Ever thought you were paying so much for something you were buying, only to get hit with more when the bill came? It’s common for concert tickets. But RV park junk fees sometimes upset RVers. You look on the park website, and you think you’re paying so much per night, but when it’s time to settle up, hey, bingo! You get hit with a hidden junk fee for, say, “campground fees” or “reservation fees.” In California, RV park junk fees and others will soon be illegal.
Junk fees, “bad for consumers and competition”
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 478 (SB 478) that bans hidden fees, or “junk fees,” in the Golden State starting on July 1, 2024. “These deceptive fees prevent us from knowing how much we will be charged at the outset. They are bad for consumers and bad for competition. They cost Americans tens of billions of dollars each year,” California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a news release.
The new law will prohibit companies from advertising a price for a good or service that does not include all required charges. This will include any RV park junk fees. Out go convenience fees, access fees, service fees, and more. Only taxes and fees imposed by a government won’t need to be declared, according to state officials.
Companies that continue to charge junk fees will be liable to steep fines after July 1.
For a news story on junk fees and RV dealers, click here.
##RVT1136b
So now instead of charging $20.00 for resort fees, etc. they’ll up the entire price $20.00!
Yes, but it is way easier for me to budget when I know the price up front.
Why shouldn’t the taxes be known ahead of time as well? Sometimes those are higher than those convenience fees. Hotel fees can be 15% or more.
Right! You have to get all the way to the booking cart/payment to see the service, local, resort, entertainment, environmental ‘insert more nonsense’ taxes. Airbnb cleaning fees ring a bell? So that $20 per night is now $120. Hard no for me.
Thanks for reporting on this Russ and Tina. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that this doesn’t change by next July…..think this will trickle down through all the other service industries, restaurants, etc??
Thank you, Russ and Tina! Hmm, … this seems a good idea at least on the surface. I do wonder how many of the “junk” fees might be an effort to offset the typically onerous environmental laws and rules that make California so “outstanding” among all states?
I just knew there would be someone to spin it against CA. We will try not to miss you.
How about the lock in your chosen spot fee? Or the ever popular $7.95 reservation fee for booking a state park fee, which they keep if you cancel? These fees are not just in California they are in most states and many hospitality business use them so they’re often not disclosed when booking at an advertised price, until you’re checking out once you’ve secured your ownership of a spot you’re more likely to accept a few added fees. Personally I could care less I vote with my wallet. Full disclosure upfront of the total price would be preferable but all business have add on something it seems. Who takes the time to calculate the added sales tax on purchases or added fees on your utilities bills?