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On holiday and found out we are in somebody's private accommodation!

161 replies

reallifeboogie · 16/05/2024 10:07

We are on holiday in the UK on a caravan park. Parkdean site. On arrival, went to the reception and was given our keys and told where our caravan is. All good. Caravan is much nicer than expected with some lovely personal touches that didn't expect such as pictures on the walls, blankets in a basket for sitting outside on the decking.
This was a cheap caravan booked through the Suns £9.50 offer.

There are dvds and children's games, cleaning products under the sink and other things that we presumed previous people had left behind.

Last night around 9pm a car pulled up (we are parked in the space for this caravan) and an irate couple got out and came to the door demanding to know why we were in their caravan. Assumed some mix up and they were guests in another caravan, and had got confused as the site is massive.

Long story short, turns out this is their own private caravan that they own and occasionally rent out to friends and family!

As it was late, reception was closed. Security guard intervened and the owners allowed us to stay the night and they would find a b&b.

At 8am they were back and we've packed up and left the caravan. Reception opened at 9 and all we are getting is "there has been a mix up"
We now have nowhere to stay until Saturday. We will go home but going cost us as we're on isle of wight so need sort ferry.

The caravan owners are trying to blame us and want us to pay for a deep clean and towards use of the gas etc we've used! They said surely we could see it was a private caravan.

OP posts:
LadyGaGasPokerFace · 16/05/2024 12:25

The owners are pissed off at the wrong people. Parkdean should be dealing with this. I hope you’ve got your inner anger going at them.
They should fully refund you. Maybe you can find something else on the IofW? Airbnb?

WhotheHellisEdgar · 16/05/2024 12:27

Not fair that owners are blaming you. They should be fuming at Park Dean, if I was then I'd be demanding to know how often they rent out my caravan. Very CF indeed!

reallifeboogie · 16/05/2024 12:32

Update.. we have been moved to another caravan. Manager doesn't know what happened. I mean, I'm sure he does but pretending he doesn't.
The owners of the caravan have actually been lovely since they realised its not our fault and said that if they hadn't wanted to use the caravan themselves then they'd have let is stay!

OP posts:

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Hecatoncheires · 16/05/2024 12:36

That's good news, OP. Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday. And hopefully get a free meal from the manager for the inconvenience and distress!

PinkyFlamingo · 16/05/2024 12:39

Dont be fobbed off.

SirChenjins · 16/05/2024 12:42

That's great you got moved to another caravan - and quite right too! Someone somewhere is getting their knuckles rapped, I'm sure.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday Smile

CurlsnSunshinetime4tea · 16/05/2024 12:47

I wouldn’t be so quick to assume the owners were unaware. Someone is being a CF and it’s not you.

MrsWhites · 16/05/2024 12:47

Great that you’ve been sorted but I’d expect some sort of compensation for the massive inconvenience and upset caused. I’d speak to park dean customer services rather than the manager who will likely want this swept under the carpet!

mitogoshi · 16/05/2024 12:53

Good news, I would say to the owners that you are sorry even though it's not your fault, perhaps you could rent from them another time!

Choochoo21 · 16/05/2024 12:54

The owners seem lovely for letting you stay the night whilst they got a B&B out of their own expense.

I would absolutely get the caravan park to repay the B&B, gas and for a clean and to give you a discount off your holiday too for the disruption.

I hope the rest of your holiday runs more smoothly.

Xenia · 16/05/2024 12:55

Sounds like all is well that ends well. What a horrible thing to happen - both to the holiday makers and to the real owners!

HcbSS · 16/05/2024 12:55

reallifeboogie · 16/05/2024 12:32

Update.. we have been moved to another caravan. Manager doesn't know what happened. I mean, I'm sure he does but pretending he doesn't.
The owners of the caravan have actually been lovely since they realised its not our fault and said that if they hadn't wanted to use the caravan themselves then they'd have let is stay!

Wow well that have changed their tune after being so arsey and money grabbing last night.
I am so glad you are sorted. What a horrible thing to happen to you.

Abitorangelooking · 16/05/2024 12:58

Choochoo21 · 16/05/2024 12:54

The owners seem lovely for letting you stay the night whilst they got a B&B out of their own expense.

I would absolutely get the caravan park to repay the B&B, gas and for a clean and to give you a discount off your holiday too for the disruption.

I hope the rest of your holiday runs more smoothly.

I suspect the owners are being lovely as the park will be forking out for accommodation, gas and deep clean. As they should to be fair. Much easier to
be magnanimous in victory.

CaptainMyCaptain · 16/05/2024 12:58

HcbSS · 16/05/2024 12:55

Wow well that have changed their tune after being so arsey and money grabbing last night.
I am so glad you are sorted. What a horrible thing to happen to you.

I imagine they were understandably shocked finding unknown people in their caravan last night. They've had time to calm down and realise who was actually at fault now. I'd probably get them a bottle of wine or some flowers and Parkdean should pay for everything else.

HappierTimesAhead · 16/05/2024 12:58

Phew! I can't believe the manager is not putting forward any kind of explanation as to what went wrong though. They should be giving you some kind of compensation.

SpringerFall · 16/05/2024 12:58

Abitorangelooking · 16/05/2024 12:58

I suspect the owners are being lovely as the park will be forking out for accommodation, gas and deep clean. As they should to be fair. Much easier to
be magnanimous in victory.

It was not the owners fault

murasaki · 16/05/2024 12:59

You and the owners could present a united front in complaining. Both deserve some cash back for the stress and inconvenience.

Ifyoucouldreadmymindlove · 16/05/2024 13:02

Wouldn’t be the first time an unscrupulous caravan park owner let out privately owned caravans without the owners’ knowledge…

HebburnPokemon · 16/05/2024 13:10

This is like an episode of One Foot in the Grave 😁

LongLongTimeAg0 · 16/05/2024 13:14

@Needmorelego The UK season is most definitely underway, mid season begins as a standard the Friday before Good Friday annually. It isn't just June, July and Aug, or school holidays. I've been in holiday lets for many years and we don't have 'out of season', we have closed season (generally Jan and Feb whilst repairs and improvements are carried out) and then low, middle and high season.

For those asking why the site has keys, this is also standard across parks and sites in case of emergency. I've seen many many cases where the site owners/managers having a key was a godsend as it meant that everything from floods, fires and rogue squirrels could be addressed by people on the ground when the absentee owners would not have a clue as to what was going on.

Whilst the owners shouldn't have been initially unpleasant I imagine they were in shock when they arrived back and found their own property occupied. Those who are focusing on their ire might want to imagine how they would feel if they came home from work one night and a stranger was sitting in their lounge watching their TV. I doubt they'd be the picture of calm and let those random people stay there overnight and go find alternative accommodation when - from their point of view - someone had just illegally walked into their home. Once they got over the initial shock they sound to have been lovely, and they most certainly have a case against the site owners.

Tbh if I had been in their shoes I wouldn't have let you stay overnight, not through any wish to be punitive but because if they have it insured as a lock up and leave as opposed to a regular rental their insurance would be invalid and they'd be at major risk allowing you to stay there without significant public liability cover.

OP I'm glad you've been re-accomodated. Something has gone wrong somewhere and my money is on the park management. There is some shoddy management in these areas, it can be hard to recruit and retain staff to do these jobs and turnover is high. Not that that's any excuse - you have a contract with them and they should perform their side of that contract. If they are not able to place you in a property as advertised because they have no rights to that property then they need to find you a reasonable alternative in a reasonable time frame.

I hope this doesn't put too much of a downer on your holiday and you go on to have a lovely break 🙂

Retiredearly61 · 16/05/2024 13:14

I bet the owners normally rent it out via the site but informed Parkdean they would be using it themselves this week and a Parkdean system hasn’t been updated.

Needmorelego · 16/05/2024 13:19

@LongLongTimeAg0 ok then.... it's "low" season 🙄
You know what I meant. A non school holiday week in May is likely to mean the park isn't full.
Which it clearly wasn't - as the OP has been moved to another caravan.

ScoobyDoesnt · 16/05/2024 13:19

msbevvy · 16/05/2024 10:24

It is standard for sites to hold keys to privately owned caravans in case of emergency. There could be storm damage, a water leak etc that needs immediate attention. Someone I knew had a squirrel get in via a roof vent and wreak havoc in the van. The site owners managed to evict it and prevent further damage.

This. I own a caravan on a privately owned site where there are no commercial lettings, but they have keys for emergencies, servicing the boiler, maintenance etc.

TheBestEverMouse · 16/05/2024 13:21

100% not your fault so I'm pleased the owners didn't make you feel bad once they realised. 100% on the park management. How could it possibly happen that a private caravan was let as a holiday let?? I hope the owners are going to get refunded for their b&b by the park management.

LongLongTimeAg0 · 16/05/2024 13:24

Needmorelego · 16/05/2024 13:19

@LongLongTimeAg0 ok then.... it's "low" season 🙄
You know what I meant. A non school holiday week in May is likely to mean the park isn't full.
Which it clearly wasn't - as the OP has been moved to another caravan.

Well I'm fully booked throughout May as are most owners I know. The UK holiday let industry has gone stratospheric since the pandemic & people remembered/realised how nice it can be to holiday here either as a primary or secondary break. It's great that the OP has been re-housed in alternative accommodation though, hope she has a great break 🙂

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