Ski trip cost- are we subsidizing “host “ family

[Moknicker]

Wanted to get a sense check on how a family has asked us to split costs for an upcoming ski trip

• One family (2 adults + 2 kids) is going on the trip.
• Four additional children (each from separate families) were invited to join. Our child is one of these - is friends with younger child. Kids are 17 and 15 year olds
• Total people on the trip: 8
• 4 from the host family.
• 4 individual children

Shared costs:

• Accommodation: 4k total
• Ski lift pass: 7 at 300 each = 2100 ( mum is not skiing)
• Total cost: 6100

The host family just told us the cost is 1640 for our son. I asked for the breakdown( we were only given total figure). It looks like they have added up the costs and divided by 5

Aibu to say this is not fair and our cost is around 1050( accommodation divided by 8 and we pay 300 for ski lift ) and we and the other kids should not be subsidizing the “host” family? And if we are then they should have told us beforehand?

Travel costs and other costs are covered individually.

If you invite your kids friends on holiday I don’t think I’d be charging them for the accommodation. You are basically getting free entertainment for your own children who otherwise wouldn’t want to go with you! ( Teens!)

In this scenario it’s obviously an expensive trip so paying for passes/ hire etc seems fair. I would just ask for more of a breakdown as it’s a bit more expensive than expected and you want to make sure your child has enough spending money.

That said does sound like they are taking the piss and you’re subsiding a trip they were already going on!

Surely if you’re only paying for accommodation and ski pass (and paying for own flights, equipment etc) then it should be £800?

1/8 share of accommodation(£4k divided by 8) = £500 plus £300 ski pass.

Seems like you’re paying way over the actual share of costs and Yanbu to query it- I wouldn’t pay until they can explain it fully in a way that makes sense.

Who is paying for transfers, equipment hire, ski lessons, food, etc.?

Some posters who replied seem to live on a different planet.

Travel costs and other costs are covered individually.

Until you come back and clarify what these other costs are, nobody can help you here.

The original post only mentions accommodation and ski passes being paid for and says “travel costs and other costs are covered individually”.

The message at the bottom of this post is perfect. Skiing is crazy expensive and presumably this is including some of the many added extras (equipment hire/transfers/lessons/food and drinks on the slope/meals at the chalet). In your position I wouldn’t want to come across as being arsey or suspicious and spoiling the relationship. Asking what is included to allow you to budget for anything additional very reasonable. If it turns out that they do seem to be expecting you to pay for an unreasonable portion of the accommodation I guess you can politely challenge it.

If this doesn’t include food etc I’d be prepared to pay A LOT more, especially if they are the type of family that stop at mountain huts during the day/go out at night. A simple lunch at a mountain hut is v pricey!

How is charging the other families double the cost ok because the parents are supervising and it wont be much of a holiday for them. Dont offer to take 4 other kids then Your post is utter nonsense. You charge the correct cost or dont offer.

I’m guessing they’ve counted their entire family as one person?

Not enough information here.
The share of the accommodation should be 500. The ski pass is 300. That's 800.
6100/1640 is not 5, so that suggests they might have divided the accommodation by 4 (the children going who are not members of the host family). That would be 1000 each plus ski pass 300 and then 340 for other expenses such as food or other non-skiing activities such as swimming or ice skating or something.

Who is paying for the ski hire, if your children don't have their own skis? Is there a rental car? (The costs of the rental car and fuel should be shared too). 3 meals a day for a week plus snacks and drinks can get expensive quickly, even if they are eating in all the time.

I think 1640 is too much. The accommodation should be split 8 ways. 500 each. But 800 would not be enough because of the extra expenses.

Accomodation seems really cheap for 8 people skiing.
What about ski boots, ski and helmet hire.
Transfers, could easily be 150 per person depending on location.
Food and drink.
Activities.
What about travel, petrol or flights?
Lessons?

But surely they have booked a considerably larger apartment if they are taking 4 additional people? Which will cost a lot more. Definitely not unreasonable to ask for a contribution towards accommodation, and probably not unreasonable for it to be an equal split (rather than token contribution). I agree it seems unfair to charge more than an equal share of accommodation, especially without making it clear from the outset that this was the plan

I'd message back saying, "Sorry the figures don't make sense to me! Please send me a complete breakdown as that seems double of what I was expecting! Also please explain how you've divided the costs. Thank you so much."

If your numbers are correct then you’re paying over 25% of the cost. Which either seems like they’ve made an error or they’ve included something you haven’t thought of.

Is the accommodation bigger/more rooms to cater for extra children? If I was renting a 4 bed chalet that could sleep extra kids sharing, I’d not be asking others to subsidise / pay as I’d have been paying that regardless. Lift pass / equipment hire / travel would be down to the other child’s family to pay and certainly some form of food contribution money.

What's the accommodation type?
There isn't food factored in if self catering.

I would ask for how it's been worked out and simply say sorry that doesn't seem to make much sense.

Skiing is so expensive, I can imagine if they didn’t make sure absolutely everything was covered costs could get out of control for them with four extra teenagers. Yet I’d still be interested in a breakdown … tricky to word though when they’re doing you a massive favour!

Looking at it another way 1640 x 8 = 13,120. If you take off the ski passes x 7 and accommodation then it leaves £6k ie 750 each. They must be including something else because you would also get ski hire and food for everyone easily out of that!

If I were doing this it would accommodation split evenly assuming everyone sharing, then ask each parent to either get their child to buy ski pass and pay for hire or to forward me the money. I would then probably ask for some money toward food. Ski resorts are very expensive and teenagers eat a lot!

BTW don’t forget to get your child to get the Carre Neige!

Yanbu.
They are taking advantage.
Decline.
Very shabby behaviour

I've taken DC's friends on holiday and wouldn't dream of charging them for food or accommodation so think the whole thing is bloody cheeky. I can however see how a ski trip would incur costs that a parent might expect to pay for such as lift pass, ski school etc and yes if they're flying then flights assuming this was agreed up front. We recently took 3 extra kids away on holiday and inevitably had a much larger house, needed a 7 seater car instead of standard car and had to limit eating out more than usual as costs were prohibitively high - we knew this before we asked them and that was our choice.

I would just say oh goodness this is a lot more than we expected I'm really sorry but DC won't be coming afterall. You could push for a breakdown but it's clear they looking for you to subsidise their holiday so can't see how it will change. Cheeky fuckers.

Email back and ask if that figure includes things you were allowing for separately like equipment hire, lessons, contribution to food, transfer etc. Can your dc ski/board competently? it does seem a lot for what they claim.

It's a lot of responsibility for the parents to take on the care for 6 kids, 4 of which aren't theirs. I'm almost not surprised they've thrown a little extra on the bill (if in fact they have.) Skiing is a dangerous activity. Especially for teenagers, who are likely to not be very experienced, and aren't always known for being risk-averse. It's also very expensive.
I'd suspect there's a lot of additional costs you haven't factored in. Ski hire, boot hire, food, other activities, transport.

But if you want to know a more accurate breakdown, then by all means ask. But don't go in all guns blazing and full of accusations.

If you're not happy, then it's fairly simple - your son doesn't go. But presumably you knew a rough ball park of the cost before you agreed? You had to know the rough amount, surely?!

Surely the extra cost includes flights, transfers, food and drink, kit hire, and perhaps lessons? Sounds like a very reasonable price for a ski trip. Unless you’re paying for all the above separately, in which case it doesn’t make sense. I’d say tread very carefully on this one.

Sounds like the four invited children are paying the whole amount for accommodation and ski lift. Four times £1640 comes to £6560 what are the family who doing the inviting actually paying for? Presumably inviting their kids friends is to benefit their own children, so why should they charge for supervising and chauffeuring?

You are right to question this! I’d give them the benefit of the doubt and guess it covers, transfers, ski school/lessons and ski hire. If not there has definitely been some creative accounting that I wouldn’t be happy with.

What was the arrangement when they invited your son along? Surely they must have said something along the lines of 'it'll be about X amount for XX and XX?' Nobody would agree to send their kid on a trip without some idea of how much it would cost them, surely?

It does sound like they're taking the piss though unless that amount also covers food, transport and ski hire.