Here's what happened: we pulled in to a state park without reservations. They told us at the checkin booth that we would be able to get a site. They had some electric sites and some non-electric sites. They did not recommend a non-electric site because they were "mostly for tents and small trailers like popups." (Our TT is not big at 23' but we took their advice.) We paid for two nights in an electric site and then drove in to the campground to select a site. We were very disappointed to find that this state park had constructed their only electric loop in the fashion of a private campground, with sites parallel to each other, side-by-side with no space in between, and no trees or vegetation to give you that "camping" feel. We drove through the loop and then headed into the non-electric area to see what it was like. We were able to find a very nice, large, forested site that we could get into and out of easily. I dropped the trailer and went back to the booth to make the change.That's when things started to unravel. They called this a "voluntary downgrade," and told me that no refund of the price difference was allowed. I suggested that they just cancel the original sale, since I had not set up on an electric site, and then start a new transaction for the new site. The guy I was working with seemed OK with that idea, and I thought that's what he did. After I got home and was looking at the receipts I found that I was given a "voucher" for the price difference. Now a voucher is not going to work for us because this is in a state park that is several hundred miles from our home. We like the state, but who knows when we'll be back there again.I've been trying to get them to refund my credit card, and I'm getting the run-around. Am I being unreasonable???-Speak

What are the refund policies? Have you read them? "Store credit" for "returns" isn't that uncommon. As for CG layout at the hookup sites, look at a map prior entering the park.

unreasonable? no. but if it were me i'd quit dealing with the folks that are obviously not empowered to do what you want them to do. i'd write a polute, concise letter to the parks dept superintendent and copy the governor's office. you might be surprised at the results a letter like that can produce. good luck.

Reasonable and logical. Which means it can't happen with government.

State parks almost never allow park level employees to approve refunds. Too much fear of 'wasting government money' by giving refunds to friends and family.That would include canceling an original transaction. It would greatly surprise me if a park level employee had the power to cancel a transaction once the credit card had been run.Some will allow park level employees to approve vouchers, others will require the park level employee to submit a request for a voucher to regional or state headquarters.The hardest place to get a refund that I know of is the small city owned park in the town where I graduated from high school. I know most of the people in the city government, and they can only approve a refund if I have to depart the RV park early is approved by a record vote of the City Council.Write the letter mentioned above, but be aware that some places actually have state laws which would prohibit an actual refund.

Dispute the charge on your credit card. It's one of the benefits of paying with plastic. You did not receive the goods or services you contracted for. Even if this was based on your own decision, they should not be able to retrieve the funds if you dispute it with your credit card company.Jim

What is a "Voluntary Downgrade?" | Good Sam Community

Lwiddis
Explorer II
Jul 28, 2017
What are the refund policies? Have you read them? "Store credit" for "returns" isn't that uncommon. As for CG layout at the hookup sites, look at a map prior entering the park.
rk911
Explorer
Jul 28, 2017
unreasonable? no. but if it were me i'd quit dealing with the folks that are obviously not empowered to do what you want them to do. i'd write a polute, concise letter to the parks dept superintendent and copy the governor's office. you might be surprised at the results a letter like that can produce. good luck.
Bionic_Man
Explorer
Jul 28, 2017
Reasonable and logical. Which means it can't happen with government.
PawPaw_n_Gram
Explorer
Jul 28, 2017
State parks almost never allow park level employees to approve refunds. Too much fear of 'wasting government money' by giving refunds to friends and family.

That would include canceling an original transaction. It would greatly surprise me if a park level employee had the power to cancel a transaction once the credit card had been run.

Some will allow park level employees to approve vouchers, others will require the park level employee to submit a request for a voucher to regional or state headquarters.

The hardest place to get a refund that I know of is the small city owned park in the town where I graduated from high school. I know most of the people in the city government, and they can only approve a refund if I have to depart the RV park early is approved by a record vote of the City Council.

Write the letter mentioned above, but be aware that some places actually have state laws which would prohibit an actual refund.
TucsonJim
Explorer II
Jul 28, 2017
Dispute the charge on your credit card. It's one of the benefits of paying with plastic. You did not receive the goods or services you contracted for. Even if this was based on your own decision, they should not be able to retrieve the funds if you dispute it with your credit card company.

Jim
bucky
Explorer II
Jul 28, 2017
You're lucky they didn't charge you for the day of arrival cancellation and rebill you for the second site. That is what Reserve America usually does.
What are we talking about here? $5? Not worth the time to deal with it.
pennysmom09
Explorer
Jul 28, 2017
TucsonJim wrote:
Dispute the charge on your credit card. It's one of the benefits of paying with plastic. You did not receive the goods or services you contracted for. Even if this was based on your own decision, they should not be able to retrieve the funds if you dispute it with your credit card company.

Jim

This is partially true. Credit charges go through immediately, so by disputing the charge the card holding company informs the creditor of a dispute. If the creditor relents you can get a refund. IOW, charges are not held back, you just have a better chance of getting a refund when you use a credit card.
SpeakEasy
Explorer
Jul 28, 2017
bucky wrote:
You're lucky they didn't charge you for the day of arrival cancellation and rebill you for the second site. That is what Reserve America usually does.
What are we talking about here? $5? Not worth the time to deal with it.

It's a $23 difference.

-Speak
Tvov
Explorer II
Jul 28, 2017
It sounds like what they did is very common at private campgrounds... NO refunds for basically any reason. Getting the voucher for a future stay is usually the most they will do.

You can fight it... but how much is your time worth? And who knows, maybe you will use the voucher in the future.
WTP-GC
Explorer
Jul 28, 2017
SpeakEasy wrote:
bucky wrote:
You're lucky they didn't charge you for the day of arrival cancellation and rebill you for the second site. That is what Reserve America usually does.
What are we talking about here? $5? Not worth the time to deal with it.

It's a $23 difference.

-Speak

This is not even worth it. The time and effort required to get a $23 refund can't be justified for someone who's already shelling out the bucks to be in this hobby. Heck, yesterday I ate a restaurant and spent nearly $30 on a meal that i wasn't real pleased with. It wasn't bad enough to request a refund, but heck its just $30.

TucsonJim wrote:
You did not receive the goods or services you contracted for. Even if this was based on your own decision, they should not be able to retrieve the funds if you dispute it with your credit card company.

Jim

Now hold on...a voucher was provided. Even if that's not the preferred method, the OP still effectively got a refund. To make a dispute at this point would be fraud. Yeah, super low level and probably not even an issue, but it aint the right thing to do.

What's missed in all of this is whether or not the park is acting within their policies. OP has not indicated such.

Forum Discussion

What is a "Voluntary Downgrade?"

About RV Tips & Tricks

Related Content

"Downgrading" trucks

Would You "Downgrade" To A Tent?