Want to rent / swap a house for a boat for 6-12 months

[Joe Jones]

Hi Canal Boaters,

I am thinking of buying a canal barge in the future but would like to give canal life a thorough try-out before spending all that money.

So, I'm looking to rent a smallish barge for up to a year if you want a break from boating.

Or you can take a break from boating for the duration by living rent free in my quiet, detached, well-equipped, well insulated home in St. Asaph, North Wales (on a main bus route with Rhyl station 3 miles away)

I'm a reliable, sensible person who will look after your boat while I'm renting / swapping it.

I can travel to any part of the UK to start the arrangement.

Please contact me via this post or email to cannonballdaze@gmail.com.

Cheers - Joe

[Guest]

Edit.. Can't be arsed Vera is on ITV.

Edited April 27, 2014 by The Dog House

[Ray T]

Look here:

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=55204

 

here:

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=62112&hl=%2Bboat+%2Brental

 

here:

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=61168&hl=%2Bboat+%2Brental

 

et al.

 

For starters if your house or the boat boat is damaged, who pays?

Insurance firms for boats demand a higher premium for rented boats - who pays?

 

BSS is more stringent for hired boats - who pays?

Different license is required for hire boats - who pays?

 

It's a minefield.

 

Best bet is to hire a boat for 6 months and rent your house out.

Edited April 27, 2014 by Ray T

[Jerra]

For starters if your house or the boat boat is damaged, who pays?

Insurance firms for boats demand a higher premium for rented boats - who pays?

If this were for a year would it not be possible for the boat owner to insure the house (at their cost) and the house owner to insure the boat?

[Grace and Favour]

If this were for a year would it not be possible for the boat owner to insure the house (at their cost) and the house owner to insure the boat?

The house owner could, indeed, insure the boat, but as it would be a rented boat, the insurance would quite likely reflect that it is an hire boat, and the hirer runs the risk that, should an accident happen to/by them, then the insurer may invalidate the policy if the boat owner hadn't submitted the boat to the higher level hireboat survey.....

 

'Twould be a risk too far for me!

Edited April 27, 2014 by Grace & Favour
spelllling

[FredDrift]

Hi Canal Boaters,

 

I am thinking of buying a canal barge in the future but would like to give canal life a thorough try-out before spending all that money.

 

So, I'm looking to rent a smallish barge for up to a year if you want a break from boating.

 

Or you can take a break from boating for the duration by living rent free in my quiet, detached, well-equipped, well insulated home in St. Asaph, North Wales (on a main bus route with Rhyl station 3 miles away)

 

I'm a reliable, sensible person who will look after your boat while I'm renting / swapping it.

 

I can travel to any part of the UK to start the arrangement.

 

Please contact me via this post or email to cannonballdaze@gmail.com.

 

Cheers - Joe

 

Discounting a specific hire...

 

If no cash is changing hands, i.e. the boat owner and the house owner simply agree to exchange their accommodations for an agreed time and both parties pay the day to day costs associated with the accommodation they are 'holidaying' in, - no cash benefit to either party - is it still a hire?

 

Would it be any different in reality to allowing a friend to use your boat whilst you house-sit for the friend?

[Paul C]

 

Discounting a specific hire...

 

If no cash is changing hands, i.e. the boat owner and the house owner simply agree to exchange their accommodations for an agreed time and both parties pay the day to day costs associated with the accommodation they are 'holidaying' in, - no cash benefit to either party - is it still a hire?

 

Would it be any different in reality to allowing a friend to use your boat whilst you house-sit for the friend?

 

I think there is a great danger it could be interpreted as such (by insurance company, that would probably be the biggest problem, if an accident occurred and they looked into it and didn't pay up), since a tangible benefit (the swap for a house) is being received in return; and that there is no existing relationship between the two parties up until the swap occurs (ie its not like letting friends borrow the boat).

[FredDrift]

From a CRT viewpoint would it be a hire? That would be the real stumbling block (given their requirements pertaining to hire boats) in terms of whether it was do-able and worth doing...

 

...as long as the respective insurers are fully informed and / or paid for appropriate cover It works insurance-wise with house - swaps, even where the use of a car is included (with exceptions - some companies apparently won't insure some overseas house swappers to drive privately owned cars in the UK).

 

Not thinking of entering into such an arrangement - just a curiosity really.

[Collie]

Insurance aside, isn't this basically an issue of trust? You would meet the people, get to know them, and take a decision about whether or not you trust them to behave decently.

 

I agree that it should not count as a rental if no money changes hands - but why not just phone the insurance company and ask them? Save a lot of hot air.

 

Actually I have a little narrowboat (not a barge) - might be too small and scruffy for you - and would be happy to enter into an arrangement for 2015 if you wish. But let's talk about it elsewhere, eh?

PS I wouldn't expect to use your house, though.

[John Williamson 1955]

Sounds like a job for Escape The Rat Race to me:-

 

http://etrr.co.uk/

 

They'll rent you a boat long term, and if you're in St. Asaph, you should have no problems finding a local estate agent or letting agent to deal with your house, especially if you just want short term holiday lets, which should offset the cost of hiring a boat.