Pre paid electricity C&MC totnes

[Dorset Diver]

I guess being online they can easily adjust the rate to match what they are being charged.

Quite possibly but the regs are quite clear. The supplier must, if requested, supply information to the user on how they are calculating the price to show that they are profiting from the sale.

 

[MichaelT]

Quite possibly but the regs are quite clear. The supplier must, if requested, supply information to the user on how they are calculating the price to show that they are profiting from the sale.

Maybe in T&C's?

 

[StillGoing]

At a site we stayed at in Austria, there was a meter at each pitch so you could check the reading and your consumption. They also had remote access to the meter at reception. You paid for your usage when you checked out (they had your debit/credit card details from when you checked in). It worked really well - no apps or internet access required and no coins required.

 

[Jewellbags]

Perhaps, I don’t know how they structure their fees, although obviously I’m not paying for the electric I use. I’m merely saying I like the idea and it’s the way it works abroad.

I didn’t come across many of these on my last two trips abroad - Aires or campsites

 

[Pausim]

Quite possibly but the regs are quite clear. The supplier must, if requested, supply information to the user on how they are calculating the price to show that they are profiting from the sale.

They do. I received an email before going to Wyatts covert with a link to the costs and an explanation of how to use the meter. It was dead easy, I don’t know what all the fuss is about. Here is some of the information provided.

It is also notable that the kW used per pitch per night has dropped to less than 10kW compared to over 18kW at a comparable site for the same period. It just goes to show how wasteful people are if they don’t think they are paying for it.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[pelican]

Why rip off, do you get free electric at home? And if Britain is such a rip off you can always live elsewhere where if you work you may find yourself on half your wages.

It's not about reducing prices its about charging fairly for use, at present if you heat your van and awning you pay same price as everyone else, by having a meter you pay for as much or little electric as you use. So if you don't plug in at all of course it will reduce your price but if you put an awning up and heat that your price will go up

. I doubt it would cost me more to live in Spain or Portugal and my income would stay the same as I have retired

Interestingly all the pitches at Totnes are non awning It's nothing at all to do with expecting free electricity more to do with the dramatic rise in pitch prices.

 

[MichaelT]

Interestingly all the pitches at Totnes are non awning.
It nothing at all to do with expecting free electricity more to do with the dramatic rise in pitch prices.

Isn't that because they have now changed and upgraded the site per one of the posts above rather than metered electric?

 

[pelican]

They spent £1.2 million modernising the site from mostly grass and all non electric to a modern all season one. Did anyone really expect the price to go down, I certainly didn’t.

Not expecting the price to go down but it should reflect that you are paying additionally for electricity, From memory we paid £41 per night in mid October. It was probably half of that prior to that No EHU and grass pitches.
£1.2 m Jeez I hope they got some quotes

 

[Gellyneck]

Not expecting the price to go down but it should reflect that you are paying additionally for electricity, From memory we paid £41 per night in mid October. It was probably half of that prior to that No EHU and grass pitches.
£1.2 m Jeez I hope they got some quotes

Are they not all now fully serviced pitches with water / waste / along with the EHU?

 

[pelican]

Isn't that because they have now changed and upgraded the site per one of the posts above rather than metered electric?

Well they have also tarted up the toilets and put crushed stone for the pitches.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[pelican]

Are they not all now fully serviced pitches with water / waste / along with the EHU?

Yes they have a tap and a drain for waste water on the pitches but no palm trees and alongway to the beach

 

[Gellyneck]

......... but no palm trees and alongway to the beach

Thank the h*ll for that as it would have pushed the prices up again!

 

[philthefish]

Recently went to excellent motorhome site on Swansea marina.
Purchased a pre loaded card for electric, inserted it in electric post, stayed two nights, reinserted card and had £2 deducted from card, easy transaction purchase of card was £5, but now have card with enough credit for two more visits.
I’d like to think I could go to other site with the same card, but no matter will return to Swansea as site so convenient for town and marina.
Surely this is the way ahead. No card, no charge for electric.

 

[gpat]

We are going to Totnes for 3 days over New Year. I intend to use the Lithium and gas rather than hook up. In part as a plan for testing the new set up. I may have to connect to EHU but either way I like the idea I don’t have to pay for hook up if I don’t use it. It’s the way it works on the continent.

You would have to find out the unit cost of the electricity. Its unlikely to be as expensive as gas though.

 

[gus-lopez]

Isn't that because they have now changed and upgraded the site per one of the posts above rather than metered electric?

At the end of the day it is a parking area. nothing else. why waste money 'upgrading' it?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Pausim]

You would have to find out the unit cost of the electricity. Its unlikely to be as expensive as gas though.

Refillable gas is cheaper than electricity. Propane from a pump is usually about £1 per litre, there are 7.08kW of energy in 1 litre making the cost just over 14p per Kw. The current C&MC charge for electricity is 32p per kW (see #35 above). Even allowing for gas boiler efficiency compared to electricity the cost is only about 15p, less than half.

 

[MichaelT]

At the end of the day it is a parking area. nothing else. why waste money 'upgrading' it?

Ask them

 

[StillGoing]

Recently went to excellent motorhome site on Swansea marina.
Purchased a pre loaded card for electric, inserted it in electric post, stayed two nights, reinserted card and had £2 deducted from card, easy transaction purchase of card was £5, but now have card with enough credit for two more visits.
I’d like to think I could go to other site with the same card, but no matter will return to Swansea as site so convenient for town and marina.
Surely this is the way ahead. No card, no charge for electric.

I’m assuming the card can’t be used at a different site? If every site did that you’d end up with lots of cards all with your money on them that you’d probably never get back. I don’t understand why sites need to make it so complicated.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

You would have to find out the unit cost of the electricity. Its unlikely to be as expensive as gas though.

As I mentioned earlier, I want to test how long the Lithium will last in the winter. I'm sure it's not the cheapest option, but I like the idea I don't have to pay for electric unless I want it. As the weather improves it will become more cost effective until it becomes cheaper.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

I didn’t come across many of these on my last two trips abroad - Aires or campsites

Really? Most sites or aires you stayed on included electric in the price? I'm usually asked if I want electric or not, unless it's ACSI or Camping Car Park and I can't recall an aire where I had to have electric. Perhaps we frequent different types of site.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Jewellbags]

Really? Most sites or aires you stayed on included electric in the price? I'm usually asked if I want electric or not, unless it's ACSI or Camping Car Park and I can't recall an aire where I had to have electric. Perhaps we frequent different types of site.

Sorry they typically always ask if we want sparks or not but it’s a fixed price

 

[Pausim]

At the end of the day it is a parking area. nothing else. why waste money 'upgrading' it?

A site with a short season can now open all year and people who like full facilities will presumably be happy to pay a premium for using them. Not everyone’s choice but the C&MC have made a commercial decision and presumably expect it to pay off.

I believe there were other factors too. The site is owned by South Hams District Council and they put it out to competitive tender which appears to involve a 40 year lease. In other words the C&MC were in danger of losing the site if they didn’t put forward proposals that suited the Council’s purposes.

 

[DerryW]

However, it was better when you put a shilling in the meter!

Cor that reminds me. Mind you the amount you got for your shilling is now a £1.

 

[busbuddy]

I assume you can still stay on site without registering for leccy online if you are not going to use any or have they made it compulsory to register before you can stay?

 

[Wanders from Glos]

I assume you can still stay on site without registering for leccy online if you are not going to use any or have they made it compulsory to register before you can stay?

We are staying over new year and haven’t been asked to register online.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Pausim]

I assume you can still stay on site without registering for leccy online if you are not going to use any or have they made it compulsory to register before you can stay?

If you don’t want electricity no need to register. I booked the pitch first and only registered a few days before visiting, you just don’t get any power out of the EHU unless you have credit.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

If you don’t want electricity no need to register. I booked the pitch first and only registered a few days before visiting, you just don’t get any power out of the EHU unless you have credit.

I guess you can do it there if you need electric?

 

[DerryW]

I assume you can still stay on site without registering for leccy online if you are not going to use any or have they made it compulsory to register before you can stay?

Good question

 

[scotzsue]

Many years ago used a cl in Chorley, meters which took £1 coins, no refund but the amount left on the meter by the previous occupant was enough for me.
Have used similar system in stelplatz on the rhine

 

[Wanders from Glos]

Many years ago used a cl in Chorley, meters which took £1 coins, no refund but the amount left on the meter by the previous occupant was enough for me.
Have used similar system in stelplatz on the rhine

It works well in Germany. I always check all the meters before plugging in

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}