Thank you for all your replies - they have certainly given me something to think about, although I am not totally put off yet!
I'll see if I can answer a few questions.
Firstly, the purchase price of the 'timeshare' week is £500 (although it is negotiable, I doubt I'll be able to knock a lot off). That includes the legal transfer costs. They are then selling the week they have already paid for for £400 (their cost - the fee is going down next year making the annual management fee £384), then £130 utility fee to pay when we turn up at the marina (Gayton) A grand total of £1030 to pay out this year then £514 next year
I agree with the negative views about the layout, although they have added a few more boats to their fleet with a better layout, it is only 4 more boats! Last year we were let down by 2 small hire boat companies at the last minute and ended up grabbing a holiday on a boat with precisely this layout, which, whilst not ideal, was fine for us - just my partner, myself and our 8 year old. Incidentally, that week cost £1090!
I have spoken to the booking company and tried to hypothetically change the prebooked week for one in the school holidays, and although there is not a lot of choice left, it can be done, which bodes well for future bookings (considering this was originally booked in October last year)
Thank you for that link to TCA Peter - I need to have a more thorough read of it later. I will consider joining RCI but at the moment we are happy on the canals - we only discovered them last year and still have so much to explore.
PeterG, I agree about the shared ownership idea, but the entry costs into that would be a lot higher, and we both struggle to get enough time off work (both self employed!) to be able to participate in a shared ownership scheme.
Graham - thank you for the questions - I have spoken to the management company several times already (to the point they are recognising my voice when they answer the phone to me!) but didn't think to ask those questions! They will be hearing from me again - I may have to use 141 this time so they don't recognise my number and put me directly to voicemail!
I am swayed in the direction of making the purchase - it is not a huge sum of money and providing I am protected against management fees rising extortionately in the coming years, it may just do us for the short time.
Thanks again for your input - much appreciated