BWML

[magpie patrick]

This has to be a bit vague, has anyone worked with, been a client or customer, or generally dealt with BWML

 

This is a professional enquiry, and if I say too much I might air things in public that shouldn't be aired at this stage, but anyone elses experience would be welcome

[mrsmelly]

This has to be a bit vague, has anyone worked with, been a client or customer, or generally dealt with BWML

 

This is a professional enquiry, and if I say too much I might air things in public that shouldn't be aired at this stage, but anyone elses experience would be welcome

 

I am a BWML customer and always find the staff here at sawley very approachable and friendly. My mooring rates are sensible, my lectrickery is downright muck cheap and the services more than enough for me. I speak as I find.

 

Tim

[cotswoldsman]

This has to be a bit vague, has anyone worked with, been a client or customer, or generally dealt with BWML

 

This is a professional enquiry, and if I say too much I might air things in public that shouldn't be aired at this stage, but anyone elses experience would be welcome

 

So everyone else except you can air in public?

[Guest]

This has to be a bit vague, has anyone worked with, been a client or customer, or generally dealt with BWML

 

This is a professional enquiry, and if I say too much I might air things in public that shouldn't be aired at this stage, but anyone elses experience would be welcome

 

I was a customer for a year when we moored at Lemonroyd Marina from September 2011 to September last year.- owned and run by BWML.

 

HTH

[BlueStringPudding]

I was a customer of the BWML brokerage at Sawley (not been a marina customer) and I found them very helpful.

[RichardN]

I have moored long term in two marinas, Packet Boat and Limehouse and short term in Sawley and Kings. I have been really happy with the staff at both Limehouse and Kings. We have also been in Cowroast and Diglis but not at the right time or not enough to form an impression. Nothing actually wrong with Sawley and Packet Boat but I was not that impressed.

 

We have also been to user meetings where there was a BWML director present and read some of his messages. I have no belief or trust in what he had to say.

[eightacre]

We are happy with the service we get from BWML at Diglis.

[Guest]

Isn't MP just asking for info. on who is a BWML customer at the moment?

[magpie patrick]

Isn't MP just asking for info. on who is a BWML customer at the moment?

 

 

Thanks Martin: actually what I'm asking is what it is like to be a neighbour of them: I have a client who may take them to court, which is why I must be careful about what I say. I don't want "but Mr Moss said on canalworld..." read out in a hearing.

 

The client got on very well with the previous owners of the marina, it was when BWML bought it that the problems started.

[jelunga]

Yes, I am a BWML customer. They talk a lot and do little. They make false promises. If a job could take 10 mins it always takes 10 weeks.

But as MrSmelly says, leccy is cheap and moorings reasonable. They change the goalposts to suit themselves. Customers come below their convenience. They have no idea what customer service means.

[CV32]

An interesting point is that BWML will (or has) passed to C&RT from BW. Email response from Defra (October 2011) when i asked the question:

 

'Ahead of the change of status of British Waterways (BW) from a public body to a new waterways charity, and the transfer of BW’s property assets in England and Wales to the new charity as a dowry, BWML is now a wholly owned sudsidiary of BW.

 

As I mentioned, BW’s property portfolio will transfer to the CRT as a dowry and it is envisaged that income from BW’s property interests will make a significant contribution to the CRT’s financial sustainability. BW has already revised its property investment strategy to focus on smaller, shorter-term development propositions that can provide more secure cash returns regularly, to help reduce the impact of property market cycles much more effectively.'

 

Perhaps complaint about the service they provide will be dealt with in a more professional and interested manner.

 

[davey b]

We are currently customers and we have had only good service from them (not sure I agree with the reasonable rates... but that is GU south for you. Ironically it is the neighbours that cause the issues at Apsley!

 

There are definitely cracks beneath the veneer, though. Some of the policies being inflicted on employees and probably affecting neighbours might be the issue here. I think if you dig into the organisation you will find cracks big enough into which a nice large out of court settlement could fall.

 

It may also be down to individuals, as some of the 'characters' are interesting... 5 Stars fro Maeve at Packet Boat and Dave at Apsley, though - always been helpful

[KevMc]

 

It may also be down to individuals, as some of the 'characters' are interesting... 5 Stars fro Maeve at Packet Boat and Dave at Apsley, though - always been helpful

I'll second that motion

[AidanLincs]

I have been at Kings Marina in Newark since October last year, and I've found the staff here to be nothing but helpful. (Well, "staff" equals one not-quite-fulltime marina warden and one very-part-time assistant. They're both splendid chaps though, and I'm very happy here.)

 

On the other hand, I'm still waiting for the invoice for this year's mooring fees, over 3 months since I moved in!

[Grace and Favour]

OP - - Have tried to send you a PM - - to no avail - - you may need to either empty your PM box, or call me!!!!

 

[Midnight]

Yes, I am a BWML customer. They talk a lot and do little. They make false promises. If a job could take 10 mins it always takes 10 weeks.

But as MrSmelly says, leccy is cheap and moorings reasonable. They change the goalposts to suit themselves. Customers come below their convenience. They have no idea what customer service means.

 

That was my experience too. I was a customer for a few years at Ripon where the on-site marina manager acted like he was ex gestapo, maintenance was very poor and they also made promises they didn't keep.

 

Some memorable experiences - It took them 10 months to change a broken gate lock which anyone else could have changed in 10 minutes. When we complained about the lack of security they said security wasn't part of the service.

 

After Narrowboat World reported the marina was only 70% full they removed some pontoon fingers which improved the occupancy rates.

 

The water used to get turned off at the main stop tap each winter leaving only one tap on each pontoon. They provided a great long hose pipe on each pontoon which worked fine until they decided it wasn't compliant with H&S so removed it again.

 

The costs weren't cheap and the annual rise was always above inflation. They based the costs on some mickey mouse comparision with other marinas in the area but always found that the facilities at Ripon warranted the cost. Their website still claims the facilities include a slipway and chandlery. The nearest slipway is at Boroughbridge marina 7 miles away and the chandlery is at Sawley over 100 miles away.

 

I got fed up with their incompetence, broken promises and the spiraling costs and moved to private marina where I have had no issues at all and save around £1000 in mooring fees

 

I have since heard that one berth holder took them to court and had his contract terminated.

[neil m]

As a Trailboater we have launched at a few BW Marinas and always found the staff very helpfull. But last season on our local canal the Lancaster we found BWML had changed the locks at Galgate services,and unless you are a marina berth holder you had to pay about £25 for a key. and the lock would be changed yearly,we also noticed the perm moorings were half empty and not that many boats on the visitor either. I sent an email to BWML to ask why the change and wondered how many keys they had sold. I also pointed out that local pubs and shops can rely on boat trade to stay in buisness, I did get a reply but no real reason apart from that they could. on talking to local boaters it seems all the perm boats were asked to move while they revamped the moorings after what looked like to me some minor repairs they asked them back, and only a few came, most had found better elsewhere. I'm glad they are not running my buisness and hope CART arn't relying on them for much profit, I can see why their neighbours may have a problem.

Neil

[waterworks]

i love BWML, the maintainance guy at Packet boat threw a 70 quid 9 inch Bosch grinder in the bin because the brushes were arcing, cost me £4 to repair.

BWML

[Shipleymanx]

Have to agree with Midnight, my son had a boat at ripon, same experience, he got the impression they wanted to try and cash in on the Newcastle area market. He is now at a private marina fro a fraction of the price

[Canalwatcher]

Packet Boat has been our "home" marina since 2008.

 

Mick

Edited January 4, 2013 by zodiak

[lexicon]

Was a moored for a year at packet boat.

Had a few issues that caused me to leave for the sake of my boat and sanity.

[AidanLincs]

I think they read the forum. Yesterday, I complained that I had not received my mooring contract. This morning, it was hand delivered.

[brian1042]

Has anyone contacted BWML to let them know about this discussion? They have been fine with me and if no one else has contacted them I will. I would like someone to tell me if something like this were happening in regard to my organisation, especially if I have treated people reasonably.

Edited January 4, 2013 by brian1042

[magpie patrick]

Has anyone contacted BWML to let them know about this discussion? They have been fine with me and if no one else has contacted them I will. I would like someone to tell me if something like this were happening in regard to my organisation, especially if I have treated people reasonably.

 

Yes, I have. Do you think I am so unprofessional as to not discuss the issue with them? In addition my client has discussed it with the local staff, this seems to be where the rproblem lies.

 

All I asked for was other people's experiences of being a neighbour

[brian1042]

Yes, I have. Do you think I am so unprofessional as to not discuss the issue with them? In addition my client has discussed it with the local staff, this seems to be where the rproblem lies.

 

All I asked for was other people's experiences of being a neighbour

 

I have no opinion of your professionalism. I do not know you and I know nothing about you. I have made no assumptions about you, good or bad, and I see no reason why I should. All I asked was if anyone has contacted BWML. That is a perfectly reasonable question.

 

My post was not about whether you have discussed the issue with BWML. It is about informing them of this thread so they can also see what is being written here. I shall inform them myself.

Edited January 4, 2013 by brian1042