Survey...

[Emily]

Hello people, just thought I'd share my cringeworthy tale of ignorance and woe... After months of searching we'd finally put an offer on a boat at a marina and organised a survey. I'd expected a few things to need doing and maybe a bit of overplating as it's an old boat, but a survey dated three years ago had said that the hull was in very good condition for its age, so I was gingerly hopeful.

Yesterday we went down to meet the surveyor as he worked and he apologetically reeled off a list of doom-laden discoveries- the hull was as battered and bashed as a boxer's nose as the boat turned out to be ex-hire, which I didn't know. (I hadn't asked.) He pointed out the dents where he'd hit the steel with a hammer, and the whole hull was in a terrible state and would need completely replating. The propellor shaft was like a loose tooth, there was a lot of water in the cabin bilges and, in short, I'd picked the worst lemon of the lot. The fellow reckoned that with a few months' work, spending around £10 000, the boat might be worth what we'd offered.

With hindsight, I wish I had grilled the marina staff a bit more about the boat's history, though I'm annoyed they didn't volunteer the fact that it was a hire boat. Naive or what? The survey they showed me was a bit optimistic- the surveyor said yesterday that a lot of the problems would have been well evident three years ago. I must admit, I put a lot of trust in the fact that the boat was being sold through a big, well-known marina, as surely they'd be better than me at spotting if a boat was a complete sh*tter. (And if you saw the price they'd originally put on the thing, you'd be forgiven for thinking it ought not to be one...)

I feel like a complete plonker. If I could, I'd put a wee crying yellow face here, but I don't know how...

Apologies for the giant whinge but I definitely feel a bit better now!

[Naughty Cal]

Ah well, you may have had the expense of a survey now but just look what it has saved you in the long run. Take it as part of the learning process and be armed with many more questions the next time you find the "right boat".

 

Dont be dismayed there are plenty of boats around.

[Chris J W]

At least you've learnt to ask a few more questions next time, and the best lesson of always have a survey.

 

And you've not ended up with a lemon!

[Jo_]

Never you mind, Emily! We've just bought our first boat and I know the agonies of 'I know nothing'!! We did it through a broker and thankgoodness the surveyor confirmed all the descriptive detail. It is a terrific boat in great condition. But I am only now really getting to the stage of know what questions to ask and, next time, you'll be well ahead of the game. And you've gained more (in terms of experience) than you've lost (in terms of time and a bit of pride)!

 

Good luck with the continued hunt and if there was a 'huggy' smiley, I'd attach it!

 

Edit I found it!!

 

Jo

Edited October 13, 2009 by Jo_

[zenataomm]

Emily ..... you may get some of your money back if somebody else asks for it to be surveyed. You own the report and your surveyor can sell it on your behalf (with your permission only)

 

Good Luck, don't beat yourself up you did the right thing, being an ex-hire boat doesn't rule any boat out of the question it's all down to the luck of the draw.

 

Zenataomm

[bag 'o' bones]

I don't think you should be so hard on yourself! Not everyone has engineering knowledge to spot obvious problems, therefore you were wise in having the boat properly surveyed before parting with your hard earned cash.

 

How many times do we hear of folk buying boats/cars/houses etc only to find out at a later date that they have bought a lemon?

 

Personally I think you should be applauded in your decision to pay for a proper survey, at the very least it certainly proves you have your head screwed on!

Edited October 13, 2009 by bag 'o' bones

[Liam]

You shouldn't be calling yourself a complete plonker, you should congratulating yourself on deciding to get a new survey done even though one was available to you from 3 years ago. So many people could and probably have made the mistake of thinking with their heart instead of their head and end up with a lemon, as you say.

 

What you spent on the survey, yeah, you won't get that back but I'm sure you would have rather lost hundreds than thousands of pounds.

 

Looking for a new boat is both the best and the worst feeling ever. Good luck

[alan_fincher]

The responses you are getting, including those from Liam and Bag o' Bones are spot on, in my opinion.

 

Lots of people have gone to buy boats like this. You have lost the cost of a survey, others can lose ten or twenty times that amount by not doing so. So who is the "plonker" ?

 

You'll have a far better idea what things to ask and do next time to, but if you can find a friend with a bit more boating experience who will give a boat a look over, you may often not even want to go as far as offering, (and hence not need a survey).

[Emily]

Thank you folks for your replies, you're right- it's not a disaster but an averted one. But I could probably have averted it for a bit less than £600 if I knew a bit more or, like you say, knew someone knowledgeable in the ways of boats! Boaty friends needed!

[blackrose]

Thank you folks for your replies, you're right- it's not a disaster but an averted one. But I could probably have averted it for a bit less than £600 if I knew a bit more or, like you say, knew someone knowledgeable in the ways of boats! Boaty friends needed!

 

Imagine if you had bought the boat just on the strength of the old survey! . Plenty of people have done just that - some have been lucky, others not.

 

Also you may as well ask your surveyor if hed give you some sort of discount for a subsequent survey. If he's reasonable he might knock a bit off...

[Keeping Up]

Thank you folks for your replies, you're right- it's not a disaster but an averted one. But I could probably have averted it for a bit less than £600 if I knew a bit more or, like you say, knew someone knowledgeable in the ways of boats! Boaty friends needed!

Yes well done in averting the potential disaster. As suggested, you can possibly recoup some of the money by selling the survey on.

 

Friends of mine went to a large marina and liked a newly-fitted boat that was advertised at £50k. The surveyor said it needed at least £10k of urgent work, and would even then be worth only about £40k. The marina and the owner both disputed the valuation so my friend sold them the survey for exactly what it had cost, thus re-couping the whole amount. The owner used it as his guide to what work needed doing, and then readvertised it at the same marina at the recommended new price "complete with recent survey". Everybody won.

[wrigglefingers]

Thank you folks for your replies, you're right- it's not a disaster but an averted one. But I could probably have averted it for a bit less than £600 if I knew a bit more or, like you say, knew someone knowledgeable in the ways of boats! Boaty friends needed!

 

You're always welcome to ask for help from the forum members when looking. I wouldn't claim to be an expert but others here are. I had a lot of help and advice over the years from forum members and the depth of knowledge is enormous. Don't beat yourself up about the last boat, you did the right thing even if the cost was ouch! as we say in our family. Good luck with next one.......

[FrigateCaptain]

We had the same prob with a well know marina, curantly about to start legal action to get deposit back off them

[Naughty Cal]

I would read your terms and conditions very carefully before starting legal action. A lot of deposits are non refundable.

[Guest TowpathTownie]

My deposit was refundable 'subject to survey' and in the terms and conditions given to me. Bad survey, money back. However, it was a whooping brilliant survey so paid the remainder.

[Naughty Cal]

They are not all like that however some will state you can have part of your deposit back and they will keep some to cover costs. You do have to be very careful what you sign. It is not unusual that the deposit is non refundable, and it is not unusual for people to not read the T and C's before signing paperwork.

[FrigateCaptain]

They are not all like that however some will state you can have part of your deposit back and they will keep some to cover costs. You do have to be very careful what you sign. It is not unusual that the deposit is non refundable, and it is not unusual for people to not read the T and C's before signing paperwork.

 

 

Done checked and checked again, just so happens that this marina is full of wa****s

[Naughty Cal]

Done checked and checked again, just so happens that this marina is full of wa****s

 

But what makes you say that?

[FrigateCaptain]

But what makes you say that?

 

 

Just that they didnt seem all that intrested in seeling us a boat, didnt know much about it, took there time over things.

Boat was up for.... say 30k

we put offer in of 25k (the boat was a shed inside, very poor fitout)

agreed

Put deposit down got survey.

Survey came back sayin boat was dangerous and in sinking condition (surveyer put a hole in counter floor)

engine in very poor condition ect

Needed 5.000k work work just to make boat safe

and needed about another 5k to refit joists and new floor, deal with roof weilding repaint, repair leaking water system, refit bathroom ect.

 

Soooo we said we'll give them 20k, vendor said 22k and the marina said this was fair as if the major work was done, ie to make it safe, the boat would

be worth the full asking price. Surveyer has said if ALL work was carried costing around 10k it would be then worth it and that the marina are wrong.

So we hope to have good news soon, i see i'm not the first one to have issues with this place too

[Naughty Cal]

Assuming this was a brokerage boat it is not upto the broker to guarantee the condition of the boat. All they do is act on behalf of the vendor and (if you read the small print on the adverts) they often put a disclaimer to the effect of all information contained in the adverts is believed to be true.

[FrigateCaptain]

Assuming this was a brokerage boat it is not upto the broker to guarantee the condition of the boat. All they do is act on behalf of the vendor and (if you read the small print on the adverts) they often put a disclaimer to the effect of all information contained in the adverts is believed to be true.

 

 

Wasnt asking them to guarantee the condition of the boat. We had a survey, it came back shite. we want our money back as deposit was subjet to survey and

there being arseholes

[Naughty Cal]

Your fight, but i wouldnt hold out too much hope for the full amount. Maybe do a deal with them and use the deposit on a different craft.

[mayalld]

Assuming this was a brokerage boat it is not upto the broker to guarantee the condition of the boat. All they do is act on behalf of the vendor and (if you read the small print on the adverts) they often put a disclaimer to the effect of all information contained in the adverts is believed to be true.

 

If push came to shove, brokers can't use that line as a "get out of jail free" card.

 

They must have REASONABLY believed the information to be true.

[FrigateCaptain]

Your fight, but i wouldnt hold out too much hope for the full amount. Maybe do a deal with them and use the deposit on a different craft.

 

Use them again, ha ha ha ha ha ha Brill

[Naughty Cal]

They must have REASONABLY believed the information to be true.

 

They most probably did. How many brokers crawl around on hand and knee under the floor to check the hull condition of a boat?

 

Use them again, ha ha ha ha ha ha Brill

 

Some times it is the best option to meet at some middle ground.

 

You want the whole of your deposit back, they dont want to give you all of your deposit back, why not meet somewhere in the middle and use the deposit on another boat. They must have something that isnt about to sink.