Lady Muck

Yes, I agree, the law hasn't caught up with how people want to use their boats. We've actually got half a dozen properly licensed airbnb boats in the capital, now. CRT state pretty clearly on their website what the requirements are. You need a residential lettings license for the boat and a commercial bss and commercial insurance. You need a residential mooring. If it moves and you're onboard with your guests, then you are a hotel boat, you need the relevant license and a boatmasters ticket. Plus insurance, commercial bss etc. You have to submit a business plan for either of these, to their business boating team. Yes, people do run these boats 'under the radar'. But some are really dangerous. I disagree with Nigel Moore that Trotman on the Thames had favourable reviews, most of them were dreadful, the boats don't have running water or electricity. Guests complained about the long term residents fighting and using drugs, filth and junk piled up everywhere, the was only a barbecue to cook on and the cabins were awful ( they looked like somewhere you'd keep a hostage). I've just reported an incredibly dangerous one on the canal, to CRT. The landlord was encouraging guests to use the hob and oven to heat the boat, plus a camping stove ( the kind that uses canisters) all the time whilst having a leaky petrol generator onboard. Neither the landlord or the guests knew about CO. The guests complained of cold and damp despite having the oven on all night. They were given candles to use, despite there being a strong smell of petrol and gas onboard. This is why they want to interview you and check the boat, to make sure that idiots don't gas or blow up their guests. As its mostly total newbies doing this ( who often don't know anything about boats and safety), then I'm not surprised if they turned the OP down. I've seen some terrible ones, owner fit-outs that would fail a normal b.s.s. Never mind a commercial one. Burners installed ontop of wooden pallets, not fixed down, too near the cabin sides, kindling stuffed around them, boats that are falling apart, only fit for scrap. Its slumlording. If you want to run a business boat, then understand the responsibility and why they want to meet you and make some checks. Maybe learn a bit about boating first, then go back to their business boating team, with a proper plan.

If its the two Im thinking of, they havent moved out of a five mile area in at least a year (and the reviews confirm this).

My friend rented this boat many years ago, not only did it have a bad fire, (because the burner was installed with no collar on the flue) it sank two days after he moved off. The 'landlord' never did any maintenance, she was never taken out for blacking. Shes only fit for scrap, when I saw the ad, I wasn't surprised as 'on the bottom' was her default setting.

Ok, just unhidden this after some posts have been removed, please can we stay on topic? If you want to discuss politics, then you've got most of the rest of the internet to do that, but please not here. This boat swop is just such a great opportunity for someone.

We both do the same jobs we did when we were on land - shoe designer and web designer. We're not exactly rich but we don't need to claim benefits either and we can afford to pay for a mooring (for now anyway - its going up, lots) and run a car. Most of my clients are abroad, I've never met some of them. It can be bizarre though. A job came in when we were at Cropredy last summer, daytimes at the laptop, evenings at the pub or having barbecues. I have friends in similar fields of work who do jobs like this whilst travelling the world, we're the least adventurous. So, if you have a land skill that is gonna work if you plan to travel it helps. And I dont spend anywhere near as as much money as I did when I had a big fat salary as a design manager in central london, dont buy expensive breakfasts and lunches out anymore, or takeaways because Im too tired to cook, or need a wardrobe of fancy clothes anymore, or pay hundreds a month to commute, I reckon each of us were spending £1k plus a month just to work in town. Have been self employed since 2003, can't imagine ever going back to an office.

that looks perfect!

I reckon it could be. Both our sink and bath leaked around the taps, have you checked those? I reseal with silicone around once a year, we also use a squeegee thing after showering, and that keeps the whole bathroom a lot less damp.

My next boat related purchase will be a bike trolley, we've got one less elsan on the Lea and that means having to cruise from a beautiful spot before we want to. So we think a bike trolley will be ideal for transporting cassettes and also taking rubbish to the tip. Because there are now less bin sheds too. Plus some places we go, would be useful for collecting groceries and coal. Our canoe was in use for cassette ferrying when we were at Cropredy last summer, we lent it out to several boaters in the run up to the festival.

Just Google the strange named stuff. I've discovered that when we've burned through data, it's been ipad and mobile automatically polling. Usually Facebook apps. We don't use thrm anymore.

Its sounds like its worth a go. I've got an angle grinder, which is ok and I bought a hedge trimmer which wasn't ok. Just bought a super cheap hover mower from Aldi, it does the job, it was very cheap, but it has a 3 year guarantee, so I'm in. Since then we got a Costco card, I buy our tools from there, purely because of the five year guarantee, they are usually Makita or Dewalt

We really need more provision, last time we came through town (both outward and return) it was 12/ 13 hour days and knackering, it takes ages to get through town now, I remember being able to get through in six hours.