To not want anyone else using our caravan?

[Welshmaenad]

I have recently bought a caravan (static) in a very popular holiday spot (well, I've paid a deposit and will be settling the balance when it is sited and ready). The money has come from my DDad who recently passed away. He and my mum, who died 2 years ago, always planned to get a nice caravan when they both retired, sadly mum died before she took retirement so they never fulfilled their dream, so thus feels like a special thing to do with some of the money I have been lucky enough to inherit from them. It's a very nice site with excellent facilities and the caravan itself is pretty swish, brand new and was quite expensive - not bragging at all but just pointing out that it's a significant and quite special investment for me.

I am already getting people commenting that they would love to stay in it and giving me sob stories about how they haven't been able to afford a holiday in ages, etc. I know it probably sounds selfish but this is something I am doing for my family, not to give people free holidays. My DP used to live in this area and his DC lives here so he will be using it as a base to spend more time with the DC; I intend using it frequently with him and my own DC, and my ExH will be using it in his weekends with the DC too, potentially with his partner and her child who I both know and like. And frankly that's as far as I want it to go, the second bedroom in the vsn will be the kids room and they will have their own bedding etc, we will be keeping lots of personal possessions there for ease, and I don't want all and sundry sleeping in it, poking through our stuff and so on. We may host friends whilst we are also there but I don't want others using it when we're not. When I've told people this they seem really put out and insinuate I'm being selfish.

I'm not, am I? I feel like I need to be really strict from the start or it will be a slippery slope and I will end up providing free holidays for all and sundry. AIBU in wanting to keep it for ourselves?

[80sWaistcoat]

Just smile, don't offer and if anyone is rude enough to ask - just say that the timing doesn't work for you - or it's all booked up with family.

[witsender]

Absolutely not. Like any other possession, it is yours! While you may one day feel like letting someone borrow it, you certainly don't have to.

[justilou]

Tell people you're thinking of letting it permanently as an investment. Then it's not an option for them.

[Bloodybridget]

Not at all selfish - why should anyone else expect to be able to use it? Hope you have lots of lovely times in it!

[Mybeardeddragonjustdied2016]

It sounds like you will be regarding it as your second home. Yanbu. . If you dont need the money for renting it out then keep it to yourself and dont feel guilty!!

[IAmNotAMindReader]

No, you're not. If you feel you can't be firm and say no outright then you could put people off by saying it's got loads of problems that need fixing and there are problems with the site etc.

[Jackie0]

People are cheeky bastards hinting about using it ,
No way would I let them.
Just nod and smile.
If they have the brass neck to ask you outright you say " no".

[ineedamoreadultieradult]

Yanbu I would just let people know it's not being rented out. I think people just automatically assume people buy caravans on the basis they can cover some costs by renting them out. If you let people know from the beginning it's not a holiday let then I think all the hints etc will stop or I would hope so anyway.

[kierenthecommunity]

If you don't need the income from renting it then why bother? I know people with caravans who use it pretty much every weekend too and they don't let other people use it either.

[phillipp]

My mum owns a caravan. Sounds like a similar place. She only allows me and dbro (and our partners and kids) stay in it. She wants to be able to go when she wants, doesn't want to worry about it not been left clean, treated properly etc.

She has just stood by her guns. Dbro doesn't borrow it anymore, because he didn't feel that he should have to leave it how he found it and mum should have a cleaner to come in And do it. Like if he rented it. Except he gets it for free. So mum banned him. He left it a right state last time.

[RB68]

Just say no we are not letting it at the moment, if you want to add - if we decide to later on will let you know.

Everyone thinks as caravans as a cheap tacky holiday clearly don't know how things work these days so when you do start letting and holidays are 600 plus a week they will soon dissappear.

The other option is to set a price you are happy to let it for - which will obv be quite high given the inconvenience to yourselves...

[mycatwantstokillme1]

If it were me and close friends wanted to use it I would be more than happy for them to have a hoiday in it. If it's just people you know at the school gates I'd say no.

[treaclesoda]

I'd just ignore them. Several of my friends have caravans and it would never cross my mind to expect them to let me stay in them. If I want to stay in a caravan I need to find the money to finance it myself. That's life.

[YelloDraw]

Nah, just say "aw we aren't going to let out our van Hun, hope you find something nice"

[BarbaraofSeville]

Just say you don't rent it out, as will be using it most weekends and holidays, but there are others available for rent on the same site.

[TheABC]

No is a complete sentence and you are well within your rights to say so. However, to avoid further hassle, I would refrain from mentioning to friends regularly - you may have been happily talking about it as its a special purchase which naturally leads to the thought "could we join in?"

You always get sob stories. Whilst I appreciate how expensive school holidays are, its not up to you to sub other people's fun.

Good luck and enjoy the caravan.

[CitizenBloom]

Of course yanbu. Ignore the hints and just say no, you're not planning to rent it out, if anyone is rude enough to push it. It's not your job to provide free holidays in your caravan any more than it is in your home.

However, see the many threads on here from people with homes in tourist destinations who are continually bombarded with requests - and sometimes not even requests, but notifications that people are coming to stay! You may need to erect very strict boundaries.

[Owllady]

If people have asked if you are letting it out, that's one thing. Quite another to expect it iykwim
Just say, sorry it's just for our family. There really is nothing wrong with that you know :)
Enjoy it. It sounds like you've had more than enough heartache in your adult life without taking things like this to heart

[Owllady]

Oh citizenbloom, I used to live by the sea and that used to happen

[Ifailed]

How do people know about it - are you telling them?

[phillipp]

How do people know about it - are you telling them?

Why wouldn't you?

[monkeywithacowface]

Just say you don't rent it out and leave it at that. Not your job to subsidise everyone else's holiday.

[whywonthedgehogssharethehedge]

Just ignore hints. If asked directly then say "sorry it's being used as a second home by close family only."

[ThomasHardyPerennial]

Their sob stories about needing a holiday probably don't include paying for their stay, or clearing up after themselves. No bloody way would I let other people stay. Enjoy your new caravan!

[InTheseFlipFlops]

We had this when we used to have a camper van. Keep saying no.
We let one person use it and it came back in such a state, you want to leave it so you know when you turn up theres coffee in the pot, the beds are made and theres that tin of beans in the cupboard you can use for dinner.

The other problem is once you let people its very difficult to say yes to some and no to other. "we had such a lovely time in your caravan, aunt fanny wants to use it, that would be ok wouldn't it?"
"Sally said you let them use your caravan, we haven't been away for ages I've always wanted to go to x, is there a weekend free we could use it?"
Well you said yes to them so you can't say no to the next.
On it goes.
Not everyone will take the piss, not everyone will shout about it. But you can give it time to work out who they are and then if you want to let them use it.