We prefer to use sites with electricity included at the moment, as most of our UK caravanning is done in the cooler months, so we definitely need the heating on, sometimes overnight too. In addition we always wash up and use our own shower in the van, rather than site facilities. In these circumstances we have little idea how much extra it would cost us for electricity, so prefer to have a fixed rate and keep warm!
We prefer them too, or else a set price. Ducklington Farm near Witney charges £3 per day for EHU which is very fair. Hortham Farm near Bristol has a meter which is very greedy in colder weather.
Although I prefer to stay at sites where EHU is fixed per pitch and included in the pitch price, I believe it is fairer for PAYG.
Not so much an issue for those without awnings; however, there are those who would have their heating on in the awnings, which is kind of unfair when they are being charged the same as those without awnings.
However, this is coming from someone who believes in discount for single occupancy on a pitch priced for 2 people.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Very much a case of one size does not fit all. As someone who never goes on holiday in this country out of season, and so doesn't use very much electricity at all, metered is definitely better. However, for someone who uses a lot and goes away in winter I can see how electricity included is a better bet.
Having said that we do have our hot water heated by electricity, but we do tend to use the site showers. Hot water in the caravan being mainly for washing up and a quick wash of face and hands. No way do I want to be paying £5 or more a night for electricity when I am only using 66p worth. £5.32 for an 8 night stay as opposed to £40 is a huge difference. If I had central heating in winter and an air-con unit in summer maybe I would think differently.
Considering I'm a 'self contained' caravaner who uses their on board shower, toilet, and kitchen sink for dish washing, therefore uses a fair bit of electrically heated water at any time of year. And I do caravan into the winter months where heating is essential, and occasionally use A/C when it's hot in the summer, both electrically powered. From my own metered electricity usage, assuming circa £0.30/unit cost, this year I used around an average of £2.40/day in the warmer months, and £4.80/day in the colder winter months. That means any site bundling in say £5 of electricity a day, whether that be simply included in the pitch fee or an opted in EHU extra charge, is actually profiting from me by effectively over charging for my actual usage, hugely so in summer!
I don't much like the notion of open ended billing (metered EHU), whereby you don't know what you'll pay until you leave, but it would appear to be beneficial to me to use metered EHU. There is of course the proviso that pitch fees have been dropped by what was the bundled EHU charge when metered EHU was introduced!!!!!
I know sites that have simply put the newly introduced metered EHU charge on top of their unaltered pitch fees, so in effect raised their pitch fee by the previous say £5 electricity charge!
For people that don't use their onboard facilities, preferring site showers etc., thereby having low electricity consumption, bearing in mind a fair number of sites charge for showers by some sort of metered use, they profit handsomely from these people.
I fear that when sites start to analyse their income streams, many will find that metered EHU's are actually detrimental to them, as they are no longer pocketing the difference between bundled electricity charges and real usage costs! Can only mean pitch fee increases!
I know some sites make some pretty wild claims about excessive use of electricity by a minority of campers, but they push the bounds of credibility in just how much! Anyone with electrical engineering knowhow will find these claims quite dubious, as they amount to running the EHU to it's capacity 24 hours a day! I can't think of a camp site I've used that permits heating of awnings, and that's been in the site rules for many a year now, so more likely an urban myth these days. I certainly don't know of any of the number of campers I know who would even contemplate it, all are aware of it being a lost cause anyway.
'No heating in awning' might be a rule for many sites, however, catching those who ignore this and other rules might not be that easy.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
I have just looked at my smart meter display and it is currently reading £4.46. That is today's total gas and electricity. There has been at least two washing machine loads done today, and the tumble dryer has hardly stopped. I can hear it still running. The gas central heating is on, but it has not used much as it has been too warm for it to actually come on much. Especially with the tumble dryer going. We have watched TV most of the evening. If a site charges me £5 a night for electricity in a caravan that has neither a washing machine nor a tumble dryer, you can see why I feel ripped off.
Today is not a very typical day for us, as we don't always do that amount of washing. A more typical day would be between £2.50 and £3.50. My monthly energy direct debit is around £100 and we are currently well in credit. That will change though after January and February unless they are very mild. I really don't get how people can possibly use so much in a caravan, even with central heating.
Off on a tangent here, but does anyone have a email address that the CAMC actually respond to?
------------- XVI yes?
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: CMC Club new energy portal
via mobile 07/12/2025 at 1:57pm
