Best area to be based in while looking for Narrowboat

[Barneyp]

15 minutes ago, Naartjie said:

https://www.camperbug.co.uk/campervan/england

I'm wondering what sort of timescale you are thinking you need to hire a cameraman for.

 

You may find a boat you like on Apollo Duck, contact the owner, go and see the boat and complete the purchase all in a day.

 

On the other hand it could take weeks to find a boat, then have to negotiate with the seller via a broker, wait for a survey, renegotiate, wait for owner to carry out repairs to items highlighted in survey, complete purchase, which could easily cover a period of a couple of months - longer if you end up not buying a boat after it has been surveyed.

 

Not trying to put you off, just want you to be prepared.

[MtB]

5 minutes ago, Barneyp said:

I'm wondering what sort of timescale you are thinking you need to hire a cameraman for.

 

You may find a boat you like on Apollo Duck, contact the owner, go and see the boat and complete the purchase all in a day.

 

On the other hand it could take weeks to find a boat, then have to negotiate with the seller via a broker, wait for a survey, renegotiate, wait for owner to carry out repairs to items highlighted in survey, complete purchase, which could easily cover a period of a couple of months - longer if you end up not buying a boat after it has been surveyed.

 

Not trying to put you off, just want you to be prepared.

 

 

Or, it can go like this:

 

Buy campervan >> use it to view boats >> buy a boat >> use boat for a while >> decide prefer campervans >> sell boat.

 

 

[Barneyp]

11 minutes ago, Mike Hurley said:

So what would you put on address of new keeper section? You cant leave it blank.

No, but you can give your address in another country or give your hotel/campsite address, it's highly unlikely the seller is going to check or care (unless you're buying from a main dealer).

When the DVLA finally try to process it they will object, but that will be weeks, if not longer, after the purchase. And they will not be able to find you, if/when they eventually catch up with you, then you just apologise and say you didn't know.

 

As Alan says insurance will be the problem, they will want some kind of residency/citizenship and an address. Even with those it is likely to be expensive as you would be an "unknown quantity" to them.

 

Edited January 1, 2023 by Barneyp
Missed word

[enigmatic]

I would say the most important thing is the car. Accommodation can often be booked cheaply near to where you have driven to look at boats (I got a room above a pub in Middlewich on Booking.com for about £30 after driving up to Cheshire via boats I looked at in Staffordshire and found the boat I wanted the following day) which might work out cheaper than renting a camper van instead of a car...

 

The other big question is how fussy you are about choice of boats (especially bearing in mind in the current market there are fewer boats available and the best value boats often sell very quickly). It would be quite easy to spend one (long) day looking at the boats at Braunston, Whilton, ABNB Crick and maybe Welton/Rugby and find something that is OK for your needs. It would also be possible for you to spend your first few days looking at boats just figuring out what you want, and then having to wait for the weekend for the private seller of the one boat you think is best to be available to show it to you, and drive a long way just to see that boat (and then realise its not what you want and have to look at some more boats before you find one that you really like). If you are working full time that will slow things down too!

 

And as @Barneyp said, when buy a boat you'll probably have to wait a week or two for the survey (you should get a survey!) and another week or two for the yard to complete even pretty minor remedial work. (But you don't need to be in England whilst that goes on)

[mrsmelly]

55 minutes ago, Mike Hurley said:

So what would you put on address of new keeper section? You cant leave it blank.

The OP could use his rellies address. The address given on the V5 does not necessarily have to be the address where you live. As a for instance neither my daughters, or her husbands names or addresses are on either of their cars.

[MtB]

4 minutes ago, enigmatic said:

(you should get a survey!)

 

Yes they should. But they are quite likely to miss boat after boat after boat if they keep insisting on a survey, as surveys can take weeks to happen and wait for the report. 

 

Any boat still for sale after the delays involved in getting a survey done are likely to be slightly (or grossly) overpriced, which will be why they are still for sale. 

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, Barneyp said:

I'm wondering what sort of timescale you are thinking you need to hire a cameraman for.

 

 

Why does he need a cameraman - is he one of these weird Facetubers that has to film everything he does ?

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, Mike Hurley said:

So what would you put on address of new keeper section? You cant leave it blank.

 

You said he will have difficulty buying the car - he won't.

 

Filling in a fictional address or, a friend or relatives address is not unknown and as the DVLA say  "This document is not proof of ownership" it is where the vehicle is registered.

 

He may not even wish to register it, or insure it or tax it and no one will be the wiser (until the ANPR catches up with him).

Edited January 1, 2023 by Alan de Enfield

[enigmatic]

42 minutes ago, MtB said:

Yes they should. But they are quite likely to miss boat after boat after boat if they keep insisting on a survey, as surveys can take weeks to happen and wait for the report. 

 

Any boat still for sale after the delays involved in getting a survey done are likely to be slightly (or grossly) overpriced, which will be why they are still for sale. 

The hope when you make an offer subject to survey is that you don't need to look at any other boats!

 

I understand some private sellers will reject offers made subject to survey (and in this market, that'll even include boats that would get good survey reports!) but I'd assume most brokers want the extra revenue....

[PD1964]

@Naartjie  I Have to ask as I can’t seam to find that you have mentioned it, are you a UK citizen? As you say your moving to the UK and not moving back to the UK?

  You may find it difficult if your plan is CCing, obviously easier if you have dedicated residential moorings if not UK citizens 

[Barneyp]

2 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

Why does he need a cameraman - is he one of these weird Facetubers that has to film everything he does ?

Because autocorrect has decided it knows better than me what I wanted write, it's the beginning of AI taking over the world! 

[Naartjie - Duck Hatch]

13 hours ago, PD1964 said:

@Naartjie  I Have to ask as I can’t seam to find that you have mentioned it, are you a UK citizen? As you say your moving to the UK and not moving back to the UK?

  You may find it difficult if your plan is CCing, obviously easier if you have dedicated residential moorings if not UK citizens 

@PD1964 I am a UK citizen by descent & my wife was born in the UK.

 

Its quite a daunting task to sell up everything and move to a completely different and somewhat unknown environment.

We have spent the last 3 years trying to make a decision but COVID kept getting in the way. Finally in October we managed to spend time on the K&A, got home and decided "Lets Do It". 

The plan is to "continuous cruise" and settle into canal life. Possibly find some part time work then later on get a dedicated mooring.

But life has a habit of sending out curve-balls so who knows where we'll end up.

Thanks for all the advice, I think we will go for the van hire option while we look for a suitable boat.

Edited January 2, 2023 by Naartjie

[Momac]

18 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

You said he will have difficulty buying the car - he won't.

 

Filling in a fictional address or, a friend or relatives address is not unknown and as the DVLA say  "This document is not proof of ownership" it is where the vehicle is registered.

 

He may not even wish to register it, or insure it or tax it and no one will be the wiser (until the ANPR catches up with him).

Declaring a false address is illegal

https://www.cps.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/publications/disclosure_10.pdf

 

[Stroudwater1]

apologies- wrong place posted 😞

Edited January 2, 2023 by Stroudwater1

[PD1964]

3 hours ago, Naartjie said:

@PD1964 I am a UK citizen by descent & my wife was born in the UK.

The plan is to "continuous cruise" and settle into canal life. Possibly find some part time work then later on get a dedicated mooring.

  I would get an official residential mooring first, as the permanent address thing could turn out a bigger issue then you think, especially when trying to get a job or any form of credit. Better to get established first than later. Then decide if you want to Continuous Cruise.
 Everything is getting harder to do on the Canals, as lots of people have had the same idea as yourselves and are realising it’s not as plane sailing as they thought. You want an easy transition into “living the dream” not a nightmare.

Edited January 2, 2023 by PD1964

[Alan de Enfield]

57 minutes ago, MartynG said:

Declaring a false address is illegal

 

As are many of the things carried out by boaters (No licence, NO insurance, No moving, RCD ?) - doesn't mean it doesnt happen

 

Apparently - if you don't get caught it doesn't matter.

Edited January 2, 2023 by Alan de Enfield

[PD1964]

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

As are many of the things carried out by boaters (No licence, NO insurance, No moving, RCD ?) - doesn't mean it doesnt happen

 

Apparently - if you don't get caught it doesn't matter.

Especially the RCD😂

[MtB]

30 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

As are many of the things carried out by boaters (No licence, NO insurance, No moving, RCD ?) - doesn't mean it doesnt happen

 

Apparently - if you don't get caught it doesn't matter.

 

Correct with regard to the RCD.

 

Even if you do get caught, it still doesn't matter! 

 

[Barneyp]

1 hour ago, MartynG said:

Declaring a false address is illegal

https://www.cps.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/publications/disclosure_10.pdf

 

That document refers to car insurance, the point that Alan (and I in a previous post) made was to do with buying the car and filling in the documentation that the DVLA want, while an entirely made up address is probably illegal, a temporary address, or a freinds address could be acceptable.

1 hour ago, PD1964 said:

  I would get an official residential mooring first, as the permanent address thing could turn out a bigger issue then you think, especially when trying to get a job or any form of credit. Better to get established first than later. Then decide if you want to Continuous Cruise.
 Everything is getting harder to do on the Canals, as lots of people have had the same idea as yourselves and are realising it’s not as plane sailing as they thought. You want an easy transition into “living the dream” not a nightmare.

Getting an "official" residential mooring that you can actually use for banks etc could be difficult and expensive. I would try to make arrangements with a freind or family member to use their address. 

[roland elsdon]

We have just been through all this with dvla. Sold slum and shot off to australia 

Stuff in storage, virtual postal address and re direct.

car insurance no prob they suspended.

 

licences and registration big problem.

wont allow virtual address on licence nor registration.

Ended up sorning car, ignoring licences ( abroad) and leaving registration for now as car not on road.

on return will drive on australian licences  and hire until we can establish new uk address.

You end up skimming close to law and getting it wrong and having insurance not properly in force is really stupid.

[Momac]

48 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

As are many of the things carried out by boaters (No licence, NO insurance, No moving, RCD ?) - doesn't mean it doesnt happen

 

Apparently - if you don't get caught it doesn't matter.

I expect most people prefer to comply with the law.

 

 

[Momac]

18 minutes ago, Barneyp said:

That document refers to car insurance, the point that Alan (and I in a previous post) made was to do with buying the car and filling in the documentation that the DVLA want, while an entirely made up address is probably illegal, a temporary address, or a freinds address could be acceptable.

Getting an "official" residential mooring that you can actually use for banks etc could be difficult and expensive. I would try to make arrangements with a freind or family member to use their address. 

Yes but it shows the government are  serious about prosecuting offenders.

I would say (in my opinion) a friend or relatives address used with their consent  isn't  the same as  a false address providing the potential consequences are accepted by both parties.

 

[MtB]

5 hours ago, Naartjie said:

But life has a habit of sending out curve-balls so who knows where we'll end up.

Thanks for all the advice, I think we will go for the van hire option while we look for a suitable boat.

 

Indeed. And I suggest you give far higher priority to arranging a land-based address for use on driving licence, bank account(s) and vehicle insurance, than to finding a boat. 

 

Also, getting employment can be difficult without a land address, if you need to work. Employers are understandably VERY wary of employing people of "no fixed address".

 

 

[Tony Brooks]

20 hours ago, enigmatic said:

I understand some private sellers will reject offers made subject to survey (and in this market, that'll even include boats that would get good survey reports!) but I'd assume most brokers want the extra revenue....

 

What extra revenue? I think that you would be very ill-advised to have a survey done by anyone with a relationship with the broker. If the broker is a boatyard/marina then they may make a bit extra from the docking'slipping/lifting costs, but that is all. If they are making anything from the survey it can not be truly independent and in purchasers best interest. Too much opportunity for conflicts of interest.

[Momac]

9 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Employers are understandably VERY wary of employing people of "no fixed address".

And a national insurance number is required