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INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS ABOUT CLs
INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS ABOUT CLs
Discover a world of hidden gems, where getting away from it all is the order of the day.
Discover a world of hidden gems, where getting away from it all is the order of the day.
The Club network of small 5-van sites (CL's) is unrivalled in both size and variety.
The Club network of small 5-van sites (CL's) is unrivalled in both size and variety.
This information about CL's comes from the Club Handbook (2017) but is not yet available on the Club Website. Download it here.
Planning on visiting a CL? Learn what to expect.
Planning on visiting a CL? Learn what to expect.
Booking a CL, Payment, Arrivals & Departures, Reviews and general guidelines for staying at these privately run sites that are exclusively to CAMC members.
Booking a CL, Payment, Arrivals & Departures, Reviews and general guidelines for staying at these privately run sites that are exclusively to CAMC members.
This information about CL's comes from the Club Handbook (2017) but is not yet available on the Club Website. Download it here.
ARE YOU CONSIDERING OWNING A CL?
ARE YOU CONSIDERING OWNING A CL?
If you are interested in running a CL - please refer to this page for further guidance about setting up a CL from the Club
If you are interested in running a CL - please refer to this page for further guidance about setting up a CL from the Club
CL's operate under these Government regulations (see below) which provide a planning exemption to certain organisations
CL's operate under these Government regulations (see below) which provide a planning exemption to certain organisations
Once your CL is certificated and you appear on the Club database of CL's, you can join the CL Owners Group for advice and access a number of free resources including 16 page practical Guide to Marketing CL's.
Once your CL is certificated and you appear on the Club database of CL's, you can join the CL Owners Group for advice and access a number of free resources including 16 page practical Guide to Marketing CL's.
TAKE CARE
TAKE CARE
Before embarking on expensive work to create a CL site, please bear in mind that a Certificate issued by the club is only valid for 1 year. There is no guarantee that a certificate will be renewed.
Please read the Terms and Conditions (updated for 2023) carefully before considering whether you wish to be bound by them. See the Example Document in this section.
Renewal of the annual certificate may be refused at the absolute discretion of the CAMC. There is no defined right of appeal.
Other Certification bodies - albeit with fewer members - exist for example...
Freedom
Caravan & Camping Club
The Greener Camping Club
The Motorhome and Caravan Club
Download a copy here
The Club is advertising via the CLA Magazine for additional CLs and Club Sites (October 2017)
The Club publishes a CL newsletter (sent by email) twice per year to all CL Owners.
The Club publishes a CL newsletter (sent by email) twice per year to all CL Owners.
The Club also publishes guides to setting up a CL and information on Health & Safety
The Club also publishes guides to setting up a CL and information on Health & Safety
The Club Guide to setting up a CL
The Club Guide lines relating to Health & Safety on a CL site
CL OPERATIONAL RULES
CL OPERATIONAL RULES
The following rules are extracted from the Club Publication: 'Guide to Setting up a CL' (see above)..
"Our rules stem from the 1960 Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act and these impose certain legal obligations on the Club which, together with other rules we apply, govern the way CLs operate."
There are eight basic rules of operation:
There are eight basic rules of operation:
Rule 1: Visitors to your CL must be members of the Caravan and Motorhome Club (1960 Act)
This is a condition of your Certificate, breach of which could also put your cover at risk should a claim arise under your public liability insurance. All members carry a membership card so please ask to see this as evidence of current membership. Check the expiry date and note the member’s name, address, telephone number and membership number in your booking-in diary, just in case any queries arise. Quite a lot of members complain to us that owners do not ask to see their cards. They like to know that CLs are for their exclusive use.
Whilst visitors to your CL must be current Club members, non-members do occasionally ask to stay. They must join the Club before staying on site by calling the Club on 01342 318 813. If a new member wishes to stay before receiving their membership pack it would be acceptable to take the membership number alone which can be checked with head office or using a texting service.
OWNERS GROUP ADVICE: Implementing an on-line booking system will assist you to capture Membership Numbers at the point of booking, which you can then keep for your records and check with the Club via the Text Service at a later point.
Rule 2: Caravans may stay for no more than 28 days at a time (Club Rule)
This reinforces the touring philosophy and status of our Club’s CLs and also prevents one member monopolising a pitch and denying it to others.
Rule 3: CLs are for recreational use only (1960 Act)
Visitors should be on holiday and caravans should not normally be left unoccupied overnight or used for permanent residential purposes.
Rule 4: You may only take five caravans at a time (1960 Act)
The most important condition, formal planning permission and a site licence are required for more than five pitches and your site would no longer qualify for CL status. By far the majority of complaints The Club receives involve excess numbers and this is clearly a major concern for The Club.
All complaints about excess numbers will be investigated. Normally an informal word will resolve most problems. However, if persistent and substantiated complaints of excess numbers are received after a formal written warning from The Club, your Certificate is unlikely to be renewed on its expiry and may, in serious cases, be withdrawn at short notice.
OWNERS GROUP ADVICE: Implementing an on-line booking system will help prevent over-booking, if set up correctly.
Rule 5: Caravans should not be left unoccupied overnight (predominantly a Club Rule)
It is not uncommon to find caravans left unoccupied for varying periods of time. Clearly there will be exceptional circumstances when brief periods (a night or two) can be accepted. However, regular or lengthy periods effectively constitute ‘storage’, which almost invariably requires separate planning permission.
Rule 6: CL owners must have public liability insurance cover for not less than £2 million against any proven claims made by members suffering damage to property or personal injury (Club Rule)
Considerable legislation (e.g. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974) has increased public awareness of the right to seek compensation from site operators if visitors are involved in accidents or become ill through pollution. It is therefore necessary for CL owners to insure themselves against possible claims and we require owners to sign a declaration to this effect, which is a continuing obligation so long as the CL operates. Proof of PLI insurance is required annually on the date of renewal.
OWNERS GROUP ADVICE: Review the Health & Safety document here for more information.
Rule 7: CL owners using a private (non-mains) Water supply must have it tested annually by a competent authority (Club Rule)
Such owners are required to sign a declaration to this effect and provide copies annually of the relevant paperwork
OWNERS GROUP ADVICE: Review the Health & Safety document here for more information.
Rule 8: CL owners providing electric hook-ups must have the facility inspected and a satisfactory certificate issued by a contractor approved by the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) or by a member of the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) or SELECT (Scotland) (Club Rule)
Owners providing this service are required to sign a declaration to this effect and provide copies of test certificates.
OWNERS GROUP ADVICE: Review the Health & Safety document here for more information, and ensure you have considered the Terms and Conditions (see above)
WHO OWNS AND RUNS THE CLUB?
WHO OWNS AND RUNS THE CLUB?
The rebranding of the Club in February 2017 prompted a vigorous debate on Club Together about ownership of the Club. The following should help to clarify.
The Club is owned and run by its members. The Executive Committee (all of whom are long-standing members) are your elected representatives, i.e. the company directors, and are not paid.
The Club is owned and run by its members. The Executive Committee (all of whom are long-standing members) are your elected representatives, i.e. the company directors, and are not paid.
The Club has no borrowings and pays no dividends so it is not diverted from its sole purpose of serving members.
The Club has no borrowings and pays no dividends so it is not diverted from its sole purpose of serving members.
All surpluses are reinvested in Club services – overwhelmingly in the extension and development of your UK sites network. [i.e. Club-owned Sites]
All surpluses are reinvested in Club services – overwhelmingly in the extension and development of your UK sites network. [i.e. Club-owned Sites]
The legal entity remains ‘The Caravan Club Limited’, a company limited by guarantee, which is fully explained in the ‘Articles of Association’ and ‘The Club and how it works’ on the website.
The legal entity remains ‘The Caravan Club Limited’, a company limited by guarantee, which is fully explained in the ‘Articles of Association’ and ‘The Club and how it works’ on the website.
A Shareholder is the holder of one or more shares in the capital of the Company, which consists of £100 divided into 100 shares of £1 each.
A Shareholder is the holder of one or more shares in the capital of the Company, which consists of £100 divided into 100 shares of £1 each.
The Caravan Club of Great Britain & Ireland (1935) Limited was the shareholder, but the Executive Committee holds these shares in trust for the benefit of members.
The Caravan Club of Great Britain & Ireland (1935) Limited was the shareholder, but the Executive Committee holds these shares in trust for the benefit of members.
Voting members comprise both Full members and Shareholders.
Voting members comprise both Full members and Shareholders.
Quoted from an official response on Club Together
Who runs the club?
Who runs the club?
According to the Club website: The committees and their members play a pivotal role in the running of the Caravan and Motorhome Club.
Do members get a say in the running of the Club?
Do members get a say in the running of the Club?
Again, according to the Club website: Club Council is the advisory body to the Executive Committee on matters relating to the membership of The Club. It’s one of the ways members’ views are heard by the Executive Committee – it has an important role in shaping the direction of The Club. The Executive Committee manages the affairs of the Club and also delegates some responsibilities to subordinate Committees. More
Can CL Owners help to shape the Club they both belong to and provide 42% of the pitches for?
Can CL Owners help to shape the Club they both belong to and provide 42% of the pitches for?
No, under Bye-law 2.3, CL owners have been deemed as ineligible to serve on Club Council, so cannot influence the future strategy of the Club.
Byelaw 2.3 A person who is materially interested, directly or indirectly, in the caravan trade is not excluded from being a member but is not eligible for any Executive Position or for membership of the Club Council. The Executive Committee is the sole arbiter of what constitutes a material interest in the trade for the purposes of this Bye-Law.
How can CL owners communicate with the club on issues of concern?
How can CL owners communicate with the club on issues of concern?
In September 2018 the Director General of the Club committed to set up a CL Advisory Group. The Club formed the Advisory Group in early 2021. See the Home Page for more information.
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