Campsite electric fees

sooz2710

Looking for advice from fellow season pitch holders. We have spent the last few years enjoying a start of season one off site fee (including elec) for our caravan on a campsite. However, this year, the fee has stayed the same but we’re being charged 28p per unit on top. 

During our first 24 hours on site, with minimal power used, we have clocked up a £9 bill! Surely this is not right or in fact legal to charge this. 

Spies

£9 = 32kw

Hardly minimal power use.

MWT

sooz2710 said:

Looking for advice from fellow season pitch holders. We have spent the last few years enjoying a start of season one off site fee (including elec) for our caravan on a campsite. However, this year, the fee has stayed the same but we’re being charged 28p per unit on top. 

During our first 24 hours on site, with minimal power used, we have clocked up a £9 bill! Surely this is not right or in fact legal to charge this. 

They are not allowed to make a profit on the resale of electricity, but 28p/kWh seems very reasonable given the current level of tariffs... (assuming one unit = 1kWh)

The better question is how you used 32kWh, were you recharging an EV perhaps?

Nebulous2

I was away for the first weekend of the year recently. Towing - not a seasonal pitch. Cold weather - running 2kw blown-air heating for much of the time. I was thinking this can't be sustainable with the increased energy costs. 

Reselling electricity rules are complicated.  Holiday lets and caravan sites used to charge, but then weren't allowed to make more than a certain percentage in profit. It became complicated and we ended up with all-inclusive costs. Separate charging makes sense - those who use most will pay most. 

How would you expect the higher costs to be charged? An extra £4-500 on your seasonal fees? 

northwalesd

We have our caravan on a seasonal pitch, they work by charging a seasonal fee and then a charge per night when we're at the van. For us seasonal fees have not increased this year, but the per night fee has increased by 50% (going from £10 to £15/night). The owner has also stated that is for up to 2 adults (or one adult and child) in the van, any additional heads will be charged on top. To be fair, some owners were taking the mickey a bit in recent years, having sons, daughters, nephews, nieces, grandchildren etc. staying, all for £10 a night. So for us, we have no metered electricity, that and water is include in our per night charge.

I agree with others, if a unit is a kWh, then 28p is more than generous.

Mstty

As long as the campsite have made it clear the start of season fee does not include free electricity anymore then the 28p per kWh is fair. In fact it may even be subsidised by the start of season pitch fee

jimjames

MWT said:

sooz2710 said:

Looking for advice from fellow season pitch holders. We have spent the last few years enjoying a start of season one off site fee (including elec) for our caravan on a campsite. However, this year, the fee has stayed the same but we’re being charged 28p per unit on top. 

During our first 24 hours on site, with minimal power used, we have clocked up a £9 bill! Surely this is not right or in fact legal to charge this. 

They are not allowed to make a profit on the resale of electricity, but 28p/kWh seems very reasonable given the current level of tariffs... (assuming one unit = 1kWh)

The better question is how you used 32kWh, were you recharging an EV perhaps?

If it's a commercial site the rates could be way higher than that amount that the site pay themselves.

sooz2710

I agree, 28p per unit is fine, but can’t understand why such a big usage when only low overnight heating and fridge was being used. No EV was charging. No TV, cooking or lights were on either. 

northwalesd

Can you actually see the meter? If yes might be worth going outside with a torch when you think you're on minimal power usage and see what it's doing (or even in daylight without a torch if in the same state).