Q? for those with recent seasonal experience

[muckinfuss]

I'm curious how your electric was billed. Meter? SWAG? Some inane formula based on sunspots?

 

[bluztoo]

Just left a place near Yuma, AZ, where it was metered and based on a stated rate. Added about $100 to my monthly fee, which was quite reasonable ($295).

 

[Jacjayco]

Also just left a spot in Ft. Pierce, Fl. Electric was metered and was $68 for the period Jan. 1 to March 5.

 

[Grumpy]

Every park we went to was metered and some added a surcharge.

 

[ARoamer]

Metered in AZ @ .11 per kwh. A bit above $100 a month but we used electric heat, ran hot water and fridge on electric. Cheaper than using LP.

 

[kirkelli]

Most sites we vist were metered.. A couple in Oregon and Idaho were flat fees, i think $15-20 additional per day. The most we paid at a metered site on a 15 day stay was $65 bucks during the summer.

 

[muckinfuss]

thank you for your quick replies. I'm in the midst of a heated conversation with our park manager over his methods. Not just what is usual and customary, but what is legal.

 

[Jagiven]

I have 3 friends with seasonal that all have meters at their site, and each pay based on the meter readings.

 

[norty1]

The one we go to has the host read the meter monthly and send you the bill. No surcharge yet. (don't give them any ideas)!

edit: The monthly rate covers the electric.

 

[Tunce the traveler]

Usually when I stay at a park for less than a week there’s no extra electric fee but my daily rate is more. If I stay say 2 weeks my rate (daily) is less but I do have a separate electric fee.
Now we’re talking the pacific coast & Bend Oregon.

 

[muckinfuss]

Our site is mid Apr to mid Oct. The renewal invoice is showing that the monthly charge for just electricity is $211. I asked how that was calculated. He said they are taking the entire bill for the campground and dividing it among the seasonal sites (that's all they have). My house is 3K sq ft and I don't average $200 per month for elec. and gas combined annually. So basically he thinks an additional $1400 over and above the site fee makes perfect sense.

My frugal gene is acting up over this.

 

[bucko-JAY]

Don't each states have an utilities comminisioner? I'd find out who it is for that state and give them a call to see if that park is charging legal rates.

 

[Dave W-FRF]

Ours in the Adirondacks was based on the current National Grid rate. In the past 14 years it has varied between .09 to .22/kWh. Last year it was .14kWh. The biggest power draw was the fridge and the a/c which were both left on 24/7/season. The highest bill ever was ~$95 but that was over a 6+ week span. It WILL go up this year but we have given the seasonal 'thing' up

 

[Grumpy]

Don't each states have an utilities comminisioner? I'd find out who it is for that state and give them a call to see if that park is charging legal rates.

They only control the rates utility companies charge and not sub metering by a private entity.

 

[Grumpy]

He said they are taking the entire bill for the campground and dividing it among the seasonal sites (that's all they have).

My frugal gene is acting up over this.

Sounds like he is also including all his elec for the office etc. Did he raise your rent too, or is that how he is covering any incteased costs?

 

[kirkelli]

They only control the rates utility companies charge and not sub metering by a private entity.

Calif has laws on electric re-sale.. The re-seller has to apply applicable state taxes and fees. The only way it can becomes attractive to a park owner is if they install solar. Then the Park Owners (or private property owners) are allowed to apply other fees that apply to electric regeneration, which is 100% profit for the park owner and they also cash in on some very attractive incentives from the state for their solar investment. They also get huge profits due to the sell back of unused power to local power company. I believe Wash and Oregon have similar programs. The local Power Companies are forced by the state mandates to buy back solar power before they can generate their own power... Private companies such as PG&E, SCE do not get any credits for installing Solar or Wind Generation, However if the electric Co is owned by a municipality, then that muncipality can cash in on huge incentives for creating Green Power.. This whole scheme is set up to put the large Private Power Companies out of business. At least in Calif..

 

[muckinfuss]

Sounds like he is also including all his elec for the office etc. Did he raise your rent too, or is that how he is covering any incteased costs?

My opinion I expressed to him was that he was using his greed to impose what I call the stupid tax. Only stupid people pay it. I'm certain that the charge is based on pool heater and all the other costs he's carrying from having electricity. I did do some research and my state has absolutely no oversight of campgrounds that aren't state park based. The only requirements are health department certification(which isn't defined as to what they're certifying and when) and pay an annual local license fee if imposed by the local gvmt. Rent goes up 3% per year for the time we've been involved. I know some landlords of residential and commercial properties that have used a similar scam to double dip without getting caught. I'm certain that's what's happening here. He's got probably the best lakefront location we've seen and is the exact distance we feel like driving to get to 'home'. This is an example of life getting in the way of doing what you thought was possible. He's a greedy businessman, but not a smart one. He's imposing a number of fees that are stupid taxes. $$ per visitor, even if they don't spend the night and so forth. People don't like thieves and he may find a pullback of renewals that costs more than he's getting.

 

[spark of insanity]

Glad to be reading this. We are heading to Maine where we will pay for the electric bill and was hoping it was under 200 and seeing this makes me glad to hear. Our fridge will run on electric and so will the lights and maybe ac if needed but other then that using the LP tank for everything else.