Electric Hook-Up Amps v. Winter!

ubuntu1 wrote:The issue in the UK is a law that puts huge restrictions on the resale of electricity. In simple terms you can't profit from the resale.

This is one of the reasons why I don't expect to see wide adoption of a new model. Sure, they could charge an additional fee for the facility, but then they would have to make it optional. IIRC both the big clubs bundle the whole lot into their "standard pitch" fee. The last thing they want to do is to pay out for a load of new infrastructure and then find that they are taking in less money!

ubuntu1 wrote:Having seen the energy bill for a campsite over Christmas I am not surprised they are moving to a new charging model,

It may be have been a big energy bill, but how big was it compared to the site's overall takings for that period? I'm with Frank on this - there may be a small number of abusers, but I seriously doubt that any of the C&CC and CC sites are anywhere near making a loss on their EHU usage.

-mojo- wrote:

ubuntu1 wrote:The issue in the UK is a law that puts huge restrictions on the resale of electricity. In simple terms you can't profit from the resale.

This is one of the reasons why I don't expect to see wide adoption of a new model. Sure, they could charge an additional fee for the facility, but then they would have to make it optional. IIRC both the big clubs bundle the whole lot into their "standard pitch" fee. The last thing they want to do is to pay out for a load of new infrastructure and then find that they are taking in less money!

ubuntu1 wrote:Having seen the energy bill for a campsite over Christmas I am not surprised they are moving to a new charging model,

It may be have been a big energy bill, but how big was it compared to the site's overall takings for that period? I'm with Frank on this - there may be a small number of abusers, but I seriously doubt that any of the C&CC and CC sites are anywhere near making a loss on their EHU usage.

also agree. I paid double the pitch fee for my xmas and newyear camping. I'm sure that covered my leccie usage. And both CC sites that I stayed at were near enoughj full

ubuntu1 wrote:I know of sites that are installing the metering circuits right now so it is going to happen.

I stand to be corrected but some years ago I seem to remember that the resale of electricity ie:- secondary metering or just simply charging for it was made illegal, it was at this time the Caravan Club incorporated the EHU charge in their site fees to avoid the possibility of prosecution resulting in having to pay for EHU whether you required it or not. The C&CC got round it by having service or non service pitches so one had the choice.

Cheers John

I believe the law is that you can not sell electricity for more than you paid for it. It was brought in because some unscrupulous landlords were selling electricity to their tenants at inflated prices.
Many campsites saw this as a bandwagon to leap upon and introduced an all inclusive charge, saying they weren't allowed to charge for electricity separately so it was the governments fault that you were being charged for electricity you didn't want.
I suspect that many of these campsites got jumped on as we are, in most cases back to being given a choice of having a hook up or not.

Not being a member of the CC, I don't know whether they offer a choice or not?

Frank

boxerman wrote:I believe the law is that you can not sell electricity for more than you paid for it. It was brought in because some unscrupulous landlords were selling electricity to their tenants at inflated prices.
Many campsites saw this as a bandwagon to leap upon and introduced an all inclusive charge, saying they weren't allowed to charge for electricity separately so it was the governments fault that you were being charged for electricity you didn't want.
I suspect that many of these campsites got jumped on as we are, in most cases back to being given a choice of having a hook up or not.

Not being a member of the CC, I don't know whether they offer a choice or not?

Frank

Hi Frank

Having lived in more than my fair share of dodgy bed-sits in the distant past I well remember always having to have a ready supply of florins to feed the meter the alternative being to go to the pub or go to bed if you ran out of coins.

Oh happy days.

Cheers John

P.S The CC incorporate the EHU fee so you have no choice

boxerman wrote:Having read through this thread, I looked up my last years total electric bill, it came to £1150.17.
If a campsite charges £3 per night, that would come to £1095.00.
Considering that my bill is for the full house including storage heaters, lights & sockets and the campsite bill is for 1 socket, I don't think the campsites are doing too badly out of it.

Frank

Frank couldn't agree more. I was reading this thread thinking I am going to need to post a reply regarding the cost per night that campsites are charging for pitch electric and was pleased to find yours. I doubt if many campers use anything like the price being charged per pitch per night, not withstanding the cost of annual checks / repairs as necessary, which do need to be factored in. We've spent time in cottages with electric slot meters in the winter months and found £10:00 goes a very long way for a 7 day spell.
John

boxerman wrote:.............. my last years total electric bill, it came to £1150.17.
.............
Frank

Frank,

If mine came to more than £500 I would start walking around switching lights off!!

Last year our total electric and gas bill came to £371.49 for the 10 months February to December. (It was actually the same for the full year because we were away for January and half of February!)

I use Scottish Power on a "pre-paid" system and I think (hope?) that I have the very cheapest of tariffs.

I get 5% off their normal domestic tariff for my electricity and gas. When I started on this system I thought "Where can I get 5% on any money in the bank?" and went for it; this was when banks were handing out rates of 3% - 4% for fixed term savings and they are now offering 2%-3%!!

Best regards,

Ian

Our boat is out of the water at Millbrook this year and each electric outlet there has a system where you insert a prepaid card. When we were at Turnchapel we had to buy a meter; The meter fitted between the electric post outlet and the supply to the boat and we received a bill once a month.

Dutto wrote:


Last year our total electric and gas bill came to £371.49 for the 10 months February to December.
Ian

Thats what happens when you spend half the year in a warmer climates

mikethebike wrote:..............pay monthly and on a fixed contract.
.................

Mike,

When I took over my late Mum's finances I discovered that her "service providers" (water, electricity and gas) were holding £1,200 of her money due to increasing the Direct Debits!

I use the "Pay in Advance" system and get a 5% discount for so doing!

I also monitor my account to make sure that the balance is NEVER a minus but ALWAYS less than £200.

I also don't pay a "daily rental" for my meters. If we are away from home that would cost more than the fuel we were using!

PM sent. Enjoy.

Best regards,

Ian

mikethebike wrote:...............but with low interest rates, is it a big problem to be a few pounds in credit?

....................I pay my water bill after i have used the water.So i am always in debit.
.........

Mike,

Sorry, I would have replied earlier but Helen was having to re-start my pacemaker!! That "few pounds in credit" multiplied by one or two million people is a lot of money; and I consider the abuse of the Direct Debit system by energy companies as being one of the biggest cons ever!

There was a time when we used the electricity or gas, then a man came and read the meter to make sure that we paid ONLY for what we had used.

The Direct Debit system was introduced ON THE SAME BASIS and the receiver was allowed to adjust the payment to ensure that the CORRECT amount was paid.

As a metter of interest, "Has ANYONE on this Forum EVER been in a situation where less than what they owed was taken from their account by Direct Debit?"

I much prefer the water system and I too pay for what I have used. My only concern is that Anglian Water charge nearly £5 a cubic metre for something that falls out of the sky!

Best regards,

Ian

I had started to type about seeing this from the other side of the fence, but it became quite lengthy (not unusual for me ) so I deleted it

Deleted again I'll shut up now as it is a rather contentious issue

Tommy-Darcy wrote: I had started to type about seeing this from the other side of the fence, but it became quite lengthy (not unusual for me ) so I deleted it

We must not forget that the pitch fees (where they are inclusive of electric NOT where electric is charged separately) also includes everything to do with running a site for the whole of the season and when there are price rises these will be passed on to the customer. Some folks, feeling they are being "ripped off"

What annoys me is that in "high" season i.e. when the site is full to bursting and there are plenty of paying customers, the price per night rises - dramatcally sometimes. In "low" season i.e. when there are not so many paying customers to share the cost of running the place, the price per night is normal. Not logical.
If a campsite can show a profit on the "low" season prices when there are fewer customers, then they can show a bigger profit in "high" season charging the same price per night (but with more customers = more profit). But greed steps in and the price goes up.

Frank

Agreed, but the low season price very often is a break even price at best and set to attract customers in quiet periods , the profit is in the high and peak price.

As I mentioned in my revised post it is a very contentious issue and when we are off on our travels we will no doubt be changing our views many times

Tommy-Darcy wrote: I had started to type about seeing this from the other side of the fence ...............

NOW I remember YOU!!!

All I had on was two 3Kw heaters (it was Summer after all), an electric blanket, my water heater and the TV when my EHU tripped at 2am in the morning!

And YOU wouldn't even get out of your bed to come and re-set the trip thingy on my EHU supply!

Far from "Best regards",

Disgruntled from Birmingham





Was that the kind of thing you meant?

Ian

and don't forget the and straighteners

YES Ian, something like that

Well Mr Darcy, while I'm not undone I would be most interested in hearing your point of view from the other side of the garden dividing device.

Sorry CB I actually like being on this forum and wouldn't want to jeopardise my membership

Some rants and comments of mine can be seen in this "Motorhome and Camping Chat" section.