To not expect to pay excessive amount as we're family.

[Boop1e]

In laws brought themselves a caravan on a haven site a year ago. Decided to spend some pension money on it.
the site fees have renewed and have gone up just like everything else in life.
They don't rent it out and we only use it as family.
Anyway father in law has just charged his own son £75 for 3 nights to use it. He owed me money for ordering him a new tablet and doing him a favour so took the money out of that which I couldn't afford to lose.

Before the season started he mentioned charging £25 a day but nothing else happened and no mention of it again before we went.

He's also charged brother in law £150 to use but they paid upfront.

Am i being unreasonable to feel this is a lot to charge your own children and £10 or so a day would be sufficient. I'm not convinced I spend £25 a day heating and lighting my 3 bed home. They get their passes included with the caravan for 10 people.

Husband won't challenge it because it won't make any difference.

How about you adopt the radical practice of paying for yourselves?
You sound like a complete freeloader, expecting both your parents to provide several free holidays a year for your family.

For me your ILs are being pretty fair. I think the poster who called them tighter than a rats arse is being really unkind. They’re not profiting from you at all. 25 pn for a family is a nominal amount which I’d be happy to pay-tbh, I’d think myself stingy and mean if I expected to pay nothing. Site fees are expensive, as is fuel yes I know he pays the site fees anyway but the fact is, you are making use of it, therefore making it unavailable for anyone else. I’ve stayed in a friend’s house and gave her a nominal amount to cover costs plus something for a little treat. I’d see it as a win win situation. You get a holiday paying a fraction of the cost while at the same time making a contribution to the owner!s costs. BTW, I’m treating my adult children and step children to a villa holiday this year as I’d like to-but inviting people to stay with you is totally different to allowing use of someone’s home.

Gas, electric and water cost money, as does wear and tear on furniture/kitchen items. Also, cleaning takes time. My parents used to have a caravan and only let it out to people they knew on the understanding it was left clean - one family in particular left it in a filthy state and it was a good job my parents followed them in but they then have to clean literally everything including the windows it was so bad. Not a good start to their break.

My family don't have a caravan but do take us away at other times

Have you ever paid for a holiday?

Are you on a wind up? Have to be.

stop expecting freebies man.

If site fees are £4000 a year that is around £11 a night - if they are £8000 = £22 a night. That doesn't take account of Easter being peak rate and subsidising the winter months. It leaves very little for gas and electric use and nothing towards cleaning or wear and tear.

I think in the case of your in laws "no good deed goes unpunished". You have access to a cheap holiday subsidised at their expense (at that rate you are paying nothing towards their van or wear and tear). You can choose to go and benefit from a cheap hol or not to go. Instead you choose to go and to bitch about them and call them tight.

Put yourself in their shoes. They pay a lot of money for their own van and would probably prefer not to share it. After all if they wanted to use a shared van they could just rent one anywhere without being tied to the same place, but they do allow family to use it at less than cost price to be kind - and all they get in return is attitude.

There might be siblings/nieces and nephews, friends and neighbours asking to use the van and a small contribution stops the absolute worst of the piss taking. Some people might go every weekend the van was available if it were "cheaper than being at home".

If your teenagers would rather go elsewhere than decline further use kindly. No further character assassination required.

Site fees for haven start at £6500 on our local site per year! I don't think £25 is excessive.

We had a caravan, recently swapped it for a holiday home instead. We don't rent, only allow family to use. My brother and sister in law use with their family regularly and always leave us £50 whether they stay for 2 nights or 7. We've never asked them for cash but appreciate them paying towards bills so it doesn't cost us for them to stay.

Some weeks they would use the caravan and use an entire gas bottle (in winter), bottles cost £90 each. Other weekends they likely won't use much.

Honestly I think you should think yourselves lucky and just enjoy it.

Do they pay for the £90 bottle of gas they use, or expect you to cover it?!

How is it worth that if you don’t rent it out? Genuinely? I’d much rather spend £6k on holidays abroad in different locations!

I can't imagine willingly enjoying something that isn't mine, that's expensive with rising costs and NOT offering to pay?

Can you not see how entitled that makes you look, regardless of who the owner is?

Why should family lose out more if they rent to their family members?

I hope you're saving for your own caravan so your kids get free holidays for their whole adult life too because obviously they will expect it as well!

@Boop1e

how do you know?

are you his bank manager?!

@Boop1e do you ever treat your parents/in-laws?

You sound like a child.

Certainly a bit awkward, YANBU to be a bit miffed but also YABU to expect it for free entirely. Just don't stay there again, these things are never without complications.

I'm just from a different background where family don't do things like that.

So now you know that not all people are the same...

I’m sure that bank manager doesn’t need to earn £100k’s a year nor do footballers need their millions per year. Doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be paid for working does it.

The owner of the Hilton are pretty well cushioned doesn’t mean they give rooms for free.

Im all for an in law bashing thread 😏 but this is just a greedy Dil.

I would not make my own children pay to use my holiday home.

I honestly don't think a lot of older people realise how hard their kids have it at the moment in terms of finances, or the need for downtime, as we all seem to work longer and longer hours.

Provided you don't abuse the heating and leave the place pristine, then no charges should be levied

Well quite clearly you do have a problem with contribution

You are fortunate to have generous parents who are in a position to do this, so you are expecting the same from your in-laws, who incidentally I don’t see as being unread.

Please tell me though - surely you make some contribution when your parents take you away?!

@Boop1e

this!

I hope you never spend a penny on yourself op and that all your money is family money going into a savings pot so that you can buy a caravan or villa for your own kids to use for free holidays when they’re adults! Cos if they are anything like you, that’s what they will be expecting!

Best get scrimping!

Your in-laws should not have bought the caravan if it they could not afford the site costs. They should not expect you to up-keep their leisure facilities. It is their choice, they own it and knew the high costs. That is their problem, not yours.
You have a young family, a mortgage! Take them out to dinner instead but don't fall into the trap of the upkeep of their caravan no matter how cheap it is for you to stay there.

I was in the same predicament once, where in-laws expected us to pay for their groceries while we stayed with them. They were very well financially, no mortgage. Over the years, we took the chance and got a bargain family holiday abroad. overall, more satisfying for the family.

As for the In-laws - well they went on holiday abroad too - 5 star holidays.

It is mean for them to ask for money in family perks. Move on, move out!

@Boop1e - where else are you going to get a holiday for 4 of you, for £25 per night? This is an absolute bargain, and you should be grateful to your PIL, not whingeing about having to pay a pretty token amount.

@Boop1e

do you contribute op? Or just let them pay for it all cos they get offended if you offer