The rules state "the money paid is non-refundable & the company recommend you take out holiday insurance". We never book in advance so I was quite surprised by that. Is it normal?
Furthermore they state "due to new European Legislation regarding age discrimination we are no longer allowed to offer our 'over 60's discount'. Surely this is tosh?


----------



## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

I think they are within their rights to charge a non-refundable deposit (not the full price?), but the other , absolute tosh!


----------



## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

_The site was OK but too *regimented* for us _

Isn't that why you bought a MH :?: :lol:

"By the left......." (Imagine the Sergeant-Major bark)


----------



## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

Not only are deposits "normal" for private sites but many on here are in favour of the CC adopting them to stop mass bookings/late cancellations!


----------



## Twm-Twp (Jun 14, 2012)

DavyS said:


> "due to new European Legislation regarding age discrimination we are no longer allowed to offer our 'over 60's discount'. Surely this is tosh?


Absolute tosh ........... will old age pensions be affected by this alleged EU legislation ...... it's discrimination (against the young ?) to pay a pension to the over 65's / 60's !!!!!! What crap .... we definitely will give this site a wide berth.

I understand sites charging a deposit against a pre-booked pitch providing it is deducted from the total cost of the stay, especially if you want a certain favourite pitch or whatever.

The only time we have paid a deposit and a non-refundable admin charge (25 euros) was at Camping Les Tamaris at Frontignan Plage. It proved to be a good decision because the site was packed during the entire month we stayed there last June ...... many days, we saw people queuing outside waiting for a vacant pitch !!!!!!!


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

aultymer said:


> Not only are deposits "normal" for private sites but many on here are *in favour of the CC adopting them to stop mass bookings/late cancellations*!


Spot on Aultymer. :wink:

Most of the CC booking problems are caused by selfish b'stards making loads of advance bookings, then picking and choosing according to the weather forecast.

OK - they are within "the rules" if they cancel with more than 72 hours notice, but how does that help those who (for whatever reason) can't book months in advance.

And speaking of "members" (_just to liven up the thread_ :twisted: ) what's the point of paying a hefty annual subscription only to find you can't get onto a site because many of the pitches are occupied by non-members? What's the point in paying for membership when that happens!

Discuss . . . or not, as you please! :wink:

Dave


----------



## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

I think it's perfectly reasonable for campsites to ask for a decent deposit refundable only if the booking is cancelled X number of weeks/days prior.


----------



## DavyS (Jan 10, 2009)

Sorry I did not quote enough of the Bingham Grange wording, which is "Payment has to be made in full 4 weeks before your arrival (please note that all money paid is non-refundable & the company recommends you to take out the holiday insurance offered with your confirmation)"

So it is not that you lose your deposit, but the whole booking fee. Furthermore it appears that they are trying to sell cancellation insurance.
Sorry if I am so naive about booking; its against my nature, we just turn up and hope for the best!


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Like many others I object to the CC charging a membership fee but not being able to deliver ........

pitches when and where we want them, when we used to try we struggled to get anywhere.....

OK if you happened to be available on 5th December this year, and could book the dates you knew you wanted and could get through on the phone or the web then you stood a chance of getting your bookings.....

But charging a deposit is normal - we have done that at a few on the coast here when we wanted sites and KNEW they would be busy - as many sites are during July and August.....

To quote EU law is fiction - the EU has only removed the chance to give a discount to females c/w males as it is discrimination - or so they have decided, irrespective of safety and accident statistics......

4 weeks is not unusual to not have a return of monies paid - their chances of reletting are small and they are allowed to claim for lost revenue, but if e.g. the fee included meals (OK not likely for a campsite) then it can be argued (successfully by programmes like Watchdog and the like) that the cost of the food cannot be claimed as you would not have ordered and paid for it weeks in advance....

Many tour companies etc state 6 weeks, some "cheap" hotel type groups will accept on the day cancellations since they are more likely to be able to resell the space.

Certainly that does not sound like my favourite type of camp site though.......

Dave


----------



## mikebeaches (Oct 18, 2008)

I guess a business will try to get away with whatever it can in its terms and conditions, that are to the financial advantage of the said business.

I'm totally unimpressed by the terms described by the OP, and therefore will not be considering the site as a destination to visit or to stay at.

I can understand that a business needs to protect its own interests, but the details provided in this case went to far for my liking. However, if they can get away with it and have clients queuing up to make the commitment then fine.

As motorhomers we probably see things from a slightly different perspective to say a tent camper or tugger, because many of us enjoy the flexibility of moving on whenever we choose. Seasons also have an impact, so the terms and conditions might be OK for peak holiday dates, but for the rest of the year forget it, in my opinion.  

Mike


----------

