A Self-contained, Uncontained Problem Looming

A recent change to the Freedom Camping regulations is causing concern in the rental vehicle industry. The concern relates to the timeline proposed by government for enacting the changes on 7th December 2024 for rental vehicles, and 7th June 2025 for privately owned vehicles.

“While campervan rental operators have welcomed the changes to self-contained vehicles with open arms,” says Ben McFadgen, CEO of the Rental Vehicle Association of New Zealand, “the timeline and the date difference between rental operators and private owners in order to implement the changes, we believe, is a nightmare waiting to happen. There does not appear to be any logical reason for separating rental and private vehicles, and we believe that the transition dates for all vehicles should be the 7th June 2025.”

Not the least because the date for rental operators is smack bang in the middle of peak tourist season.

“The average stay of a commercial rental is approximately 2-3 weeks.” Mr McFadgen says, “so, we are wondering how local councils and government agencies are going to manage the confusion and negative experience for the many travellers who are renting a self-contained camper in late November, that is suddenly non- self-contained part way through their trip on the 7th December.

“Everyone from operators to councils will be navigating and implementing the transition in the middle of the busiest month of the year and we will also likely see an influx of low-quality private vehicles taking advantage of the self-contained loophole because of the different dates,” says McFadgen, “There will be inconsistent applications of the rule, due to different interpretations by people on the ground. That’s also inevitable. We are also unsure how councils will efficiently identify any rental vehicles that are not sign written. So yes, there are complexities - we fear it’s going to be a cluster…”

Campervan renters are generally high value travellers, who pay a premium for appropriate and functional campervan facilities to ensure they get the most out of their holiday. They are educated in how to responsibly use those facilities and typically travel in a manner that respects the environment. Renters receive pre-arrival Drivesafe information, learn about responsible camping and the Tiaki promise, and receive ongoing support throughout their trip.

This is quite different to the profile and average stay of an economy private vehicle traveller – which is where most industry concerns originate. These travellers can stay up to three to six months and often do everything they can to extend their budget. The quality of the camper systems and any on-road support are not generally a high priority when selecting their vehicle. It’s often more about price and bang for buck.

“The challenges around waste that brought these legislation changes to the industry were largely caused by the lower end of the private market,” says McFadgen, “and not just international travellers, but Kiwis themselves. We found this out during COVID when the borders were shut. The problem with rubbish and freedom camping was still there.”

“The campervan rental market provides a structured and engaged platform for tourists to explore NZ safely and responsibly – we believe this valuable part of the industry should be supported, rather than disadvantaged, as vehicles transition to comply with the new regulations.

“The least we could all do is align the changes so they occur out of peak season, because implementing them in the middle of it is just ridiculous. There is also no reason to separate commercial and private campervans, the transition date for all vehicles in the industry should be the 7th June 2025.

“We believe that this will actually deliver a better result for the environment, the Tiaki promise, the travellers experience, and brand New Zealand’s economy,” says Mr McFadgen.

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