BW Mooring charges

[DavidWS]

I have just been looking on this forum to see if anything is being said about mooring charges being increased by BW. I hope I haven't started a new topic unnecessarily but I couldn’t see anything about it. Is this a general hike or just a local one I wonder?

 

I have just got my increase notification of 14.58% in a letter justifying it due to the benefit of the amenities which haven’t changed year on year. Brighouse Basin is the place.

 

There is an option suggested in the notification letter to complain on the basis of ‘relevant information from the regional moorings market.’ Presumably this means that Brighouse Basin has been increased to meet other moorings with similar ‘facilities’ or lack of them. Frankly I am not amused!

Edited November 20, 2006 by DavidWS

[RichardH]

Yep - I got the same pleasant surprise on Friday a 20% increase in moorings with some drivel about market rates blah blah blah - how do you assess the 'market rate' of a bank side mooring when BW own all of the banks !

[fretman]

Yep - I got the same pleasant surprise on Friday a 20% increase in moorings with some drivel about market rates blah blah blah - how do you assess the 'market rate' of a bank side mooring when BW own all of the banks !

they don't own all the back side,,they own the land under the water that our boats sit on

[Sir Nibble]

Trouble is, BW raise their charges and everyone else sees this and raises their charges, so rather than following the market they set the rising trend.

[NB Alnwick]

We had a similar shock when we went to pay for our Winter Moorings this year - over £600 compared with just over £400 last year . . .

[gaggle]

well it is not something that is local,it is almost the same as mine on leeds/liverpool and the drivel about amenities is almost identical.

improvement carried out or planned to be carried out ect ect free parking locally is one reason for the increase, no mention that council tax or road tax, fuel tax and any other number of taxes could be providing the "free" parking that bw now think they have a right to charge me for.

if i have no car will it make a difference to the increase the have or will be imposing for a facility that they have no interest in whatsoever.

[John Orentas]

I think British Waterways are wonderful and I think you are all being very mean to them.

 

Just because they are in a monopoly position and they exploit it to the limit. Well wouldn't you if you were in the same position.

[RichardH]

they don't own all the back side,,they own the land under the water that our boats sit on

 

Accepted - but you know what I mean -for on-line or end of garden it matters not, BW set the rates and there is not a great deal we can do about it.

[Bernie]

If they promise improvement and amenities it's a load of drivel. We have been promised dredging since 1998 and water points for at least 2 years, but nothing has materialised. We have to go down a lock to get water and then wind and ascend the same lock which is not an easy lock to begin with since that also has no maintenace except when another boater or we grease the gear. To shut us up I think, their own workboat did a depth test and they couldn't even get within a couple of metres of the moored boats due to lack of depth. Each year the bottom gets nearer to the top. When our request for the mooring fees arrives I will be writing once again a letter of complaint but nothing materialises. I know we could move, something which has been implied by BW in the past but trying to find another mooring is almost impossible.

[gaggle]

a recent survey says boaters who were asked put amenities last on the wish list and repairs and upkeep of the waterways as the first, so a bw sponsored poll of boaters now gives bw the excuse to say we the boaters dont want new amenities.

abuse of power.

[NB Alnwick]

We'd much rather give our money to BW than 90% of the local authorities who are always finding reasons to hype up council tax etc. It would be nice to have the choice . . .

 

Of course, it could be worse - just imagine what it would be like if inland waterways were to be split up and privatised like the railways! We might then be paying our licence and mooring fees to Richard Branson and half a dozen like him . . .

[David Schweizer]

My mooring fee went up by 3% in September this year, so this hike cannot be universal.

[jollyroger]

Not everyone has had a price rise, I was out last weekend and noticed that the continuous moorers, sorry, cruisers were all nicely settled in on their "Free" Winter moorings I then went back to my own "Sorry for the increase but blah blah blah" moorings

[Collectors]

I think your find that there are many office bods at BW (not all) are sitting around on there bums doing a feasibility study on the feasibility of doing more feasibility studies to see if its feasible to put the licences up & have now found they had to raise the fee to pay for all the feasibility studies on a higher licensing. I wouldn’t be surprised if they will have to do a study on this as well.

Seems to work this way on the NHS as well.

 

 

Chris.

[doomed1]

Not everyone has had a price rise, I was out last weekend and noticed that the continuous moorers, sorry, cruisers were all nicely settled in on their "Free" Winter moorings I then went back to my own "Sorry for the increase but blah blah blah" moorings

 

 

Why dont you join the above?

[jollyroger]

Why dont you join the above?

Because like the majority, I stick to the rules. They may be mooring for free but the rest of us are paying with increased chargers.

[Sir Nibble]

Last time I was out, I passed one of the long stretches of

continuous moorers, sorry, cruisers

and there was a gap in the line of moored boats with flower pots, solar lights, name of the boat and a sign saying "Gone for water". All this on 48hour moorings.

[Jim]

My mooring fee went up by 3% in September this year, so this hike cannot be universal.

 

Its not just BW that is putting up charges. My private moorings provider has just imposed a 10% increase and had the cheek to quote BW's recent grant cut as one of his reasons!

Jim

[doomed1]

Because like the majority, I stick to the rules. They may be mooring for free but the rest of us are paying with increased chargers.

 

 

 

Posted on: Aug 17 2006, 10:38 AM

 

 

Member jolly Roger

 

 

Group: Members

Posts: 118

Joined: 28-November 04

Member No.: 160

 

 

Just like the British, THEY are going to put the prices up, so we moan a bit then pay up. Who are THEY? the government thats who, who put them in? We did, Who can get them out? We can.

Do something about it Complain to your M.P, write to the Press, dont just accept it.

[Sir Nibble]

Just like the British, THEY are going to put the prices up, so we moan a bit then pay up. Who are THEY? the government thats who, who put them in? We did, Who can get them out? We can.

Do something about it Complain to your M.P, write to the Press, dont just accept it.

What do you suggest? revolution? I would sooner eat myself than vote Tory!

[doomed1]

What do you suggest? revolution? I would sooner eat myself than vote Tory!

 

 

No not Tory

for we can eat the fish,before we dine on ourselves.

We must wait for Jollyroger

he will lead us into narrowboat heaven.

 

Do something about it Complain to your M.P, write to the Press, dont just accept it. peer at the cc rs from behind our curtains.grrrr.

[Carrie]

Not everyone has had a price rise, I was out last weekend and noticed that the continuous moorers, sorry, cruisers were all nicely settled in on their "Free" Winter moorings I then went back to my own "Sorry for the increase but blah blah blah" moorings

 

No, you're right! I am enjoying my 'free' winter moorings (which change, delightfully, every few days).

 

If enough people feel strongly about it, perhaps you should agree between you to pay the usual amount and withold the extra until they provide extra facilities/dredging/whatever you want for your particular mooring.

[NB Alnwick]

Not everyone has had a price rise, I was out last weekend and noticed that the continuous moorers, sorry, cruisers were all nicely settled in on their "Free" Winter moorings I then went back to my own "Sorry for the increase but blah blah blah" moorings

 

Don't know who gets free Winter moorings but we have always had to pay BW for the privilege. We paid over £600 this year but were told by BW that if we needed to leave our spot (which is at the end of a 48 hour line) to get water or go for a winter cruise we could put a board up to say that we will be returning to the same mooring . . .

[David Schweizer]

My mooring fee went up by 3% in September this year, so this hike cannot be universal.

I spoke too soon. I got a letter from BW this morning, my next mooring fee payment will be increased by 20%.

 

The letter states that I can write to BW regarding any concerns, which I shall be doing. My concerns will include BW's failure to install posts indicating that the moorings are for permit holders, and their failure to recognise that there are no facilities whatsoever including their failure to provide anywere to park my car. But most importantly I will be asking why they are allowing six other boats to moor permanently along te same stretch without paying for a mooring permit, including two that are not displaying a licence.

 

I am not a natural vigilante, but BW's continued pecuniary pursuit of those people who are willing to pay whilst ignoring those who will not, is beginning to make me one.

Edited November 30, 2006 by David Schweizer

[John Orentas]

I spoke too soon. I got a letter from BW this morning, my next mooring fee payment will be increased by 20%.

 

 

 

A paltry 20% increase in their fees, in my view those splendid BW people deserve every penny. I think it is terrible that moorers and others attack BW in this way, they work tirelessly night and day to give us value for money and this is all the thanks they get.

 

Never mind the facilities, I think we should be very grateful that they allow us to use their canals at all. Anyway any extra income they may get, I am certain will ploughed back into the improved upkeep of their property.