# Using ACSI Camping Card in England



## deefordog (Dec 31, 2013)

We've identified a few ACSI sites in Cornwall that we'd like to visit in May and the book/app confirms the validity of the card for the period we're travelling.

Then there's the question of payment so we phoned a few sites. Yes they all accept the ACSI card but methods of payment vary. All of the sites we've looked at are 16 euro a night so, at today's rate of 1.4 euro per £, that's £11.43 and we'll use that as a baseline - some sites say they charge £17 in May and will reduce that by £3, so £14 net. Others say 16 Euro less 3 (3 what?), so £13. Others just seem to pluck a cost out of the air. Suffice to say that not one has said "that'll be £11.43 plus any extras such as extra electric etc.." (4kw/6A allowed in the ACSI card price).

We can get some Euros but none of the English ACSI sites seem to want to accept them. Surely they should be converting the 16 Euro back to £ on the day that you pay based on the Euro rate on that day?

Or am I missing something and expecting too much from UK camp sites?


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

quite right, they are in the book, and should strictly speaking take Euros. If not, the equivalent on the day in sterling. there may be something in the small print about exchange rates, will have a look.....

of course it MAY be cheaper to pay their going rate rather than the flat ACSI rate, but that is always a proviso wherever you go!


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

I have often wondered what exchange rate would be used for UK sites.
Seems to me Rip Off Britain applies again.
Maybe you should send an email to ACSI.
We have used ACSI in Switzerland where we could pay in Swiss F or Euro and the rate was correct, however taxes are extra and some tried to charge for showers and compulsory specific coloured waste bags, others just the tax!


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

page 18 of part 2:-

"At campsites in countries which use currencies other than the Euro, you will normally pay in that country's currency. The .....rate will be converted to that currency. .....exchange rates are subject to fluctuation"

I would interpret that as the exchage rate on the date of the stay, but that may not be entirely practical, so they may well set a rate that will apply through the season? allowing some fluctuation at €1.38 / £1or thereabouts, the €16 rate would be approx £11.60. if they charge more than £12, they're taking the wotsit!!:frown2:


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## deefordog (Dec 31, 2013)

Will let you know how we get on!

Have also sent an email to ACSI.eu. Will be interesting to see if they reply.


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## deefordog (Dec 31, 2013)

This is really getting to me :serious:...........


There's a site in St Agnes, Cornwall - Beacon Cottage Farm. With the ACSI card, a night here is 16 Euro (£11.43) between 27th March and 3rd July. Their price in June if booking direct is £18 (no EHU) plus £3 for one dog and maybe another £4 for electric. (The ACSI price includes one dog). So £25 instead of £11.43. This is why I'm desperately trying to sort out this Euro issue.


Ok, so they may want to charge a bit more for EHU but I can live with that. I feel yet another phone call coming on.


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## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

deefordog said:


> Ok, so they may want to charge a bit more for EHU .....


?? But ACSI includes EHU or have I misunderstood you? Edit: have just re-read your original post. I understand now (EHU over the basic limit). But would they have the means to meter your individual consumption?

Good luck with your quest and keep us posted. The same thought had occurred to me but I have no need/desire at the moment to visit any of the UK sites. I had thought of visiting one near Folkestone just to see what would happen.

JohnW


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

Wizzo said:


> ?? But ACSI includes EHU or have I misunderstood you? Edit: have just re-read your original post. I understand now (EHU over the basic limit). But would they have the means to meter your individual consumption?
> 
> Good luck with your quest and keep us posted. The same thought had occurred to me but I have no need/desire at the moment to visit any of the UK sites. I had thought of visiting one near Folkestone just to see what would happen.
> 
> JohnW


John

I think the "standard" electric hook-up included in the ACSI rate is up to 6 amps. So they may be able to add on a bit if their supply is 10a or even 16a?


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

We stayed in a campsite near Oxford last year, on our way to the tunnel. We just paid, in sterling, the exact amount converted from Euros. The campsite checked the conversion rate each day.

For that, we got all the usual things included, EHU, one dog free etc.

If you find a site that charges more than the ACSI price, converted to sterling, or that doesn't include everything that should be included in the price, report them to ACSI, and tell the site that you will be doing so. 

It is most unlikely that a UK site will want paying in actual euros. If you have access to wifi, you can check the conversion rate yourself before you check in.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I booked into Woodlands Park a while ago. I rang them up to check availability, then advised them I would be using ACSI. "Thats fine, just let me check the exchange rate..... (pause)..... Its currently 1.4 Euro's to the pound so that works out at .....(pause to sound of calculator being used)........ ???/ pounds, can I have your card number please?"

So they certainly understood the process and gave me the rate of exchange on the day I booked.

Andy


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## sabino (May 20, 2011)

Last summer on the way to ferry at Poole, we stopped the night at The Fairways, Bridgewater. They converted the 16€ to pounds.

BTW Easyriders, could you let us know the Oxford site you mentioned. 
You said that "we got all the usual things included, EHU, one dog free etc." and our daughter was looking for a dog and it sounds a great offer. Thanks.


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## deefordog (Dec 31, 2013)

Have left this topic alone for a while to see how some of the ACSI we've been to and spoken to have performed. 
The most we should have been paying on the 16 euro sites should have been around £11.50 to £12 depending on the exchange rate. Some sites want their standard rate of say £17 less a £3 discount, so £14 net. Yes, I know we're getting more for our money with 16A electric but that's a problem for the site to sort out, not ours. We've also contacted many other sites in England/Wales and this seems to be the norm - very few offer the exchange rate on the day.

Suffice to say that I've had a reply from ACSI today and they have said that they will be contacting the sites in England to clarify costs and how they charge - good result hopefully.


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

Interesting thread.

As a slight aside. Anyone on here use the ACSI ID card which is MEANT to be used as , not surprisingly, Identification purposes where booking into a site.??

I've learned that in Spain, it's a NATIONAL law that all campsites, (hotels etc too) are REQUIRED to demand passports (usually just photocopied then returned) and if refused the proprietors SHOULD (I presume MUST) refuse entry. So the ID cards are useless and a waste of money. Same , as regards ID purposes, with the CCI cards. Quite a few of the camperstop places also required passports, though not the smaller "basic" ones, presumably because they hadn't photocopying facilities.

Anyway- I emailed ACSI who at first denied knowledge of the requirement, but later agreed, and when I suggested that in next year's book they should warn people that the ID cards may not be accepted they said they would.

Any experiences please of using the ID cards without passports, either in Spain or elsewhere??


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## deefordog (Dec 31, 2013)

Good spot Telbell. Out of interest, how long did it take ACSI to reply to you? From my limited experience, they seem to take at least 5-7 working days :frown2:.


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

deefordog said:


> Good spot Telbell. Out of interest, how long did it take ACSI to reply to you? From my limited experience, they seem to take at least 5-7 working days :frown2:.


Yes it took a while-even longer to acknowledge that I was correct about non-acceptance of their ID cards.

Anyone else had issues re these cards?


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## suedew (May 10, 2005)

We had one of those last year, only asked for passports once, as passport details on the card
sue


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

suedew said:


> We had one of those last year, only asked for passports once, as passport details on the card
> sue


Where was that?

My passport details were on the card AND the CCI card but all sites in Spain still demanded Passports.


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## suedew (May 10, 2005)

Telbell said:


> Where was that?
> 
> My passport details were on the card AND the CCI card but all sites in Spain still demanded Passports.


Wish i could remember, but we were away for 62 nights, France and Spain, had my Driving licence in my pocket was, as expected, refused. Receptionist looked most confused when passport was same photograph lol.
Must add, that I didn't always offer the card hence why i haven't got 1 this year.

Sue


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## icer (Dec 11, 2006)

In Slovenia last year with ACSI card we had to provide both of our passports and they held onto them until we left.

Ian


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

icer said:


> In Slovenia last year with ACSI card we had to provide both of our passports and they held onto them until we left.
> 
> Ian


Another issues there: They shouldn't be holding onto them

Page 2, para 6 (of mine). "Caution......should not be passed to an unauthorised person"

Doubt if some part time employee of a campsite is authorised. Full time if it comes to that.

Technically then, not even to photocopy for records:wink2:
But holding on for a week or two?? Naughty!:surprise:


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## Debbie10 (Jun 19, 2011)

We stayed at Beacon Cottage Farm, St Agnes a couple of weeks and the exchange rate was definitely in their favour, considering the rate has been quite good (depends which way you want it to be), they charged us a rate of about 1.12 euros, it did include ehu and one dog, we had to pay £3 for the second dog, which the rules say. A lovely site, fantastic views and walking, clean facilities and when we went it was practically empty. Even then, one caravan decided to park right next to us, they did admit on the day we left they used us as a windbreak! Does get windy.


Another site in Cornwall charged pounds for euros.


Debbie


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

If asked to pay pounds for Euro's on a UK site I would point out what it says in the ACSI book. I.e all the prices quoted are in Euro's and NOWHERE does it saying for Euro's read pounds in the UK

If they insisted I would ask for a detailed receipt and take it up with ACSI as the book clearly states the price of a pitch is in Euro's. I always have a few hundred Euro's when we go away so if pushed I would simply slap the relevant number on the counter.

Just imagine that the exchange rate was the other way round and a Euro was worth MORE than a pound, what are the chances of then paying the same number of pounds????


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