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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Oh crap holiday motorhome disaster- what do I do?

168 replies

IHeartKingThistle · 23/08/2017 15:48

I'm such an idiot but I didn't check. We're supposed to be going away on Friday in a hired motorhome. It's all paid for. It's a 4 berth. I assumed this meant 4 seat belts as it has when we've hired motorhomes from other places. But I didn't check. It has 3. And a side seat with no belt.

Is this normal? I understand that new vans have to have belts but older ones aren't under the same laws. But it's not safe, surely? We've been told an adult has to sit in the side seat. So I have to travel unsecured, sideways (which will make me feel awful) and not next to my husband on our family holiday?

There's no way to get the money back at this stage. Campsites and activities are all booked for the week.

I'm actually in tears. Tell me it'll be fine.

OP posts:
ImperialBlether · 23/08/2017 16:37

Did you see the motorhome before you booked it, or did you book it online?

Surely it has to be as advertised? What does the advert say?

ImperialBlether · 23/08/2017 16:37

They have missold that. There's no way they can sell a four berth with three seatbelts. That's not on.

Original poster
IHeartKingThistle · 23/08/2017 16:38

We do a lot of road trips. The DC sit together, share colouring pens and books, play games, all that stuff. DH and I sit in the front and sing badly and chat and all that stuff. Neither of those things is now possible as weve been told an adult has to sit in the side seat which means a child has to go up front. They will mind not being together even if they are in the same vehicle!

OP posts:
Lowdoorinthewal1 · 23/08/2017 16:38

You can buy harnesses that fir to a seat- usually for people with additional needs. Looks like it would be about £100, but not sure how quickly you could get one.

Coloursthatweremyjoy · 23/08/2017 16:39

I'd contact a local caravan/motor home sales and parts place. Maybe there is a solution to this?

I have no idea but surely worth a try.

ImperialBlether · 23/08/2017 16:40

Before you paid up, what did you think was the case? Did you think all four of you would fit in the front seat? Did you see pictures?

user1497991628 · 23/08/2017 16:42

Suggest that they'll get great free publicity on MN if they agree to take it back and try to rehire it...?

SoPassRemarkable · 23/08/2017 16:45

I would tell them if they don't get you a full refund you will report them to trading standards.....very sneaky wording and not clear only three seats have belts. Take screenshots!

flissfloss65 · 23/08/2017 16:46

I just looked up about side seats and there are lots of warnings about them being dangerous, e.g. whiplash and that's wearing a seatbelt.

Can you take your car and camp in your booked places? Not great but I would be too worried about the consequences of not having a seatbelt.

teaandakitkat · 23/08/2017 16:47

This happened to us last summer. Booked a massive motorhome with 5 seats. It had 4 front facing seats with seat belts, 2 in the front and 2 at the other side of the table if that makes sense, and 2 side facing seats without. The owner told us it was fine and legal for adults to sit in the side facing seat without a seatbelt. The one we hired was definitely newer than 2007.

We went anyway because we were there to collect it before we realised so we had no choice, I spent the entire holiday facing sideways without a seatbelt. We were fine, but I hate to think what would happen in an accident. I was nervous the whole time.

Sorry this has happened to you too, I had visions of dh and I up front in our massive motorhome while the kids were happily occupied in the back, but it didn't work out that way for us either.

I felt a bit misled tbh by the hire company, but I guess I didn't ask the question, I just assumed 6 seats meant 6 seat belts.

Sorry this has happened to you too.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 23/08/2017 16:47

A quick Google of this shows that it's an issue which causes a lot of concern - and most websites are saying that regardless of what is legal, it is not safe to carry unsecured passengers.I think the company have behaved very badly but if it's in the small print, I don't know what comeback you have Sad

I wouldn't feel comfortable travelling those kind of distances with no seatbelt.

FrancisCrawford · 23/08/2017 16:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
IHeartKingThistle · 23/08/2017 16:49

I knew there was a side seat but assumed it had a seatbelt. The seats sort of curve round the table. The DC were supposed to sit there so they could do their colouring etc. I didn't know side seats weren't as safe, didn't for one second think I'd be sold a van not fit for 4 passengers.

OP posts:
SusannahL · 23/08/2017 16:49

I think you would be within your rights to insist on a refund op.
Surely you have been mis-sold. A 4 berth should guarantee 4 seatbelts.

Also according to a previous poster that motorhome is at least 10 years old! I thought vehicle hire companies had new cars - max 3 years old.
All in all I think you have a good case for kicking up a stink.
At the very least they should have told you it only had three to check it was still ok with you.

Original poster
IHeartKingThistle · 23/08/2017 16:51

I'm so sorry this happened to you too teandakitkat.

OP posts:
ImperialBlether · 23/08/2017 16:52

I've just looked on a site local to me - it clearly states how many it sleeps and how many seatbelts.

What does the advert state?

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 23/08/2017 16:52

I can't quite picture it though - are there two seats in the front with seatbelts, then one forward-facing seat with a seatbelt behind them and then - a side-facing one with no belt?

QueenLaBeefah · 23/08/2017 16:52

It really sounds like you have been miss sold (I'm not a lawyer though). It wouldnt even enter my head to check this and would just assume that there were enough seat belts for everyone.

MuncheysMummy · 23/08/2017 16:53

Stop being such a drama queen! So you will have to sit without a seatbelt you will be fine it's not that deal but it's a one off situation that you won't repeat just get over it or you will ruin the holiday hand wringing and may as well stay at home!

MuncheysMummy · 23/08/2017 16:54

*not ideal

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 23/08/2017 16:55

Similarly to ImperialBlether, I've just gone on the site local to me and under Key Features of each van it states, eg, four berths, four seatbelts. A bit cheeky for yours only to state that in the small print.

ImperialBlether · 23/08/2017 16:56

@MuncheysMummy They're not just going to Tesco! They're going on a driving holiday and the OP will not be safe for one single minute of their journey.

ADishBestEatenCold · 23/08/2017 16:58

Wow! I knew that if there was no seatbelt fitted for a seat, then you didn't have to use one, but I had no idea a company could hire out a vehicle with insufficient seat-belts.

To my mind, it's very different if you own it ... then it's your own stupid choice ... but if you rent you kind of expect to have minimum modern safety standards.

A quick google seems to suggest the hire laws are even more ambiguous than the seat-belt laws!

I would bluff.

I think you should contact the company, tell them that you have now been informed that, yes, they can indeed offer for hire a vehicle with insufficient seat-belts for the number of passengers but only if they tell you that there will be insufficient seat-belts for the number of passengers, ahead of the hire.

I think you should tell them that you are consulting with trading standards, and that you require either a different vehicle with a minimum of four seat-belts; or a fourth seat-belt to be fitted to that vehicle ahead of your trip; or a full refund.

(I think you should probably put this situation to your local trading standards office as well, to get their take on it, just in case they can give you some back-up, which supports the bluff).

If the bluff fails and you get no where in time, I would take a second vehicle. Yes, extra fuel costs, and you're not all together ... but it can still be fun driving in convoy and you can park up the van at destinations, then use the car for local travel.

No way would I do that journey without a seat-belt, especially in a side facing seat (which I find harder to maintain my balance in).

Original poster
IHeartKingThistle · 23/08/2017 16:58

Theonlylivingboy yep that's it. The back seats are sort of a corner bench, but it turns out only the forward facing part of it has a seatbelt.

OP posts:
SusannahL · 23/08/2017 16:59

Muncheys, the op is NOT being a drama queen.
She is very concerned and with good reason.
She has explained that this is a touring holiday of Scotland from Surrey. It will ruin the whole trip for the other reasons she has mentioned.