# Paying european campsite deposits



## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

Ok this topic hasn't been discussed in a while and I'm wondering if there are any new ways to pay out there.
Campsite doesn't accept Credit cards or Paypal but does provide Postal address or IBAN/SWIFT bank transfer details.

Overseas payments seem very expensive, with Lloyds would cost £15 for a 100 euro deposit. 

I can't think of any other way other than send cash in the post, anybody had bad experience of doing this.

Anybody got another alternative? Can you make euro travellers cheques out to a person?

Cheers
Pete


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## takeaflight (May 9, 2005)

Hi Pete can't really help with payment options, but if you are going out of main season do you need to book in advance ?

just a thought
Roy


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## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

Definitely going high season, mid July, deposit essential and only 14 days to get it there. Campsites in the Italian Lakes are filling up fast!!


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## Carper (Aug 15, 2007)

pete4x4 said:


> Ok this topic hasn't been discussed in a while and I'm wondering if there are any new ways to pay out there.
> Campsite doesn't accept Credit cards or Paypal but does provide Postal address or IBAN/SWIFT bank transfer details.
> 
> Overseas payments seem very expensive, with Lloyds would cost £15 for a 100 euro deposit.
> ...


I had the same dilema, but Russell (Rapide561) is going to pay it for me, as he is going to be staying at the same site, but 2 months earlier than us.

If Russell hadn't made his kind offer, i would have just chanced it, and turned up on spec.

Doug


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

We have just booked three sites up in France. Two of them took our Nationwide card no problem and the other took a check which we posted to him. As far as I know this has not cost us any charges.

Richard...


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## RogerAndHeather (Dec 23, 2007)

We have just had this problem with La Rosaleda in Conil/Spain who insist on bank draft or cash. Because we were already in Spain, we took a chance and popped 60 Euros in an envelope and posted it - luckily it worked out OK this time.

When we spoke to them on arrival, they were aware of the high bank costs in the UK and advised us to use 'Registered Mail'. It might be worth investigating this option.

Regards, Roger


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## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

Yep I was going to send the cash International registered post which means it has to be signed for but that still costs £4-5. For a £10 Nat west will do a bank transfer.
Maybe I should open a Nat west account.......


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## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

'Airsure' from the Post office seems the way to go, you can use it to send cash in a letter, it has to be signed for and is secure. 
Compensation up to £34, however for an extra £2 that increases to £100 compensation for cash.
Costs £4.20 plus postage delivery guaranteed 2-4 days

Tesco for that 100 euro note then down the Post office for another £5.10 (90p postage to europe)....sorted


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## oldun (Nov 10, 2005)

Anyone tried seeing if payment can be made by Paypal or Nochex.

Very unlikely I would imagine but definitely cheaper than a Bank draft.

I visit campsites for a campsite guide and most now take credit cards. How often have campers come across this problem with paying deposits?


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## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

very few around Lake Garda take CC most are cash. Except he 1600 pitch ones but then they are a little too big for me!


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Paying a deposit*

Hi

There is a very cheap option....

If the site wants a deposit, buy travellers cheques for the value in Euro. You sign the travellers cheques as normal and they have a space where you can make the travellers cheque payable to a third party. Post it and away you go. You can always check if the cheque has been presented for payment.

Sterling cheques - if you send a sterling cheque - it can be converted to euros at the "other end" but the recipient will pay hefty bank charges and no doubt add these to the cost of your stay.

If you cross out the "£" sign on your cheque book, and change it to Euro.......like I sometimes do.......it's another story. The cheque will come back into the "LCCS" - the London currency clearing system. Both you and the beneficiary could incur charges.

I was asked to pay for a deposit on this site, but said I could not send one because my bank is actually a building society (known in Italy as a Risparmio - a savings bank) and could I pay cash on arrival. This was agreed. The email was sent in Italian though, and so I think this earns me a bit of cred!

R


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