# Awning charge.



## kaacee (Nov 29, 2008)

I notice on several sites the tariff reads something like:

1 Unit 2 persons = £11.50

Electric hook up = £2.50


Awning = £1.00

Does this charge relate to wether you have one or that you actually use it. If you have one but don't use it are you exempt from this charge ???


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## Ian_n_Suzy (Feb 15, 2009)

gudlucker said:


> I notice on several sites the tariff reads something like:
> 
> 1 Unit 2 persons = £11.50
> 
> ...


Hi,

If you don't use one you don't pay, surely (well we never have).

Also, I always take it to mean a "privacy room" type awning and not the wind out one (that's a canopy to me).

Good Luck.


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## dawnwynne (Nov 14, 2009)

It's only if you use one....but I tried at one site to explain that it was only a wind out canopy and they said if it had poles that touched the ground it was an awning....and charged accordingly.

Daft really


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## Lavlark (Jul 18, 2009)

It has always baffled me for the awing charge. 

I really dont see why they charge for an awning. You pay for a pitch and that should be that - in my opinion.

Some might think that the wear and tear on the rest of the pitch is why there is an extra charge, but other things can cause this.

Charging for extra people is probably understanding, along with the usual HU and dogs.

Val


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## Mick757 (Nov 16, 2009)

Its nothing more than a money-making racket. Once you 'pay' for a pitch, that should be it. You should be free to utilise any accessory that will safely fit within it. I mean, they dont charge for tag axles as an 'extra', do they. On account of you having more wheels touching the floor.

I believe some of these wind-out canopy legs can be affixed to to the body of the van like struts. Would they then reluctantly waive the charge, as your awning/canopy would be 'off the ground'.


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## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

Mick757 said:


> I believe some of these wind-out canopy legs can be affixed to to the body of the van like struts. Would they then reluctantly waive the charge, as your awning/canopy would be 'off the ground'.


An interesting theory - has anyone challenged this on a site I wonder? If your awning isn't even touching the ground then it would be a bit of a cheek to charge you for it.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

I've always taken these extra awning charges as being a charge for the big tent type awnings that are erected by tuggers - any wind out "awning" attached to a motorhome is to me not an awning for their purposes!! :roll: . It's a canopy, and if they want to try charging me for it, I will wind it in and stuff them :roll: :x If they ask have you got an awning, I say no :x


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## gromett (May 9, 2005)

Exactly, I don't have an awning I have a Sun/rain screen, canopy etc.

I think this is aimed at people with caravans who put ground sheets down for a week at a time and damage the grass.

Karl


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Hezbez said:


> An interesting theory - has anyone challenged this on a site I wonder? If your awning isn't even touching the ground then it would be a bit of a cheek to charge you for it.


Yes Hez - being a stroppy git, I did on one occasion. 8O

I wasn't stroppy of course :wink: , and won the debate in the end by winding it out and explaining to the warden that we don't use a mat, and the total contact with the ground was no more than two stiletto heels - and a lot less damaging. 8O :roll:

Dave


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## Jodi1 (Mar 25, 2010)

Hezbez said:


> Mick757 said:
> 
> 
> > I believe some of these wind-out canopy legs can be affixed to to the body of the van like struts. Would they then reluctantly waive the charge, as your awning/canopy would be 'off the ground'.
> ...


Someone I know had a canopy on his caravan. When the site owner tried to charge him as if he had an awning because the legs were on the ground, he moved them to the attachments on the side of the caravan and flatly refused to pay. The site owner gave up and wandered off in a strop.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*UK*

Here is a question:

Has anyone been charged for an awning on the continent?

TM


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## jncrowe (Feb 14, 2009)

*awning~~how about a car ???*

We recently went to a site that charged us for taking our car !!
i pointed out that i wasn't going to move the m/h for the duration of our stay so why should i pay ?? caravanners aren't charged for their car but to no avail 
Five quid we got charged or pay a cancellation fee and go home 
we wont be going there again
ATVB 
Cath


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Awning*

Given the mess that some awnings/ground sheets leave behind, it is little wonder that some sites charge for their use and other sites ban them altogether.

Russell


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

I never pay for our sun canopy. When challenged I simply explain that it is a sun shade, it has no walls and cannot be used as a room, unlike a proper awning.
I even wind it in at night.

Dave p


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

*Re: awning~~how about a car ???*



jncrowe said:


> We recently went to a site that charged us for taking our car !!
> i pointed out that i wasn't going to move the m/h for the duration of our stay so why should i pay ?? caravanners aren't charged for their car but to no avail
> Cath


Thats wrong in my book - it narks me that our M/H takes up similar space to a caravan - yet if we towed/brought a car it could be more??


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

we have a simple choice. Stay and pay or move on.

Dave p


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> we have a simple choice. Stay and pay or move on.
> 
> Dave p


Oh, I agree - I'd never be getting into an argument on any site - we're on holiday after all


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## bozzer (Jul 22, 2009)

TM asked about abroad.
Orbitor site at Quarteira charges for awning, kitchen tent, and car/boat.

Jan


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> I never pay for our sun canopy. When challenged I simply explain that it is a sun shade, it has no walls and cannot be used as a room, unlike a proper awning.
> I even wind it in at night.
> 
> Dave p


I never pay as it is a Sun canopy its not an awning until I put the sides up and than it takes up space.
If they want to charge then we we dont use it.
Its bad enough paying all the silly prices they charge for the dog at some camp sites.


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

hmmm after saying that I googled and maybe Im wrong. :roll: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awning


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

The manufacturers (Omnistor, Fiamma etc) call sun canopies "awnings", so I guess that campsites are technically able to argue that their charge for an awning is correct. However since many campsites use the term "awning" to mean safari rooms do users of these things have a valid case for refusing to pay as an awning is a sun canopy and not a safari room?!
On the matter of cars, I was recently making an online booking that required me to pay an additional £12 for the toad. I phoned the site ready to have the argument about caravanners not having to pay for the car and was told to ignore what the website said as they don't apply that charge to people who telephone!


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## kaacee (Nov 29, 2008)

Thank you to everyone who have contributed to this debate, as a relative newbie I tend to accept whatever the site owners say and charge (within reason), it was just that some sites want to know if you have an awning when you book online and then charge accordingly, now obviously I have an awning/sunshade call it what you will, and technically I suppose I should declare this at the time of booking, the problem arises when I arrive on site and then decide whether I use it or not, if I do, ok I have already paid but if I don't, can I request a refund and more importantly, would I get it.

Not a massive problem in the scale of things, but I do like to know I am receiving something for my money. 

Maybe I will keep it closed up and then that will resolve the issue. :?


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

You've nothing to gain by paying for it in advance - particularly if you aren't sure if you are going to use it. If you pay for it and don't use it, are you really likely to get a refund? I suspect that some / many campsite owners / wardens may say "how do we know that you didn't use it" or just "sorry, no refunds". If you don't pay for it in advance, then three possibilities:
1) You don't use it and don't have to worry / argue about getting a refund.
2) You do use it and no-one asks you to pay for it. You may have therefore been "lucky" or it may be that they don't charge anyway for sun canopies. 
3) You use it and are asked to pay. You can then argue it, plead ignorance and pay it, say that you hadn't intended to use it but the weather was better than forecast, blame the other half for having opened it when you weren't looking .......


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

gudlucker said:


> I notice on several sites the tariff reads something like:
> 
> 1 Unit 2 persons = £11.50
> 
> ...


Hi

This has often been discussed on here so I will direct you to the answer I gave before ... that's what the PM says at questiontime so it has to be OK here :

>> It's a SUNSHADE not an awning... <<

Some sites are out to make as much as possible but most are not like that and do not wish to charge for a wind out sunshade ( a canopy) but when booking many folks drop themselves with a charge by saying "Yes" when asked if they have an "Awning"... many of those on reception at sites have never even thought about the difference and will happily charge you the extra if you admit to having an "Awning".

Mike


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## wobby (May 1, 2005)

On a site in Northern France, I ask "is there a charge for my Smart", to which the lady said we are not that mean! Now if they tell me there's a charge I point out that I was going to stop several days, but not if I have to pay extra for the car. I was caught out on a campsite run buy a Dutch guy just over the boarder into Spain, an extra €5 per night, never again.

As for our sun shade/awning I have never paid extra for it.

Wobby


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Can someone explain to me what these huge awnings are all about. I just got back from a long weekend in Flamborough on a fantastic little farm site (its in the database Wold Farm) and there was a great big caravan with an equally big full length awning. It was easily as big as the caravan. Now if I had bundles of kids I can understand the appeal. Make the little S*ds sleep in the awning but there was only two of them. Most of our motorhomes and caravans are pretty big and comfy. Whats the point of an awning? Please enlighten me. Or is it a size thing with tuggers?


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## Jodi1 (Mar 25, 2010)

The trouble with those big awnings is that they take most of your holiday putting them up. When we bought our caravan it came with a full size awning which we used when stopping at Trewethett Farm in Cornwall. Anyone who has been there will know that the wind doth blow, constantly and mainly strongly. We had to take it down in the middle of a gale before it took off taking the caravan with it. Having bent a few poles and torn part of it, it got chucked into the tip when we got home. We bought a simple pop up awning and were more then happy with that. The m/h canopy is just great and does the job. Nice not to have spend hours hammering in pegs and arguing with the OH


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## gnscloz (Oct 4, 2008)

locovan said:


> DTPCHEMICALS said:
> 
> 
> > I never pay for our sun canopy. When challenged I simply explain that it is a sun shade, it has no walls and cannot be used as a room, unlike a proper awning.
> ...


i dont declare awning if using canopy alone, now bought set blockers to make privacy room so ought to declare really, but as mavis states it takes up room, but its room on your own pitch, :?


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## kaacee (Nov 29, 2008)

Thank you spykal, from now on I will refer to IT as a sunshade not an awning.

Many thanks to all responders.


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