Attention!Caravan park Owners and Managers

jimbo · Guru

Attention!Caravan park Owners and Managers

Landfall · Guru

I/we haven't been to caravan park yet where the owner has forced us to come in. confuse

We choose where to stop and what to pay.

What's there to discuss confuse

It's a free market, owners of caravan parks are supplying a service for a price, just like any other business.

Ken

-- Edited by Landfall on Friday 26th of April 2013 07:44:47 PM

jimbo · Guru

Doesn't look good Jimbo says to himself.

Landfall · Guru

Like me, maybe they are confused on what you are on about? confuse

Hopefully, you don't expect a special price.

Ken

neilnruth · Guru

I think jimbo is wondering if there should be a difference and if not, why not? Let's hope there are some who will reply.

EllenajoeL · Senior Member

@Jimbo.....mate, I dont want to hog your thread here...... though I am a possible/likely CP owner in the near future; post sale of our farm and some well-earned downtime/travels....

and I am wondering what it is you wish to clarify with your post too confuse .

Jack Mac · Senior Member

I suppose they justify their prices on a site basis. Whilst it would be nice to get a singles rate, one is paying for the site and electricity (plus facilities). Apart from shower, toilet etc. a single uses up just as much space and for the most part electricity as a couple. I reralise they will charge extra for extra people but I'm sure that they will justify that by extra cleaning for more people etc.

If one were to rent a one bedroom unit they, I'm sure wouldn't get it for discount just because there was only one person and not two.

As with the way of the world today, business doesn't necessarilly charge what is fair, but what they can get.

If we choose, either by circumstance or design, to travel solo we just have to wear it or not. It's our choice.

rockylizard · Guru

Landfall wrote:
I/we haven't been to caravan park yet where the owner has forced us to come in.
We choose where to stop and what to pay.
What's there to discuss
It's a free market, owners of caravan parks are supplying a service for a price, just like any other business.
Ken

Gday...

I agree Ken ... and as in another post on here, a single takes up the same space as a couple, uses about the same amount of power and water - perhaps only one shower rather than two and one loo flush instead of two - but a "tariff is struck" across the industry and it has been determined on "$XX for two people" ... that's how it is.

I must admit that I am very pleased when they advise me that as a single I will get it a bit cheaper, (it doesn't happen often mind you, but it does happen) but I expect to pay "the tariff" - which is usually for 'two people'.

It is a bit like the 'stay two nights get the third free' .... or like where I am now - $29/night but $145 for the week ($20.70/night).

Ya vote with ya feet (or ya tyres for us travellers ) ... if ya don't like the price, move on

Cheers - John

Clare46 · Senior Member

It's not only caravan parks. I'm a single and if I stay in a hotel /motel I expect to pay double the twinshare rate. I'm going on a cruise on Sunday and for single occupency of a cabin I have to pay twin share rate plus 60% but I accept that if I want to use these type of accomodations I will have to pay.

I agree it's a nice bonus to get a reduced rate for a single in a caravan park which I have at times but it is not the norm.

jimbo · Guru

I would have thought it a simple Question...What do think of the difference in Solo's compered to couple's in regard to fees

Grams · Guru

Hi Jimbo,

I get exactly what you are on about. I think that if you go to a CP and the fees are $20 a night, it should be $15 or less for a solo traveller. A solo wouldn't use as much electricity as a couple, so I can't see why they should be charged as a couple. I agree they take up the same room, but not anything else.

neilnruth · Guru

I'm a little puzzled as to how a solo uses less electricity. A heater, the lights and the fridge would all use just as much power. The only difference I could see would be the shower in the toilet block - if it is electric hot water - because even there the lights are on whether there are one or two people using it. Hmmm.

Grams · Guru

Well when my husband uses electricity he uses all the lights, I don't. When I would cook for one it would use less electricity than for two, unless you are cooking with gas. I can clearly see where one person as apposed to two people using electricity does make a difference. But then if you both use the same amount equally then there's no difference I guess....but I certainly would not use the same as two people....that's way too much.

Landfall · Guru

So I gather, that since our caravan has a full ensuite, which we use, I should be entitled to a bigger discount (cut rate) because I CHOOSE to not use the facilities I have just paid for, although I entered the caravan park knowing that these facilities where there?

Oh and can I have a further discount, I won't be using the pool, the tennis court, the jumping castle, and as we are only overnighting, the laundry.

When I sold our business, people asked me why.

"Because I am sick and tired of dealing with the public"

Amen to that.

Ken

littledick · Senior Member

Gee jimbo, it appears there are a lot of park owners/managers on here based on the replies. biggrin

Dick.

neilnruth · Guru

I think we've all commented for that reason - there are no CP owners using this site. (Well at least jimbo's post hasn't flushed them out!)

GaryKelly · Guru

I empathize with what Ken said about dealing with the public. You need a thick skin for that... a lot thicker than mine.

Landfall · Guru

GaryKelly wrote:
I empathize with what Ken said about dealing with the public. You need a thick skin for that... a lot thicker than mine.

Thanks GK,

Mind you, we had more good ones than bad, thankfully.

Ken biggrin

NeilandRaine · Guru

Ok I am a grey nomad, at the moment I am managing a caravan park for a friend. We managed it for 4 years before going on the road.
A while ago I floated an idea that got heavily berated as self serving so I try not to get involved in the them and us thing.
We have tourist cabins with a flat rate, this covers two people, it is the same for powered sites. There is an extra cost for extra adults.
Ok here is the thing we used to give single travelers a better rate. Unfortunately a few stuff it up for all. You would be surprised at how many people
pay for only one or two but when they leave the numbers have usually doubled.
I know a lot on here think caravan park owners are just money grubbers, just remember they are business people who need to make a living.
While I am at it, more and more caravans now have washing machines and the cost of God given water and electricity is rising quicker than petrol. The parks used to be able to recoup some costs
with there pay laundries but now people expect the powered site fee to cover the extra water and power for the washing machine.
I can hear people say "But we don't have a washing machine" I hark back to what I said before a few can stuff it up for all.
At times I feel my skin is getting thinner as I get older.

pauline · Guru

I really do agree with what you have said NeilandRaine, caravan parks advertise rates for a site, that is what we park our caravan on .............a site.

Loki · Senior Member

As a solo in a small van, I hardly use any power, take up half the space of the average van and yet get charged as much as two people in a larger fully electric van (fridge, aircon, TV, etc.). However that is the way things are and I accept that - a caravan park is a significant investment and the owner is entitled to some return on the investment. What comes part & parcel with that is I am also set up for free camping (deep cycle batteries, solar, LED lights) so caravan park owners shouldn't be upset that I don't spend all of my time in caravan parks - I couldn't afford to travel if that were the case (I also add that most CP owners I've found reasonable). I'm happy with things as they are, I am able to afford to travel and am always happy that there are caravan parks I can pull into where I can use their facilities. This ongoing argument reminds me of the advice I was given when my children were young: "If they're all complaining the same amount, they are getting treated equally".

jimricho · Guru

Like most goods and services it's the market that determines the prices. If a park is full or near full in peak season it is not overcharging.

I was in Broome last month and while there I did the rounds of the caravan parks to check them out for future reference. They were all very empty as it was out of the tourist season and they are like that for eight months of the year. They have to recoup all their costs for a full year's operation in the four months of the tourist season. This scene is replicated in most of the places that are subject to seasonal demand.

It seems there are some members of this forum who resent the fact that park owners have a right to expect a not unreasonable return on a significant investment in both time and money. If caravan parks were a "licence to print money" there would be a lot more of them being opened up to take advantage of this.

GaryKelly · Guru

Interesting point raised by NeilandRaine about people paying for a single and then ending up with more people afterwards. I can imagine some people planning that little maneuver - booking in as a single and then having a friend or friends join them. As a kid at school, there was always a long queue at the tuck shop, so I waited until the prefect on duty was busy, and then walked in backwards hehe. He was too busy to realize whether I was coming or going. So the moral of the story is that there are probably scallywags like me out there waiting to take advantage of CP managers. BTW, I never told the priest about that in confession so it's purgatory for me I'm afraid.

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

... or sneaking ya mate/s (or girlfriend) into the drive-in under a blanket in the back.

We've all done at least some small thing to 'save a bob' - it's human nature I guess hmm biggrin

Cheers - John

Landfall · Guru

rockylizard wrote:
Gday...Ken
... or sneaking ya mate/s (or girlfriend) into the drive-in under a blanket in the back.
We've all done at least some small thing to 'save a bob' - it's human nature I guess
Cheers - John

Beat me to it about the drive-in's, John.

Ken

sandsmere · Guru

And I thought the rug in the back of the car trick was my idea ???????

brickies · Guru

Jim thanks for your post at lest someone other than me on this forum has an under standing of what it like to run a business , IF someone who has not done this grey nomad thing is reading this forum it would put them off taking to the road lately there is not much positive feed back about life on the road everybody out there are ripping us off and council not looking after us instead they are only looking after there rate payers . If I had the same trouble has a lot of people on this forum I would stay at home and mow the lawn

jimbo · Guru

Brickies! It's all part of the information H/Way Mate...New comers to the site will wish to know everything that the Nomad can come upon....zAnyway I am glad I got some useful Info from Those of you who have dealings with my question

ibbo · Senior Member

NeilandRaine wrote:
Ok I am a grey nomad, at the moment I am managing a caravan park for a friend. We managed it for 4 years before going on the road.
A while ago I floated an idea that got heavily berated as self serving so I try not to get involved in the them and us thing.
We have tourist cabins with a flat rate, this covers two people, it is the same for powered sites. There is an extra cost for extra adults.
Ok here is the thing we used to give single travelers a better rate. Unfortunately a few stuff it up for all. You would be surprised at how many people
pay for only one or two but when they leave the numbers have usually doubled.
I know a lot on here think caravan park owners are just money grubbers, just remember they are business people who need to make a living.
While I am at it, more and more caravans now have washing machines and the cost of God given water and electricity is rising quicker than petrol. The parks used to be able to recoup some costs
with there pay laundries but now people expect the powered site fee to cover the extra water and power for the washing machine.
I can hear people say "But we don't have a washing machine" I hark back to what I said before a few can stuff it up for all.
At times I feel my skin is getting thinner as I get older.

At the same time as your skin is shrinking the caravans etc are getting larger,more like mobile home units.These vans etc all use a lot more power than the old fashioned normal ones did.Caravaning is not the fun sport it was ten years ago.

jimbo · Guru

Geez! Shirls and I drove over 20 thousand Miles around the U S of A Their parks and area's are so much superior to our's They simply adjust to the trend of the day...We in Oz are so slow in picking things up due to the quick grab for cash.( I do blame the Utility companies for it all though.). And I would like to add for instance, the technology we have at our finger tips has been around the World three years ago