Anyone know anything about these guys?

[lydfordcastle]

My son started his company in March so not even been going 1 year yet but he (unlike some companies) has done well enough to have to pay Corporation Tax this tax year,

 

If your son has come to that conclusion only three quarters of the way through his first year of trading, then I would strongly suggest that he needs a decent accountant to put him right.

[cotswoldsman]

If your son has come to that conclusion only three quarters of the way through his first year of trading, then I would strongly suggest that he needs a decent accountant to put him right.

 

Ah you need to know my son, he is not looking to avoid tax legal or otherwise he is happy to pay. He draws a very good salary has everything he needs and wants. He has just returned from 1 week on Montreal visiting family and on 27 December fly's out to Brazil for 3 weeks holiday. He has a long term contract with one of the UK's largest retailers who seem to pay him a lot of money for what he does. Thanks for the advise anyway but I would also rather he contributes to society and does not try to find smart ways to reduce his contribution.

[dor]

I agree that it is wrong to knock this company on the basis that it has only just been set up.

However they appear to be doing something that bucks the industry trend; is in an area that has had problems in the past; use terminology that does not suggest they understand their position.

 

So it is right for people to be cautious.

[Boat&Bikes]

Ah you need to know my son, he is not looking to avoid tax legal or otherwise he is happy to pay. He draws a very good salary has everything he needs and wants. He has just returned from 1 week on Montreal visiting family and on 27 December fly's out to Brazil for 3 weeks holiday. He has a long term contract with one of the UK's largest retailers who seem to pay him a lot of money for what he does. Thanks for the advise anyway but I would also rather he contributes to society and does not try to find smart ways to reduce his contribution.

 

 

I think it was being suggested that corp. tax is payable annually not after 9 months,i may well be wrong.

 

Ian.

[cotswoldsman]

I think it was being suggested that corp. tax is payable annually not after 9 months,i may well be wrong.

 

Ian.

 

You might be right. I read it that he better get an account (he does have one) before year end to try and save on paying corporation tax

If your son has come to that conclusion only three quarters of the way through his first year of trading, then I would strongly suggest that he needs a decent accountant to put him right.

 

[boathunter]

It's payable 9 months after the end of the (ltd co's) tax year.

 

You have a good year then a bad year, so end up paying a whack while it's not going so well. And vica versa of course, but you don't notice that.

 

Ltd comapnies are the way forward for tax breaks - I never paid out more than 10% when I had one...

Edited December 8, 2012 by boathunter

[Laurie Booth]

I have owned and run my limited company for 20 years selling my own services . For the last two years as I have been spending substantial amount of time travelling or on the boat I have just had the company's name and a cloud phone number that diverts to mine and my wife's mobiles instantaneously. Occasionally I am asked for an address for a courier delivery which I provide dependant on where I am and the content, this is diverted mainly to my main supplier of services. The vast majority of activity involves co-ordinating visas and medicals for UK nationals travelling to the Middle East and related recruitment, so original degrees and passports are entrusted to us constantly. We still only have £100 of shares but unlike Starbucks pay many £000's in corporation tax. If you offer a professional service and offer prompt communication you don't necessarily need an office or an address on a website. When you buy from Amazon where is there address ? you are dealing with a company in Luxenburg.

This is Amazon's address for the UK

Head Office Address Amazon.co.uk, Ridgmont, Bedford MK43 0XP Telephone 0800 279 6620 Fax0800 279 6630

[Tuscan]

This is Amazon's address for the UK

Head Office Address Amazon.co.uk, Ridgmont, Bedford MK43 0XP Telephone 0800 279 6620 Fax0800 279 6630

 

 

Next time you order something check the delivery note, it will be the Luxemburg address. The Uk just has fulfilment centres , amazon.co.uk is a trading name of Amazon Sarl a Luxemburg company where it pays its taxes

[Laurie Booth]

Next time you order something check the delivery note, it will be the Luxemburg address. The Uk just has fulfilment centres , amazon.co.uk is a trading name of Amazon Sarl a Luxemburg company where it pays its taxes

So they are not hiding their address.

[Tuscan]

So they are not hiding their address.

 

 

It's not clear from their website which was my only point. As a major corporation I of course accept that they will have a physical address.

[Dominic M]

I am not going to get involved with the debate about this company, but some of the arguments being put forward to suggest reliability are unreliable in themselves, and I think people need to be a little cautious before levelling unfounded allegations.

 

Both my son and my daughter's partner run their own busy and successful companies and neither of them has a landline phone number or postal address on their website. Admittedly one is a Graphic Designer and the other is a Web Developer, which are both in the electronic communication arena, but not having conventional contacts is not an indication of a company being dodgy.

Maybe not "dodgy" but certainly in breach of the law:

 

Information that must be on your website

 

The following is the minimum information that must be on any company's website (from OUT-LAW's guide, The UK's Ecommerce Regulations).

 

The name, geographic address and email address of the service provider. The name of the organisation with which the customer is contracting must be given. This might differ from the trading name. Any such difference should be explained – e.g. "XYZ.com is the trading name of XYZ Enterprises Limited."

It is not sufficient to include a 'contact us' form without also providing an email address and geographic address somewhere easily accessible on the site. A PO Box is unlikely to suffice as a geographic address; but a registered office address would. If the business is a company, the registered office address must be included.

 

If a company, the company's registration number should be given and, under the Companies Act, the place of registation should be stated (e.g. "XYZ Enterprises Limited is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 1234567")

If the business is a member of a trade or professional association, membership details, including any registration number, should be provided.

If the business has a VAT number, it should be stated – even if the website is not being used for e-commerce transactions.

[Laurie Booth]

It's not clear from their website which was my only point. As a major corporation I of course accept that they will have a physical address.

That is why you can buy from them (Amazon). The "Hire Boat" company seems to be hiding.

[Tuscan]

That is why you can buy from them (Amazon). The "Hire Boat" company seems to be hiding.

[nkjatkec]

Good Morning,

 

This Thread has been brought to attention through a member who thought it appropriate the owners of the business or indeed the business itself should have an opportunity to defend itself or at the very least put its case forward. As one of the Directors for the company, I can say we are considering our response carefully and will make an officiall statement at some point today on this thread.

 

I am however writing this as an individual member of this forum and from this point forward my views or opinions or in no way connected to GUNL or any of its affiliates and are not representative of the company.

 

Disclaimer out of the way, i'd like to say thank you to those members of this forum who have understood what we are trying to do and have expressed their opinion accordingly. I am distraught however, by the amount of negative comments I have seen on this thread. Whilst I understand a number of you playing devils advocate, you must be aware that a number of the comments are ill placed and detrimental to a young company.

 

I have been on the canals my entire life, my family worked boats out of Ernest Thomas' yard in Walsall and it has always been my ambition to make a living off the waterway to help keep it alive. I own my boat which I live on and have had direct experience, albeit negative, with other 'legitimate' rental companies on the waterway (you may want to look at my previous posts). Our drive with this venture is to give people the opportunity to experience the canal system warts and all on a comfortable and affordable boat. So sure their are some restrictions but these are to protect the company and the tenant.

 

We have invested a lot of time and money in getting the business up and running to this stage, and i will agree we are still learning, as we all are, but certain comments on here i can't help but take to heart. Our company have bought good quality boats at considerable expense to give people the most comfortable start. we are not about to rent out tin cans and get the maximum rental yield. Our prices are fair given the level of licence, insurance, size and quality of boat.

 

Unlike hire companies we will escort them on the first three moves they make to teach them how to manoeuvre, work locks and the facilities, only when they are comfortable with all the in's and out's will we leave them to enjoy the waterway, this is more than most hire companies and certainly more than any of our 'competitors'. Hopefully this will demonstrate we have respect for your properties as well as ours, i've lost track of the amount of hire boats that have coming crashing in to mine whilst getting water. The Boats are well maintained by local engineers so we are reinvesting in the local canal workforce. We have tried to make this enterprise as friendly to fellow boaters and the local economy as possible. Its all about reinvesting in something that has given us and inparticualar myself many years of pleasure and friendships. We want to give people young or old the opportunity to live in London at an affordable rate. Lets face it the rental market in London is expensive and vicious!

 

I'm sorry for those on here that have had negative experiences with other 'companies' or individuals, as i have had, but please don't tar us with the same brush and consider your responses a little more. Anyone is welcome to contact us either through this forum or indeed via the website, and we welcome your comments or feedback but please give us that opportunity. I find it rather sad that out of all of the questions, statements, opinions and slanderous comments only one person thought to contact us. This isn't like community spirited attitude I have grown up with on the waterway, but maybe its symptomatic with the society we are living in at the moment and everyone wants to see the negative in everything and everyone. It's rather sad don't you think.

 

I wish you all a safe winter and Merry Christmas.

 

Nathan

[Lady Muck]

Maybe you need to put more information on your website about how your boats are licensed. I can understand you are upset about negativity but as a London boater myself, I've seen no end of rentals that ended in tears and before I'm able to recommend a boat hire company to someone, I need to know they are legit with the relevant license and insurance.

 

If this was my website I'd be shouting it from the rooftops. I think it would be very helpful if you added some content about this.

 

Do you run your boats as hire boats or as share boats?

Edited December 10, 2012 by Lady Muck

[alan_fincher]

I'm sorry for those on here that have had negative experiences with other 'companies' or individuals, as i have had, but please don't tar us with the same brush and consider your responses a little more. Anyone is welcome to contact us either through this forum or indeed via the website, and we welcome your comments or feedback but please give us that opportunity. I find it rather sad that out of all of the questions, statements, opinions and slanderous comments only one person thought to contact us. This isn't like community spirited attitude I have grown up with on the waterway, but maybe its symptomatic with the society we are living in at the moment and everyone wants to see the negative in everything and everyone. It's rather sad don't you think.

 

I wish you all a safe winter and Merry Christmas.

 

Nathan

Nathan,

 

Do you accept the following comment made by someone who runs an established canals based business, and appears to know what they are talking about.

 

Why does your web-site lack most of what it apperas needs to be present, pease ?

 

The following is the minimum information that must be on any company's website (from OUT-LAW's guide, The UK's Ecommerce Regulations).

 

The name, geographic address and email address of the service provider. The name of the organisation with which the customer is contracting must be given. This might differ from the trading name. Any such difference should be explained – e.g. "XYZ.com is the trading name of XYZ Enterprises Limited."

It is not sufficient to include a 'contact us' form without also providing an email address and geographic address somewhere easily accessible on the site. A PO Box is unlikely to suffice as a geographic address; but a registered office address would. If the business is a company, the registered office address must be included.

 

If a company, the company's registration number should be given and, under the Companies Act, the place of registation should be stated (e.g. "XYZ Enterprises Limited is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 1234567")

If the business is a member of a trade or professional association, membership details, including any registration number, should be provided.

If the business has a VAT number, it should be stated – even if the website is not being used for e-commerce transactions.

[Tuscan]

Good luck to you, but I would add some more detail to your web site like you have on your email , so that it's clear that whilst the company is new those involved have extensive experience. I would add a bit more detail as per Lady Muck's email that demonstrates the legitimacy of the process etcetc. I hope the business takes off.

[mayalld]

I'm sorry for those on here that have had negative experiences with other 'companies' or individuals, as i have had, but please don't tar us with the same brush and consider your responses a little more. Anyone is welcome to contact us either through this forum or indeed via the website, and we welcome your comments or feedback but please give us that opportunity. I find it rather sad that out of all of the questions, statements, opinions and slanderous comments only one person thought to contact us. This isn't like community spirited attitude I have grown up with on the waterway, but maybe its symptomatic with the society we are living in at the moment and everyone wants to see the negative in everything and everyone. It's rather sad don't you think.

 

Why are you claiming that you will offer secured tenancies, when there is no such thing in relation to a boat?

 

Do these boats have hire boat licences or private licences?

 

Do these boats have a hire boat BSC?

 

Do you have appropriate agreements with CRT to operate a hire company?

 

I'm afraid that your post tells me only;

 

1. You aren't happy that people are criticising any aspect of your business.
2. Your are nice, genuine, people.

The problem is that no matter how nice and genuine you might be, anybody hiring from you may well find that it all comes unstuck if you haven't actually set this up properly.

 

 

 

[nkjatkec]

Nathan,

 

Do you accept the following comment made by someone who runs an established canals based business, and appears to know what they are talking about.

 

Why does your web-site lack most of what it apperas needs to be present, pease ?

 

 

Thank you for your comments... the website will be updated today with all of the relevant information you have pointed out as missing. The site is very much a work in progress and will develop in terms of look and content over the next few weeks.

 

Nathan

[nkjatkec]

Nathan,

 

Do you accept the following comment made by someone who runs an established canals based business, and appears to know what they are talking about.

 

Why does your web-site lack most of what it apperas needs to be present, pease ?

 

 

The website is now updated with this information in the footer of every page.

 

 

Thanks for your comments

 

Nathan

[junior]

Is it telling that you have failed to answer the questions relating to the legal stuff?

[nkjatkec]

Why are you claiming that you will offer secured tenancies, when there is no such thing in relation to a boat?

 

Do these boats have hire boat licences or private licences?

 

Do these boats have a hire boat BSC?

 

Do you have appropriate agreements with CRT to operate a hire company?

 

I'm afraid that your post tells me only;

 

1. You aren't happy that people are criticising any aspect of your business.
2. Your are nice, genuine, people.

The problem is that no matter how nice and genuine you might be, anybody hiring from you may well find that it all comes unstuck if you haven't actually set this up properly.

 

 

Hello and thank you for your comments.

 

The boats are all currently insured, licensed and certified for their purpose. I have updates the type of tenancy we offer, it was a typo left over from the early days of the website development. Thanks for spotting it, i had clearly missed it.

We are in fact in discussion with CaRT about a specific licence as this type of business does not fit within the boundaries of a hire boat licence or a standard canal and river licence. The boats are all registered to the company and we are operating as a company as far as CaRT are concerned.

 

Should you want further information regarding our operating procedures please contact us at info@gunl.co.uk or you can of course write to us, The address can be found on the website.

 

 

On a personal note, i would hope my post didn't demonstrate that i am unhappy with criticism, in fact i openly welcome criticism and constructive comments. What i object to is people forming and voicing such negative opinion without any due course and using slanderous phrases. It also hopefully came across that we are trying to do this right unlike so many other individuals out there of which there are many.

 

Thank you for your comments.

 

Nathan

 

Good luck to you, but I would add some more detail to your web site like you have on your email , so that it's clear that whilst the company is new those involved have extensive experience. I would add a bit more detail as per Lady Muck's email that demonstrates the legitimacy of the process etcetc. I hope the business takes off.

 

 

Hello,

 

many thanks for your positive comments. I have taken them on board and updated the website this morning. The site is still very much in development in terms of its look and content so watch this space over the next few weeks.

 

Thanks

 

Nathan

 

Is it telling that you have failed to answer the questions relating to the legal stuff?

 

I think it says more that we have made an effort to resolve the issues quickly and correctly.

 

Thank you.

 

Nathan

[tafelberg]

Hi Nathan,

 

Just wanted to wish you well with the business! :-) Welcome to the forum as well.

[dor]

We are in fact in discussion with CaRT about a specific licence as this type of business does not fit within the boundaries of a hire boat licence or a standard canal and river licence.

 

This suggests that you do not consider them to be hire boats.

 

As you have failed to clarify the situation, can you confirm that they are insured as hire boats and have the level of BSC required by hire boats?

[Lady Muck]

Maybe he's running them as share boats like ETRR do? Would be nice to know.