Problems with Boatyard

[Adam W-B]

Hi,

I just want other like minded Boating enthusiasts to know what experience I have had with a boating charter company in the Norfolk Broads.

 

(Name of boatyard edited out by Mod)

I have visited the Norfolk broads many times with my growing family and always enjoyed it.

 

We decided to hire a boat for our well earned break and although other companies had been good we thought we would try (Name of boatyard edited out by Mod). (This was my first mistake and one that ruined my break!)

 

Having collecting our not very well looked after boat and paying my deposit of £100 (This is to ensure that everything is returned as you collected it) I was but half an hour down stream when the engine died on me. I rang a disgruntled (Name of boatyard edited out by Mod)member of staff, who obviously thought blame lay at my door, who agreed to have someone come out to us. An hour later someone decided to make the 2 minute journey to see what was wrong with the boat only to find that the boat had been sent out without fuel.

 

The member of staff shriugged and did not know why but said buy some fuel from the station I had stalled at, keep the reciept and I will be reinbursed. (Yeah right!) I also informed him that the heater on board was broken and I had small children and a heater was important, he said he could rush home and see if he had one I could borrow, (Which he kindly did!).

 

I put £50 of fuel in and was told that would be sufficent for my 4 day break. By now the first day of my 4 day break was over and we had done little other than Breakdown wait for an engineer, fuel up, thaw out and have dinner. Oh well 3 days left.

 

These boats have no fuel guage, you have a stick, which I confess I did not use and check as I was told £50 would last me a week and I was only hiring the boat for 4 days.

 

On Day three while heading back up stream, (we had to get close to our pick up point as the boat had to be back for 10.00 am in the morning.) the boat decided to stall again, it was Sunday evening I rang a very angry boat owner who said that we had disturbed his day off, he would see if someone would come out.

 

Someone eventualy did (A different chap) and informed us that we had run out of fuel. I said we can't have as I have put £50 in and was told it could not possibly use that amount in 4 days. He said that you certainly can get through that amout and I have.

 

By this time I was pretty angry as our third day had been cut short, it was Sunday and no fuel stations were open, this is not my fault I said to the quite sympathetic man. I said if this boat had been fuelled as it should have been prior to me collecting it, all this would never have happened, I have done exactly as I have been instructed to in purchasing fuel on day 1 and here we are again on Day 3, should I have been told to put more in on Day 1 I would have done.

 

He said he was very sorry and to moor up until the morning when the fuell depot 100 yards away would open fuel up there at 9.00 am keep your reciept to be rinbursed, and head back. I said well obviously the boat will be back late in that case as I have another 3 hours drive upstream.

 

Well that is our fault just get the boat back as soon as you can he said.

 

9.00 am I put £75 in fuel into the boat and head back.

 

The next day, Monday 12.00 mid day I arrive back at (Name of boatyard edited out by Mod) to a furious boat yard owner.

 

He demands I leave the vessel immediately, I am late returning his boat, I have messed all his staff around all weekend, he blindly insists the boat was fueled prior to departure, that he would not give me my deposit back, and that under no circumstances would he pay me for the fuel I had put in. I was stuck for Words! My jaw just dropped in disbelief.

 

I said that the £1200 I had paid him for the boat included fuel and that his staff had assured me I would be reimbursed for the fuell I had put in the boat.

 

This post is not about revenge on a very bad boat yard, merely to make sure anyone who realy loves boating never has to experience what I went through. I have to say that I have never returned to the Broads as the whole affair left sucha bad tast in my Mouth.

 

With regards to (Name of boatyard edited out by Mod) I amazed how they ever get re booked, their boats are very shoddy, and they have little regard for the comfort of their customers.

 

If you are thinking of the Broads (Name of boatyard edited out by Mod)!!!

 

Regards

Adam Ward-Best

Edited December 4, 2007 by Keeping Up
Name of boatyard temporarily edited out pending Site Host's decision on acceptability

[Dan]

Hi Adam

 

It's not the first bad report of the yard I've heard.

 

You may find however that www.the-norfolk-broads.co.uk or www.thenorfolkbroads.net are two forums that are Broads related rather than canals, so you may get a more related audience/response

 

All the best

 

Dan

[Keeping Up]

I have edited out the name of the boatyard. I appreciate the desire to name-and-shame, and to warn others to avoid the yard, but I need to seek our site host's confirmation of its acceptability first.

[Orphiel]

I hope you are threatening court action to get your money back. Helpful hints here!

 

http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabo...laims/index.htm

[Brummage]

I agree with Orphiel. Don't let them get away with it. He hasn't got a leg to stand on as regards the fuel as you have the receipts and you can threaten to call his staff to Court to give evidence if necessary. A claim in the Small Claims Court is easy to do on-line and not expensive and the cost of making the claim is added to the amount you are suing for. Go for it!

 

Good Luck

 

Brian

 

My guess is that as soon as he receives the Claim Form (Summons), the boatyard owner will cough up!

Edited December 4, 2007 by Brummage

[Yoda]

You will be amazed at the response from the yard owner when the press turn up, not to advertise his wares.

 

Another thing to do is to write, detailing all of this to the Norfolk Tourist Board and they will ask serious questions.

Edited December 4, 2007 by Yoda

[Orphiel]

Good idea on the writing. If he is a member of any trade organisations you can contact them as well, as some of them do help with complaints against members and arbitration. Cannot think off-hand of trade orgs for boatyards, but I am sure someone here will know if there are any.

[Jon]

I always have mixed feelings about these sort of threads. I do agree that shoddy operatatives should be exposed for who they really are lest someone else get ripped off in the same way, however I am also acutely aware we only have 1 side of the story.

 

At this moment in time, I think it best that those who wish to know what boat yard it was contact the original poster in private rather than naming and shaming publically. This saves the site being threatend with legal action by the disgruntled boat yard and also protects the original poster.

 

Cheers

 

Jon

[fuzzyduck]

As Dan has said put a post here http://www.the-norfolk-broads.co.uk/ it's a big norfolk broads forum.

 

oh, and take the boatyard to court.

[NB Willawaw]

I would advise anybody looking to holiday on the broads to book through one of the larger operators like

Hoseasons or Blakes.

[Amduck]

Second (or third or fourth) the bit about the small claims court. You'll be surprised how easy it is, how helpful the staff can be etc.

[Tiller Slave]

Suggest you contact the Broads Hire Boat Federation part of BMF, the local trade body.

 

They have a code of conduct and also BMF has a mediation service which is cheaper, quicker and perhaps more useful than going to court.

BMF : British Marine Federation

Edited December 5, 2007 by Tiller Slave