Change of Ownership - EA, easy to work with.

[grahoom]

I've recently sold my boat, and I had to notify EA about a change of ownership of the boat. (licensed on the thames).

 

I emailed them what I needed to do and they quickly responding telling me that there was a form that comes with the license. As I am incredibly disorganised I no longer have this form (or I do but it's in a box somewhere in storage).

 

So after emailing EA back they promptly replied telling me to send over the details of the new owner and the boat name via email and they'd make the changes. Within 20 minutes of email sent got an email back informing me that all had been sorted and that they will also cancel my direct debit.

 

I wish other organisations / companies were so easy to deal with!

[carlt]

I was receiving threatening letters, from BW, over a year after informing them that I was no longer the owner.

 

Many of the letters were signed by a member of staff who had died some months before, though, so perhaps she hadn't been updated.

[alan_fincher]

In their defence I have nearly always found the BW licensing procedures to work well with no issues.

 

OK mostly I only do a straight renewal online after receiving the reminder, but despite the many who say they have had problems, always receive the "discs" in well under the stated time. (Waiting for some now, so I'll see if I need to revise this!).

 

When we bought the boat the licence had just expired, but the transfer happened smoothly, and I still got a prompt payment discount despite being past the date, (I suppose you might class that as an error, but I saw it as a measure of good will!).

 

I did have slight issues the time I needed to submit a new BSS certificate, but IIRC this came exactly at the time they were moving where licensing was dealt from. It was quickly resolved.

 

EA on the other hand wrongly calculated my temporary Thames license, (in my favour), but when I looked at the credit card payment later, they had debited by more than the paperwork said, (in their favour).

 

Not sure there is a lot to choose between the two!

 

EDIT - post just arrived:

 

BW licence applied for on-line mid Friday morning.

 

BW licence arrived mid Tuesday morning.

 

Two working days, and it's by 2nd class post.

 

Can't get better service than that, really.

Edited June 16, 2010 by alan_fincher

[carlt]

This wasn't a licence renewal, though, it was trying to convince the that I no longer owned a boat, despite having sent all the appropriate forms in, getting the patrol officer to tell them that I no longer owned the boat, passing on the details of the new owner and, eventually, getting the new owner to write to them and they still would't get the messaage.

 

Eventually the dead woman stopped writing and it was passed on to some senior bod (with a pulse) who wrote to me with detailed equations outlining how they work out what mooring fees would be refunded, up to the date I sold the boat.

 

I wrote back saying that this wasn't the issue. The problem was their licensing dept wouldn't accept that I had sold the boat.

 

He then confirmed that he had spoken to the licensing dept and had enclosed a final demand for the licence and mooring fees that I was refusing to pay (for a boat I didn't own).

[alan_fincher]

Oh,

 

I know they can make some almighty cock-ups too.

 

All big organisations seem to manage that on occasions.

 

Just pointing out that they can work very smoothly too for most run of the mill stuff.

[Mrs Humdinger]

I'm about to license our new boat for the first time - just waiting for the safety certificate to be issued. I know the website says 15 days, but wondered if anyone knows if the reality is less than that?

 

Secondly, if I don't get the licence back before we pick up the boat, am I going to get in trouble??

[Canalfreak]

I'm about to license our new boat for the first time - just waiting for the safety certificate to be issued. I know the website says 15 days, but wondered if anyone knows if the reality is less than that?

 

Secondly, if I don't get the licence back before we pick up the boat, am I going to get in trouble??

 

I think that's 15 working days, or about 3 weeks in real money.

 

I recently went through the same process you are contemplating and it took nearer 4 weeks all in. Of course that includes postage both ways as well.

 

Anyway, ours arrived just as I was about to telephone them and politely enquire when I might hope to receive it.

 

Can't help over the acceptability of the "It's in the post" excuse.

 

Bob.

[alan_fincher]

The only time I have had to rely on post, rather than the o-'line facility, because a new BSS was involved, I still think the entire operation was achieved in under a week.

 

I've no idea why I always seem to get swift turn-around from BW licensing department, when others say they do not, but it's a fact.

 

 

 

 

On the other hand getting a dangerous lock acknowledged and fixed took me well over a year, even after, (or perhaps because of!), escalation to the regional manager South East Waterways.

[Naughty Cal]

I'm about to license our new boat for the first time - just waiting for the safety certificate to be issued. I know the website says 15 days, but wondered if anyone knows if the reality is less than that?

 

Secondly, if I don't get the licence back before we pick up the boat, am I going to get in trouble??

 

When we bought Cal her licence had expired so the boat sales yard sorted all of the paperwork and applied for a new 12 month licence. The change of ownersip and issuing new discs took about 5 weeks. As long as you have the yellow reciept issued when you buy/apply for the licence you are covered to use the boat.

[Mrs Humdinger]

When we bought Cal her licence had expired so the boat sales yard sorted all of the paperwork and applied for a new 12 month licence. The change of ownersip and issuing new discs took about 5 weeks. As long as you have the yellow reciept issued when you buy/apply for the licence you are covered to use the boat.

 

Ah, thanks everyone. If I apply by post, then I won't have any kind of receipt, as a copy of the application won't have anything official on it to say I had really sent it. Would I be better then to go to a BW Licensing Office?? Has anyone done this?

[john6767]

I am in the process of buying a boat whos license runs out at the end of this month. I spoke to BW, and they suggested taking the paperwork to my local regional office (in my case Fazeley), who will still need to send it on to Leeds for processing, but will provide a "license applied for" receipt to display in the boat in the meantime.

[alan_fincher]

Ah, thanks everyone. If I apply by post, then I won't have any kind of receipt, as a copy of the application won't have anything official on it to say I had really sent it. Would I be better then to go to a BW Licensing Office?? Has anyone done this?

If you are worried about it send it recorded delivery, then you can always prove that the received and signed for it. Got to be cheaper than going to Leeds, (unless you live in Leeds!....)

[Mrs Humdinger]

I don't live in Leeds, no, that would be a real trek. There is a marina near us that is listed at issuing licences, but I don't know if they actually issue them on the spot, or whether they just take the payment and then it all gets done by post?

[Naughty Cal]

I don't live in Leeds, no, that would be a real trek. There is a marina near us that is listed at issuing licences, but I don't know if they actually issue them on the spot, or whether they just take the payment and then it all gets done by post?

 

Thats what our marina is. They take the payment and sort out the paperwork and issue you with the yellow reciept, then the paperwork is sent to BW by post.

[alan_fincher]

Thats what our marina is. They take the payment and sort out the paperwork and issue you with the yellow reciept, then the paperwork is sent to BW by post.

But according to you it then took about 5 weeks for the licences to turn up ?

 

When we did the same thing all for ourselves it took, (IIRC), more like 5 days.

 

I suppose if the receipt will satisfy anyone who needs to know it doesn't actually matter whether you have the real "discs", but it does sound to take a ridiculous amount of time for such a simple operation - unless you got unlucky ?

[Naughty Cal]

But according to you it then took about 5 weeks for the licences to turn up ?

 

When we did the same thing all for ourselves it took, (IIRC), more like 5 days.

 

I suppose if the receipt will satisfy anyone who needs to know it doesn't actually matter whether you have the real "discs", but it does sound to take a ridiculous amount of time for such a simple operation - unless you got unlucky ?

 

It did take a long time but im not sure if that was due to a change of ownership followed by licencing.

 

To be fair when we renewed last year online the discs arrived in a matter of days.

[Smudge]

I've recently sold my boat, and I had to notify EA about a change of ownership of the boat. (licensed on the thames).

 

I emailed them what I needed to do and they quickly responding telling me that there was a form that comes with the license. As I am incredibly disorganised I no longer have this form (or I do but it's in a box somewhere in storage).

 

So after emailing EA back they promptly replied telling me to send over the details of the new owner and the boat name via email and they'd make the changes. Within 20 minutes of email sent got an email back informing me that all had been sorted and that they will also cancel my direct debit.

 

I wish other organisations / companies were so easy to deal with!

What does your EA stand for ?? cos it cant be the same as it does round here

[nbfiresprite]

I've recently sold my boat, and I had to notify EA about a change of ownership of the boat. (licensed on the thames).

 

I emailed them what I needed to do and they quickly responding telling me that there was a form that comes with the license. As I am incredibly disorganised I no longer have this form (or I do but it's in a box somewhere in storage).

 

So after emailing EA back they promptly replied telling me to send over the details of the new owner and the boat name via email and they'd make the changes. Within 20 minutes of email sent got an email back informing me that all had been sorted and that they will also cancel my direct debit.

 

I wish other organisations / companies were so easy to deal with!

 

I agree the EA do have their Act together unlike BW.

 

When I go on the Nene from the Middle Levels. You can just moor up and pop into the Office and get a visiter licence

on the spot, I don't even have to do that, As iam on the system, I just ring and pay for the number of days required and

it is recorded on system, No need to display a licence. With BW, I had to troop to MK fill in a pile of paperwork which then sent of to Leeds, The licence arrived today, four weeks after i returned to the levels. I had been on BW for a month.

 

 

Firesprite

 

Middle Levels

[sueb]

Wouldn't it be lovely if EA took over all the navigations? Perhaps the 2020 vision

 

Sue

[carlt]

Wouldn't it be lovely if EA took over all the navigations? Perhaps the 2020 vision

 

Sue

 

I agree entirely.

[MoominPapa]

I agree the EA do have their Act together unlike BW.

 

When I go on the Nene from the Middle Levels. You can just moor up and pop into the Office and get a visiter licence

on the spot, I don't even have to do that, As iam on the system, I just ring and pay for the number of days required and

it is recorded on system, No need to display a licence. With BW, I had to troop to MK fill in a pile of paperwork which then sent of to Leeds, The licence arrived today, four weeks after i returned to the levels. I had been on BW for a month.

I didn't know that. Are the details available somewhere? I've been cursing the fact that the it's not possible to buy a licence at Stanground the way it is at Denver, but if it can all be done over the phone, that would be brilliant.

 

MP.

[nbfiresprite]

I didn't know that. Are the details available somewhere? I've been cursing the fact that the it's not possible to buy a licence at Stanground the way it is at Denver, but if it can all be done over the phone, that would be brilliant.

 

MP.

 

The person you need to speak to is Darren Taylor on 01733 464918. email: darren.taylor@environment-agency.gov.uk

 

You can get licence in Person from Aqua House which is just over the bridge from the embankment, next to

where the old B&Q was. The Office is open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm. At the weekends see

the lockkeeper at Dog In a Doublet lock.

 

 

Firesprite

 

Middle Levels

Edited June 19, 2010 by nbfiresprite

[MoominPapa]

The person you need to speak to is Darren Taylor on 01733 464918. email: Darren Tayor

 

You can get licence in Person from Aqua House which is just over the bridge from the embankment, next to

where the old B&Q was. The Office is open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm. At the weekends see

the lockkeeper at Dog In a Doublet lock.

Great stuff. Many thanks.

 

 

MP.