New booking issue

One reason given for not continuing with deposits once the online system was set up was that people didn't bother to let a site know they not coming, the just took the hit of losing the deposit. I am not sure the Club should offer the option of paying on arrival in person. Pre Payment seems to work well with the C&CC and I have never seen anyone questioning that on their web forum.

I suppose they could insert a clause in the T&C’s stating that if you opt to pay on arrival the club will still retain your card details and if you  just don’t  turn up you will be debited for the full cost of your stay. I would think most would make the time to cancel before hand, unless the booking was only for a night.

The commercial sites I have delt with do not take the final payment automatically. They do not retain card details and usually demand final payment X days before arrival. How you pay this may not be by the same method as with the deposit. The last commercial booking I made, I paid the deposit with a credit card and the balance a week before arrival by bank transfer.

As far as I am aware when you pay for goods, retailers etc do not keep card details, they do not even know the number of the card used unless you agree to their storage of this information for future use e.g. Amazon, Tesco etc

peedee

Personally seeing the low pitch occupation and from what others are saying I think the the club should leave the 10% and leave everything else well alone, the special offers being launched seems to be aimed at the long stays and these are the ones they need to entice back, deposits for weekenders was never going to be a problem.

We've recently returned from a (regularly used) small commercial in the New Forest, about 25 pitches.

no deposit required on booking over the phone and fees due could be paid by cash or by bank transfer, our choice. 

for larger organisations we are happy with their 'tougher' terms as we only ever book very close to the arrival date, inside two weeks usually..

Just to clarify the commercials sites I have just booked required full payment on booking because it was only a month until I arrive on site, usually you pay a deposit and and pay the balance 4/6 weeks before arriving on site. I think you are right that they don't take payment automatically, you have to initiate that. 

Amazon have my card details and I can buy without entering further details. I have a fairly recent new Partnership Card which is managed by New Day. If I buy online I usually have to go into the card App and confirm I am buying something. That doesn't happen when I shop in person although I suppose if it was a large sum they might well do that. You would think that the taking of the balance before arrival would throw up another confirmation but it doesn't seem to - that could be awkward at 2.00am in the morning!

If you have agreed with the Club (even in error) for the Club to take both payments surely they have to retain payment details for that the work? As I said earlier the Club need need to look at the system so no one is under any illusion to what they have agreed to. Perhaps that means that the member has to tick the box to agree to automatic payment rather than the box being pre-ticked?

David

Perhaps that means that the member has to tick the box to agree to automatic payment rather than the box being pre-ticked?

I think this would simply result in queues at the barrier of people paying on arrival.

peedee

"If you have agreed with the Club (even in error) for the Club to take both payments surely they have to retain payment details for that the work?"

That is exactly my point David.  They must have to retain card details to take that second payment - yet I rejected this option and that was confirmed in the "My Bookings" section of their web page where it showed I had opted to pay on arrival.

The original email indicated they were going to take payment the day before arrival, so they did not have my consent to store card details and are therefore in breach of GDPR on a number of counts.

The club does not process card payments, this done by a Third Party called World Pay. When you get to get making payment part of the booking you are automatically transferred to the World Pay system where you provide your card details. You can check you URL when you get to that stage yourself. If you chose to pay the deposit and the balance prior to arrival you agree to two transactions being created  one the balance which is actioned immediately and a second for the balance, which is a timed transaction to be actioned in the early hours of the day of arrival. Once the deposit transaction is successfully completed you are transferred back to the Clubs system. Again the club does not hold your card details.

Companies offering finance services have to comply with the financial services act to protect consumers from fraudulent activity etc. Although it's never fail safe the economy wouldn't survive without the present robust systems. 

Just a little update from the above post. I booked another site today for October. I left the box ticked as I don't mind paying before arrival. The on screen confirmation still say balance due, pay of arrival, but this clearly should be ignored. Pleased to say the booking confirmation email arrived almost immediately and I suggest it is this that should be used  as this does confirm the payment will be taken before arrival, unless of course you have unticked the box when I imagine it will also say pay on arrival. I think I am gradually getting the measure of the new booking system despite not having used it a lot this year, only four sites so far.

David