Caravanners' fury over no pitch fee refunds

Southview Holiday Park say the fee allows owners to keep caravans on the site and there are "a number of initiatives to support them at this time".

However, many the caravan owners say this is not enough.

One caravanner, Sarah Crofts, told the Standard "Parkdean Resorts are still charging caravan owners full pitch fees, saying we pay for pitch fees and security, knowing that we will not be able to cover this cost as we have not been able to rent vans out."

Another, Kelly Gilbert, said: "I feel let down as a customer as we are paying more to be on Southview and other parks in the same area with no facilities.

"We are told the ground rent covers the fact the van is sat there, so why do we pay more than other parks? We are not allowed to return to our vans to collect anything, or to check everything is okay.

"Holidaymakers have been given full refunds plus extra."

A member of staff, who preferred to remain anonymous, told the Standard employees were fed-up of taking the brunt of the complaints from the van owners: "People are being ripped off. Hundreds of owners on Southview Holiday Park are saying they will sell their caravans in protest," the Standard was told. "Other caravan parks have given refunds, but Parkdean are refusing to."

Under government guidelines it is expected caravan parks will open on July 5 after losing 15 weeks of the season and Parkdean told the Standard the company was working hard with the Government and fellow industry leaders to lobby for support to get owners back to the park sooner.

In the meantime, they stressed it was important to continue to follow Government regulations and not to attempt to return to their holiday homes until the park re-opens.

However, refunds on pitch fees are not being given, they said.

A spokesperson for Parkdean Resorts said: “We understand that this is a frustrating and worrying time for everybody, and this is not the outcome that some owners had wanted.

"We value our relationship with owners and have a number of initiatives to support them at this time, including direct debit support and owner discounts on foods and drinks. We are doing all we can to ensure our owners can return to park and look forward to welcoming them back as soon as it is safe to do so.

“The pitch licence agreement allows owners to keep their holiday home on the park, in exchange for paying the pitch fee. It does not guarantee that the park will remain open or that owners will be able to use their holiday home at any particular time, especially in the event of a public health emergency such as this where the government has ordered entire industries to shut down.”

Ros Pritchard OBE - Director General - British Holiday & Home Parks Association, said: “We recognise that many customers feel disappointed that they cannot use their caravans at the moment and that a minority have asked that parks should compensate them for this.

“The understandable disappointment felt by all customers has been caused by the current crisis and the government’s legal response to it to protect the health of all concerned.

“The holiday caravan agreement is not an agreement to rent the holiday to them. Rather, it is a licence for the provision of the pitch to site that caravan – which the consumer owns – and for the maintenance of the park and its utilities infrastructure to supply the caravan.

“These services continue to be provided for the consumer’s caravan despite the lockdown. The consumer is using them because they are keeping their caravan on the pitch and benefiting from the essential maintenance services which the park is required to provide.

“This means the consumer can look forward to returning to their caravan that has been cared for in their absence and remains connected to a functioning park utility system, just as they do each spring when they return to the park after the winter closure.”