Should petrol money and accommodation be charged?

Person A should have talked this through with Person B and agree terms before inviting their relative. Does Person B even want another person joining on the holiday?

You don't invite someone who is having a bad time as though you're looking out for them and say by the way here's the bill.

I'd agree with this if A & B were both close friends/relatives of C. Doesn't seem that way. B has already had her holiday with A changed to add another person, not sure why B should pay for them, although of course A could do so if they wished

You don't invite someone who is having a bad time as though you're looking out for them and say by the way here's the bill.

Of course you can. Nobody would ever ask anyone to do anything if the asker had to pay for everything.

You can ask a friend of a family member if they would like to come on a holiday with you that you think they would enjoy or that would do them good but adults don't usually subsidise each others holidays.

You don't invite someone who is having a bad time as though you're looking out for them and say by the way here's the bill.

You also don’t invite them on your holiday and expect a third party to stump up costs for them.

@PinkStarAtNight are you ever coming back to answer people’s questions?

How were they invited?
What are the accompany petrol costs?
How does B feel about it?
Do you think A should pay for C?

But only if A told B that they would be paying for everything still between the two of them and the outset. B probably would not have assumed that was the case.

If I was A and especially B I would be worried about the dynamic changing. It's not equal any more.

It depends how they were asked. If they were asked by saying hey there's a space if you want to come and it will cost X. Or was it said come with us we are worried about you being by yourself. You don't invite someone who is having a bad time as though you're looking out for them and say by the way here's the bill. Depends how they were asked. Wasn't that spoken about between A and B before they asked C?

I think they should pay a third of everything. Having a tough time doesn't mean that you expect two other adults to pay for your holiday. The support for the tough time is the companionship and the fun of going on a holiday. It's not financial support.

If I was Person A, ie the third wheel, I would be backing out, enabling
B and C to go on holiday together.

Yea they should contribute.

But I wouldn't get them to pay towards accommodation costs as in directly pay each person.

I'd ask for 1/3 petrol on the day.

Then say the caravan was £300. They owe £100. So they buy a takeout, pay for a meal out or buy the food etc to that value when you're away and then the rest is split equally.

I think person C should pay one third, unless BOTH person A and person B agree (with no pressure) that they want to offer person C a third spot for free.

If I were person B, and I had agreed to share accommodation and petrol equally, I'd be annoyed if person A asked to have a third person tag along without sharing the costs. Despite having agreed to the costs, I'd feel like I'm essentially expected to cover half of the vacation for a family member of my friend.

I assume, since there's a debate, that person B is not happy having person C tag along without covering their share of the cost. That's perfectly reasonable, in my opinion. It's generous of person B to agree to share their already-planned vacation with person A's family member, even if they want person C to pay their share. Having a third person along changes the dynamic of the vacation.

If person C can't pay, I'd say person A has two options: Paying person C's share, or not inviting person C along at all. Can't expect person B to subsidise the vacation of their friend's struggling family member.

Sorry @MoonWoman69 was just joking, because your friends names start with A and B!

C cover petrol costs to make it fair. I hope B hasn't felt obliged to agree to C coming as it has changed their holiday

I dont see why C would get a free holiday so wither rework the costs inc travel and get them or pay or agree that they will fund food or trips to that amount.

Personally I wouldn't charge person C anything, provided person A and B are fully on board with her coming.

I wouldn’t charge person C but if they offered to contribute that would be a nice gesture, my main concern would be that they have enough money to cover expenses such as food and activities etc.

@Slaapje No it isn't

C has been invited but A should pay.

Is your name Clare?

Yes C should pay their share of accommodation and fuel. It’s very unfair otherwise. However, if I was B and also knew C and C was obviously experiencing financial difficulties (which hasn’t been suggested in this scenario) I would probably not bother asking for them to pay their fair share.

Why wouldn’t C pay?!

I would imagine B is pissed off that the whole holiday dynamic has been changed and A has now invited their relative who needs cheering up!

Oh that's a good point. Wonder if the focus is now all of a 'cheer up C' holiday?
Is C quite a domineering force I wonder?

Poor B. Put on the spot and having an entirely different holiday to what they expected. Get A to pay for it all and take C If that's what they want to do and B can organise a different holiday where they aren't having to look after and pay for A's relative.

In fact I think if I was B I wouldn't want to go any more.

The dynamic will be entirely different.

It will be a more 'cheering up C' kind of thing that frankly if I was B I would not want to pay to be part of.

Fuel should be split between 3 and meals etc as you go along.

If it was a big has with multiple bathrooms so no one would be sharing, then I would be inclined to say adding one more doesn’t matter. But one more person in a caravan, even if it is larger, is going to make things much more crowded. Since comfort levels will change, I vote at least some money should be exchanged.