Before you book
Having been members of the Caravan and Motorhome Club for over 18 years, we have been frustrated and upset by its change in cancellation and amendment policy and hope this letter of our experience will at least warn other members of how extreme these new measures are.
We booked a one-night stay at Poolsbrook Club campsite near Sheffield for January, (costing £29.40) as we were travelling up to have our satellite dish repaired. However, the satellite company subsequently had to change the date to a week later.
We duly contacted the Club with 17 days’ notice that we wished to make an amendment to book the same campsite, but one week later. We were told it wasn't an amendment but a cancellation and we would be charged a £25 cancellation fee as it had a new policy since September 2022 for any change made outside of 21 days’ notice period.
Consequently we were now having to pay another £29.40 on top of the £25 cancellation charge, so our total cost for the one night was £54.40! Whilst accepting that a charge should be made if people cancel at short notice, especially in high season, this punitive charge seems excessive and draconian in the winter months, when one is not cancelling a stay altogether, but simply shifting it by one week with 17 days’ notice to that effect.
Also, as long-serving members, we had never experienced this before, when making changes, so you would not expect us to read the terms and conditions for our booking as we had been booking with the Club for 18 years.
We tried to get the Club to make a positive gesture, knowing that the campsite was hardly going to be full at this time of year, but to no avail.
Needless to say, we will not be renewing our membership, but felt it important to let others know of the new C&MC's policy.
Jon Close
Let's talk insurance
In answer to Harry Naylor's question about insuring a motorhome for full-time living (March, p19), I've very recently done just that.
Firstly, ignore those who say an insurer will only know you're living in it full-time if you tell them. My answer is, that's right but very easy to say until the wheel
