Seeing as I posted exactly the same here as what I put in an email to Haven maybe I should have been more careful about my finances being publicly disclosed.

However I was only required to put £1,000 down - an amount which was going to be put on my credit card and reimbursed to me by the other family member, in addition to this they were going to pay the balance of £2,000 deposit when we returned home (required within 2 weeks). We were then going to split the finance payments down the middle for a designated time span and when the money came through I was going to reimburse them 50%.

This means that there's a very minimal initial outlay for me, and they got a van I recommended on a site I'd checked out.

I could also say plenty about my interpretation of other people, however, I think I'll just refrain from using such an unfriendly forum in future.

and when the money came through **that I was expecting shortly** I was going to reimburse them 50%.

I find it incomprehensible that you can be so judgemental and not accept that people speak in 'good faith' that they are not going to be cross examined as if they are not being honest. I have no reson to lie and had I known the negative way some people would tactlessly judge me then I wouldn't have bothered to post here at all.

Ok lets get this on an even keel again please.

Can I respectfully remind all members of the terms and conditions of the site, in particular number three

3. Show respect and courtesy to all other users

We all know we can be a friendly forum really!

Kath HT Admin

hi to you ..lottietotty.. i think you could be taking some of the comments the wrong way,most people are trying to be helpful,i realise you had a bad time at haven,i would suggest you put it behind you and look forward to your next holiday.......many regards ....john-doe...

I have been reading through these posts and I feel that Lottie has took a bit of flak, it is nobodies busiess if she/he had or didnt have any finance, the fact that a bad holiday was had was all that should concern anybody.

Hope you get a result Lottie because it doesnt matter where you have been or how much it cost the point is that you did not get the holiday you should have.

Good Luck

Marion

well done ..weemaz.. they were the words i was looking for ....regards...john-doe...

Just wanted to say that we also had a weekend break at Golden Sands in April and contrary to what has been said before we had a great time. The staff seemed very friendly and helpful and the van we stayed in was fine. heaters are not guaranteed in bedrooms in bronze accomodation. We stayed in Silver and these did not have heated bedrooms either. You have to book Gold to guarantee heaters. Apart from being a bit cold everything else about the van was quite satisfactory. When we needed our gas bottle replacing it was delivered and working within 10 minutes of reporting it. The evening entertainment is not my cup of tea to be truthful, but the kids love it and its them I go on holiday for anyway. The town is not that far away for shopping and not having a car isnt really a problem as there are plenty of alternative forms of transport, buses, beach train and a land train that picks up directly from the site to take you into town. Sorry if what I have said goes against some popular opinions but I thought it was only fair to offer an alternative view from someone who actually enjoyed their holiday at Golden Sands so much that we DID buy a caravan there so we can go again and again.

PS Im not suggesting that what happened to you isnt the truth, Ive had bad holidays before at places where other people have enjoyed themselves. I think it is just the luck of the draw and I wish you lots of luck with your next holiday.

Hi & nice to see a fellow owner (ive only just purchased mine recently).
I visited the site back in March as my partner had booked a fortnight in August (has been back time n time again as kids love the site).
Sorry to see anyone experiencing a bad holiday but hopefully this is a one off.
I especially opted for a van with full gas rad central heating as i do like my creature comforts & it also allows for the British weather
Maybe i will meet a few people when i visit in future & can even tempt them with a look round my van.
I have to admit it is worth booking with owners as we tend to take more care of our vans & put in all the extras that would be found at home.

My husband and I camped at Haven's Golden Sands resort in Mablethorpe three years ago for a long weekend. We were grateful that we were in a tent as the main complex was messy and dirty whilst we were there.

We wrote and complained afterwards about the state of the place (unemptied and overflowing bins, glasses stacking up on tables in the entertainment areas, tiles missing from the edges of the swiming pool, filthy dirty swimming pool changing rooms (as in there must have been a good years worth of cobwebs hanging from the ceilings!) and the gaps inbweteen the tiles were black! The fish and chip shop had about 4 staff working and they stood around chatting instead of sweeping the chip-ridden floor and cleaning the tables. And that is just a sample of the complaints as I cannot remember them all from that long back.

We got a letter back from Haven saying they had been under-staffed that weekend and our comments had been taken on board.

We havent been back to check that they did take our comments on board!

I should add that we have stayed at another Haven site (Perran Sands in Cornwall) since then and the entertainment complex there was nice and clean and tidy and the swimming pool and changing areas were nice and clean, so I am not sure it is all Haven sites.

We used to have a mobile holiday home, and apart from the initial purchase price, the site fees per year were nearly 2 grand. This covers ground rent water and electricity.

If the initial purchase fee was 15 grand, and legally these days you have to renew a van after 10 years..thats 35 grand. You can have a lot of plush holidays for that as a family over 10 years !!

Goldensands Haven Mablethorpe site has had a fair amount of money spent on refurb this last year.
There is no ruling on age of vans at this site, may apply to other companies/sites though.
So long as the vans are kept tidy looking they could be 20 years old.
I treat my caravan like i would my home & have it regularly cleaned externally as well as internally & it has all the homely things anyone would wish for at home.
Owning a caravan gives the flexibility of being able to use it whenever we wish, wether a day, weekend or a week at a time.

I know that this is true with some sites...on ours we were warned we would have to buy a new van, as ours was quite old, but still in great condition.

Even a second hand, exrental so still only a couple of years old was well over 10 grand, so in 8 years worth nothing.

We went to France and bought a house...well ok a shed but will be great when its finished, and has already trebled in value in 3 years...and still cost less than a second hand caravan !!

My family had a van on Golden sands from the late 1960s until about 5 years ago when they were told to upgrade to a newer caravan. Owners caravans were moved further back up the site and eventually on to the extension site. It has always been a busy site but i felt the decline started when Haven took it over. On a good note i met my wife 33 years ago whilst holidaying at Golden sands

Well it was worth a million dollars in the fact you met your wife at the site
We are located on teakbank which is over the far right of the site in an owners exclusive area, very quiet & away from the fleet vans & also very handy for the pub on the corner & the beach.
Ive seen enough of the world the last 25 years & decided to stay nearer home due to health problems i have.

Years ago there used to be a residential site in the corner at north end and i seem to remember the lively lady pub.