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.

Where did op say it's a crap caravan? If it's so crappy then she doesn't have to stay in it does she?

OP, how many times has family used it for free in the year he has had it? My Fil has a caravan in a popular holiday location (and it's a nice one not a crappy one) and it costs him a lot of money and he used to let family use it too but some family took the absolute piss and expected to use it regularly. I'm not kidding when I say some of their adult kids and their families were using it more than fil and his wife and when the prices went up fil also gave everyone a heads up that they can't really afford the extra increases and said he had two choices, he charges them a small amount when they use it which didn't go down well, so he did his second choice and rented it out during peak times which had benefit of increasing income too and it pissed them all off because peak times is when they were using it so much.

YABVU
my parents have a caravan on a haven site. The ground rent is about £8000 for the year. There is also gas and electricity costs. They ask for £75 a night which is still cheap compared to what haven would charge and we happily pay it because we appreciate it costs them money in order for us to go. It also costs them for a friends and family pass for us to use the facilities.
i think you need to pay what i think is a very cheap reasonable amount or good luck finding somewhere cheaper.

I think £25 a night to charge your own family is excessive. I wasn't asked to pay upfront.

The site fees have gone through the roof this year, a family member is really struggling to afford theirs now.

Given the commercial rate is vastly higher than the paltry £75 you paid, I think they are being very reasonable. One way to help offset the huge and unexpected price rise is to ask for a small contribution from the other people who use it. It's still a dirt-cheap way to have a break.

With non-family I expect they'd ask for a lot more.

Of course you were! You just chose not to bring it up again. FIL told you they were going to charge £25 per night for the upcoming season, after that you still booked in 3 night. It seems it was clear enough as tour BIL understood and paid upfront.

If you were going to decline because they were charging you and your whole family £75 for 3 nights then you are the tight ones, not then.

Well now you know and you can just not ask to use it in future.

If he had mentioned charging before, why didn't you confirm with him before you went? Also where else could you go for £25 per night?

How is £25 a night steep for accommodation for a family including use of the entertainment facilites(including swimming pool). Going to my run down local pool as a family for an hours session costs about £25 alone!

You really think £25 per night is excessive?

I think this is one where it's entirely a personal decision. I know families who wouldn't dream of charging family to use their holiday home but an equal number who would charge a nominal amount like your FIL. Neither is totally unreasonable in my opinion. It isn't just heating/ electric it's also wear and tear on the property, water, and any longer term cleaning/maintenance that comes from having more people use it. As well as a contribution to acknowledge that you've been able to have a VERY cheap holiday compared to paying haven prices!!! Ultimately its up to you and if you aren't happy with FIL terms then you don't have to use it, but it's his holiday house so up to him what terms he imposes.

You were told - you just hoped it wouldn't happen. There is nothing excessive about £25 for 4 people to stay. Try and find somewhere cheaper if you think it is, and report back as I'm sure there will be many interested

I do appreciate we are lucky to have the opportunity, however, they chose to purchase one and there wasn't ever a mention of paying except in a joking passing comment.
Not really fair after the event either

You are massively unreasonable. The charge will go towards the fees for the caravan. Even if they were having someone stay there every single night that would come to less than 10K a year and their site fees + energy consumption could easily amount to that.

They likely are just charging you your share of the fixed costs for the nights you are staying. You wouldn't get a travelodge in a crappy location for £25 a night nevermind something with lots of facilities.

I pay my aunt and uncle £100 for the 1st week, then £50 for subsequent weeks (they set this amount) when we stay at their mobile home. I would pay more if they would take it as its hundreds/thousands cheaper then getting somewhere from say haven in school holidays, and we can take the dog! I usually send them flowers after we've stayed too.

Only in passing as a bit of a joke. No mention closer to the time

And it was your choice to go and you have already said in your OP that fil had said he would be charging £25 a night this season.

At least now you'll know for next time and can go somewhere else for £25 a night if you can find it. Good luck.

I mean you aren't entitled to use it for free. But I can't imagine my parents ever charging me, especially if we were struggling for money. We would obviously offer if we weren't skint

One time is enough to say it

If they aren't short of money and don't rent it out to others to earn cash then yes it does seem tight to charge family. Different if they were skint and used it as a business.

£25 a night is a reasonable rate. You wouldn’t get that elsewhere.

No it's not they still have to pay the extortionate amount Haven charge for gas and electric which has always been way more than any current supplier. And there is wear and tear two older adults don't jump on sofas, wet beds, spill foods, cook as much etc as a family with kids.

Definitely best not to go again as this has obviously caused you upset.
FWIW I think you had an absolute bargain - why shouldn't you contribute to the bills, site fees and wear and tear.
£75 for a break is amazing. I think a lot would charge more even to family.

I think there are two types of people in life: those who are generous and would give you the clothes off their back and those who are tighter than a rats arse.

Unfortunately your IL’s fall into the latter category. Behaviour like this can be extremely puzzling if you’re the generous sort. We wouldn’t dream of charging our dcs or close family to stay in our holiday home - we partly bought it for that purpose.Maybe your IL’s are trying to put you all off going as they want to keep it for themselves?

Some people in life know the price of everything and the value of nothing I’m afraid!

@TheyAreMyBhunasPete even if costs have gone crazy, and are much higher than when they initially bought it. Also can't imagine using it and not offering a contribution

But we are family and do respect it.