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.

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

So why not bother to check since you think it's excessive & obviously begrudge paying it?

Actually I did wash the bedding and put it away and did all the towels.

I think £75 is absolutely peanuts. I’d keep your mouth shut.

I just can't understand how someone would be mean enough to expect her retired in-laws to pay for the electricity she uses in their caravan. £10 is a 'contribution' (that she was never willing to offer before) but £25 is 'excessive'! Nuts.

91% of voters disagree with you though. What do you say to that?

Pay for your own holiday, there's a thought.

I would never charge my own children or even close friends. In fact, I'd be happy that it is getting used whilst I can't.
My DC are grown but we still pay for all the accommodation if we travel together, because we want to.

No way is £25 a night excessive!

it’s very reasonable.

Well I think £25 per night is very sensible. Especially if you have a fair few kids/grandkids who might use it. Having a charge stops people taking advantage and probably is just a nod towards the costs of running it.

No need for you to be so rude. A set amount per night is a business contract but a voluntary contribution that's appreciated is better.

There is nothing excessive about the price you were asked to pay by your in laws.

It’s not for you to decide who is well off enough that they don’t need to charge for X,Y or Z.

You sound so entitled and unpleasant, and totally disrespectful. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are always issues with how you treat/leave the caravan as you think “they’re rich enough to replace that” etc

I'll solve it for you. So you don't ever have to suffer from their extreme meaness again, don't go back. Never take a holiday there again.
Book and pay for a three night break somewhere else.

The problem is that the OP would probably choose to contribute nothing. It would be interesting to know if she contributed anything the two times she stayed last year.

If I were your in-laws I’d start renting it out, and making sure it wasn’t available for you to use. Being resentful of such a a small charge would piss me off and make me feel like limiting your access to my nice things

Thank you. It's the oddness of a set rate

Problem is op, your voluntary contribution (that you never actually volunteered) was a tenner per night.

Which is ludicrous tbh.

Maybe he was taken aback by how little you offered the last twice you stayed in the caravan.

How much did you give him, OP?

Contrary to most on here, I'm with you OP. I have never been charged to use a family member's caravan, nor would I dream of charging anyone to use mine. I would contribute in other ways e.g. buying a gas cylinder, food for the cupboards etc.

Oops, sorry, I see it was £10 a night. Now you know why he's asking for a fixed amount.

Why is it odd to charge £25 night??? You're literally getting a £75 holiday! And you would probably contribute a big fuck all if it was voluntary!

Completely agree with this too.

I think the important thing here, is that PIL do not rent out their caravan as a way of making money.

If they charged say £300pw, and were almost always fully booked, then maybe it would be fair to charge the children to stay, because the children staying would be causing a dent in their income. But they don't rent it out, so it literally costs them nothing (or peanuts) when the children stay.

I would not charge my kids a penny! If you can afford to buy a caravan you can afford to treat your kids. Some people are just weird.

We put food in the cupboard and reolace any toiletries etc we use and leave it how we'd like to find it

I don't charge for mine, it makes me really happy to see family enjoying it and is, for me, one of those simple pleasures in life where if you can help family, you do. Can they afford this van, really, if they need to charge family per night?

Mumsnet in general is a miserable place to be where family means nothing.