GraemeSmith
Several months ago we booked a few days at Masons Campsite near Grassington in Yorkshire in early July. Good news of course is that the camping is now allowed, however our plans were disrupted by the rescheduling of a small hospital visit for our daughter that means we now need to stay in 14 days of social isolation that coincides with our holiday plans.
"No problem", we thought, "we'll just re-schedule the trip a few weeks later". Wrong! Mason's has a policy of pre-payment, and took our final payment in early June of £58. So I contacted them, explained the situation and asked if it we could come in August rather than July. The answer was "NO", and they even emailed me their terms and conditions that state that no changes are possible within 28 days of the visit date. They described our 14 day isolation period prior to the hospital visit as our "disinclination to travel".
They kindly offered to cancel, but said that no rescheduling or refund was possible! Not helpful really.
I was really expecting that given these unusual times that some flexibility would be given and that pre-COVID T's & C's would not be fully relevant. I know that these small business are desperate for income, and that's one of the reasons that we were heading into Yorkshire and onto these smaller sites. However we are equally attached to our cash, and now we will have to pay out again when we visit Yorkshire (another site) in August.
I guess the moral of the story is that if there's no flexibility at all in cancellations or rescheduling due to COVID-19 knock-on issues, then don't pay in advance unless you definitely know that C-19 won't impact you or that the rules won't change? Seems wrong doesn't it!
Surely, having flexible - and fair - policies would encourage more people to book in times of uncertainty.
Anyway folks - check the T's and C's before you book, and be aware what you are committing to and how much flexibility to expect if things change for you.
"No problem", we thought, "we'll just re-schedule the trip a few weeks later". Wrong! Mason's has a policy of pre-payment, and took our final payment in early June of £58. So I contacted them, explained the situation and asked if it we could come in August rather than July. The answer was "NO", and they even emailed me their terms and conditions that state that no changes are possible within 28 days of the visit date. They described our 14 day isolation period prior to the hospital visit as our "disinclination to travel".
They kindly offered to cancel, but said that no rescheduling or refund was possible! Not helpful really.
I was really expecting that given these unusual times that some flexibility would be given and that pre-COVID T's & C's would not be fully relevant. I know that these small business are desperate for income, and that's one of the reasons that we were heading into Yorkshire and onto these smaller sites. However we are equally attached to our cash, and now we will have to pay out again when we visit Yorkshire (another site) in August.
I guess the moral of the story is that if there's no flexibility at all in cancellations or rescheduling due to COVID-19 knock-on issues, then don't pay in advance unless you definitely know that C-19 won't impact you or that the rules won't change? Seems wrong doesn't it!
Surely, having flexible - and fair - policies would encourage more people to book in times of uncertainty.
Anyway folks - check the T's and C's before you book, and be aware what you are committing to and how much flexibility to expect if things change for you.
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