Electricity Charges

[Pausim]

Yes, we’ve stayed on a couple of sites who are charging a set amount for electric, but there’s no question of a rebate if you use a lot less. We think it’s a rip-off.

I would say most sites charge a fixed amount for electricity, it is just hidden in the site fees (CAMC and CCC). I have been on one site that is metered but where the first 10 units per day are included in the site fees. This seems fair enough, it is plenty for battery charging and background use but not for heating. He could also charge for all units used but he still has to cover the costs of providing the facility so unlikely to lead to a big reduction in site fees.

Electricity is never free and I have never heard of it being refunded. You make your choice when you book the site and if I don’t like the terms I don’t book it. I think site owners may have to change how they structure and charge for their services, particularly those who stay open in the colder months. However those that make their money from summer holiday bookings for 2 weeks could find that holiday makers swallow increases as just another rise in the cost of living.

 

[djdriver10]

Stayed at a CL over the weekend. It was the first time I’ve encountered electric metering in the UK. The owner told me he was charging electricity at cost - £0.89 a unit! That’s a commercial rate apparently, but I was shocked. Ended up increasing the cost by 30% and we could hardly be described as heavy users. Anybody else had a similar experience with leccy charges?

All sites need to go metered.
Yes electric has gone up, but, last time I used one, 3 days cost me just over £7..
So I was been ripped off on sites that don’t have metered and charge £5 a night.

 

[seasideBill]

All sites need to go metered.
Yes electric has gone up, but, last time I used one, 3 days cost me just over £7..
So I was been ripped off on sites that don’t have metered and charge £5 a night.

I agree, default charging policy should be a basic rate on all sites for non EHU. Stick with that if you will, but anything beyond that should be metered at cost + modest service charge to cover costs of installation, standing charge and maintenance etc.

 

[WESTY66]

Whenever we have been in Germany we notice the first thing the German do when arriving on site/stelplatz is to plug the EHU cable in (closely followed by sat dish up). We have had lots of funny looks from the owners when we say no strom

I think you’ve got it the wrong way round, sat dish up before cooling fan has stopped going round, sat dish up, no reception? then it’s shunt here, shunt there, turn round, no reception? Ask for another pitch then do it all again!! Then and only then when they’ve got a picture they will plug in

 

[Pausim]

All sites need to go metered.
Yes electric has gone up, but, last time I used one, 3 days cost me just over £7..
So I was been ripped off on sites that don’t have metered and charge £5 a night.

You are probably paying for someone else to heat their awning. Without meters the site has to recover the average cost from all users, you are also paying for the ehu facility which costs money to provide. Adding meters will also be expensive and site owners will have to recover the costs from us customers. The alternative is to use sites without ehu.

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[Martist]

With energy costs rising as they are we must expect to pay a fair price for what we use and things have to change. So CLs must find a way of charging you for what you use otherwise running a site won't be viable for them. How they do that is up to them and whether you choose to stay there and whether you choose to use mains electricity is up to you.

I stayed at a small family-run campsite in Belgium. He told me that, because of the high electricity costs and the high consumption of some campers, he was effectively paying people to charge up their electric cars. He was distressed because he loved running the site but he couldn't see a way of continuing next year without installing meters at a high cost. He showed me his electricity bills; this year was double the previous year's running into thousands of euros.

 

[TheAleMan]

All sites need to go metered.
Yes electric has gone up, but, last time I used one, 3 days cost me just over £7..
So I was been ripped off on sites that don’t have metered and charge £5 a night.

So when was the last time you used metered electric, more to the point..what time of year ?

 

[seasideBill]

With energy costs rising as they are we must expect to pay a fair price for what we use and things have to change. So CLs must find a way of charging you for what you use otherwise running a site won't be viable for them. How they do that is up to them and whether you choose to stay there and whether you choose to use mains electricity is up to you.

I stayed at a small family-run campsite in Belgium. He told me that, because of the high electricity costs and the high consumption of some campers, he was effectively paying people to charge up their electric cars. He was distressed because he loved running the site but he couldn't see a way of continuing next year without installing meters at a high cost. He showed me his electricity bills; this year was double the previous year's running into thousands of euros.

Adding electric cars into the equation = nightmare. As the trendy new saying goes..’the perfect storm’.

 

[Kerrone]

Stayed at a CL over the weekend. It was the first time I’ve encountered electric metering in the UK. The owner told me he was charging electricity at cost - £0.89 a unit! That’s a commercial rate apparently, but I was shocked. Ended up increasing the cost by 30% and we could hardly be described as heavy users. Anybody else had a similar experience with leccy charges?

 

[Kerrone]

Fairest way. We ran a CL for 17 years and for over 10 years we had metered electric. By law you can only charge the same price as what you pay for kWh. You would be surprised at what some people get up to when they have an all inclusive price. I also think the pitch price should be kept to reasonable price. Sadly some people now want to make huge profits from a 5 van site. Was always a hobby / side line. Becoming an expensive pastime now

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[Cie]

Don’t disagree, but given my £0.25 domestic rate I hadn’t realised how expensive commercial rates had become. I can only assume many CL/CS prices will rocket if not already. Will be using more LPG and solar going forward, but I feel for those trying to make a living out of a micro business.

Wow, which domestic electricity supplier are you using please? 25p a unit is amazing. I’d love to get back to that.
According to British Gas, the UK average is currently 34p a unit? Plus of course the standing charges of around 46p a day.

 

[seasideBill]

Wow, which domestic electricity supplier are you using please? 25p a unit is amazing. I’d love to get back to that.
According to British Gas, the UK average is currently 34p a unit? Plus of course the standing charges of around 46p a day.

Fixed loyalty rate with Octopus, only operating until mid Jan. I think 34p is the capped rate so the minimum all of us will be paying when deals have expired.

 

[rod_vw]

I totally agree that all sites should have metered EHUs but I ask those who own/manage sites and know about these things what VAT rate would be applied?
As I see it we are domestic users so should be charged 5% VAT for our energy, are we?
If not should we be?

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

My old Nextdoor neighbour use to just charge per night when his campsite was going that was until his electric bill hit £5-6k a month.
He had a fair few long term caravans and found out they were going to work and leaving the heaters on in their awnings
He fitted meters after that

 

[Pausim]

As I see it we are domestic users so should be charged 5% VAT for our energy, are we?
If not should we be?

Some small business users get 5% VAT on electricity but the usual rate for businesses is 20%. I have no idea where campsites fit in this.

I don’t think the domestic argument for camping will get very far because campsites are businesses. We live in an apartment block, individual flats get domestic electricity charges but the communal areas and grounds are charged the higher business charge. If essential stair lighting for 6 homes is counted as business I can’t see them treating leisure activities like camping more favourably.

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[InvictaMoto]

What is Lecky?

Rather who is Lecky. Wasn't he a small Scotsman in a TV series about the RAF. "Get Some In"?

 

[Bleau’s]

If the electric is metered it can be charged out at 5% for vat if it is unmetered it has to be charged out at 20% for vat . The biggest problem with metering is going out and reading the meters when units depart or on bollards with 2 hook-ups rogue unit owners plugging into the other socket when the site staff go home we have had people try and use 2 sockets to bypass electric limits , There is expensive system for remote switching and metering but you need about 100 pitches to make it viable I have just asked our electricians to look into it . Octopus out of contract rates are £1.38 per unit plus standing charges .On large sites it is 2.24 pence per available KVA per day we have 2 200KVA supplies so that adds up as well

 

[dulvil]

All sites need to go metered.
Yes electric has gone up, but, last time I used one, 3 days cost me just over £7..
So I was been ripped off on sites that don’t have metered and charge £5 a night.

They will read the meter,calculate what you have used and add £5 for their time doing it. Labour has to be paid for

 

[Barryh]

Some small business users get 5% VAT on electricity but the usual rate for businesses is 20%. I have no idea where campsites fit in this.

I don’t think the domestic argument for camping will get very far because campsites are businesses. We live in an apartment block, individual flats get domestic electricity charges but the communal areas and grounds are charged the higher business charge. If essential stair lighting for 6 homes is counted as business I can’t see them treating leisure activities like camping more favourably.

We paid 20% VAT on our campsite energy bills until an energy consultant advised (for free) that we should only be paying 5%. The argument was that the overwhelming majority of our energy was supplied into the domestic setting of a caravan/motorhome/tent. This was accepted by our supplier and we were billed at 5%. When we sold the campsite we were subject to a full VAT audit where the issue was raised and accepted by HMRC. I can’t remember the consultant but he advised lots of campsites to do this.

 

[Ianb]

Stayed at a CL over the weekend. It was the first time I’ve encountered electric metering in the UK. The owner told me he was charging electricity at cost - £0.89 a unit! That’s a commercial rate apparently, but I was shocked. Ended up increasing the cost by 30% and we could hardly be described as heavy users. Anybody else had a similar experience with leccy charges?

One of the good things about my van is that whilst away, I pay no electric at home and In the 10 year I’ve owned the van I have not found the need to plug in.
I figure the meters are coming in as electricity cost rise and there are those who take the pee running heaters and alike. Sites can no longer affords to subsidise high users.

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[rod_vw]

If the electric is metered it can be charged out at 5% for vat if it is unmetered it has to be charged out at 20% for vat . The biggest problem with metering is going out and reading the meters when units depart or on bollards with 2 hook-ups rogue unit owners plugging into the other socket when the site staff go home we have had people try and use 2 sockets to bypass electric limits , There is expensive system for remote switching and metering but you need about 100 pitches to make it viable I have just asked our electricians to look into it . Octopus out of contract rates are £1.38 per unit plus standing charges .On large sites it is 2.24 pence per available KVA per day we have 2 200KVA supplies so that adds up as well

Why is it so difficult in the UK?

One bollard with four (or 5) for a five van site with the facility to select your outlet by pressing a button and swipe your bank card then plug in. The Europeans can do it so why can't we. If you are struggling with available amperage trip the sockets at a lower amperage than 16A again that is quite normal across the channel so should be acceptable here.
Most of us who travel on the continent are used to such facilities and are equipped with leads long enough to reach a common bollard for at least four plots.
If your electricians cannot manage it why not ask the likes of Flot Blau (other suppliers exist). If enough site owners got together and approached such a company I am sure they would be interested in serving the trade in the UK.

The bourne below takes tokens but there are those that work with a bank card and is probably time switched rather than kWh but there are versions that work on actual consumption.

 

[MillyMoHo]

Yes, I agree that some people go mad and do silly things like heating awnings etc.

 

[seasideBill]

Yes, I agree that some people go mad and do silly things like heating awnings etc.

There are undoubtedly some who go out for the day in the colder seasons and leave the heating and & hot water on all day just to keep things cosy for their return. If you pay a fixed rate irrespective of electricity consumption, why not they think - we shouldn’t be surprised. Hopefully some of that selfish and irresponsible behaviour is being countered by technology and systems like iNet are increasingly being used as folks wise up to the implications of such behaviour on the planet and their own pockets?

 

[Lenny HB]

I think you’ve got it the wrong way round, sat dish up before cooling fan has stopped going round, sat dish up, no reception? then it’s shunt here, shunt there, turn round, no reception? Ask for another pitch then do it all again!! Then and only then when they’ve got a picture they will plug in

Nar, that's the French.

 

[Lenny HB]

Electricity is never free and I have never heard of it being refunded.

We don't use EHU these days but some years ago on a Stellaplatz in Germany we had put some Euros in the bollard. When we were packing up to leave a guy came over swiped a card on the bollard and refunded what we hadn't used.

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[rod_vw]

We don't use EHU these days but some years ago on a Stellaplatz in Germany we had put some Euros in the bollard. When we were packing up to leave a guy came ove swiped his card on the bollard and refunded what we hadn't used.

If I get the opportunity to use an Aire like that I look for a bollard with a free socket having some 'left overs'!

 

[MillyMoHo]

There are undoubtedly some who go out for the day in the colder seasons and leave the heating and & hot water on all day just to keep things cosy for their return. If you pay a fixed rate irrespective of electricity consumption, why not they think - we shouldn’t be surprised. Hopefully some of that selfish and irresponsible behaviour is being countered by technology and systems like iNet are increasingly being used as folks wise up to the implications of such behaviour on the planet and their own pockets?

Yes, we stayed on a site where apparently someone was leaving their heating on 24 hours a day, then wondered why they were handed a bill at the end of their stay. What did they expect?