Boat licensing - short term licence

[aracer]

Hello, new member and about to be a first time boat owner - thanks for all I've learnt already as a lurker and thanks in advance for the answers to the numerous questions I still have!

 

Anyway, I'm hoping to pick up my new boat on the 28th September and clearly if I get a 12 month licence it would start from 1st September and I'd effectively be paying for a whole month for 3 days use which would be almost £80 for my boat (which is assuming I can still get a "prompt payment" discount for a licence starting at that point in the month). However I note that a 1 week licence would cost me £53, so wondering whether it's possible to apply for one of those and then a 12 month licence starting on 1st October? I am pondering just picking the boat up on 1st October, but it's not ideal as I have childcare commitments and need to be back here at set points - it's going to take me about a week to cruise back to my mooring and starting on the Friday gives me 4 days to get closer to home before I have to come back.

 

Seeing comments on other threads, yes I do have a lot to learn despite having already committed to a mooring and paid a deposit on my boat (it's just had a survey, which was so positive I can't even use it to negotiate a discount, so clearly I did at least have some idea what to look for in a boat!) but I've been doing a lot of research and I'm continuing my research here...

 

thanks, Chris

[Alan de Enfield]

When you apply for the licence tell C&RT you are taking ownership on the 1st October, that way you save the £80 AND get the prompt payment discount.

 

It won't be a problem - even if C&RT decide to take 'action' (unlikely) they give you a 'warning' & 21 days to get a licence, so you will have it before then anyway.

 

Good luck.

[aracer]

Ah - OK thanks. they won't decide to backdate my licence to 1st September if they catch me then? Sounds like a plan  

[Alan de Enfield]

8 minutes ago, aracer said:

Ah - OK thanks. they won't decide to backdate my licence to 1st September if they catch me then? Sounds like a plan  

Nope, you will take ownership on 1st Oct - prior to that you were just doing 'sea-trials' to make sure that you wanted to buy it, and there were no mechanical problems.

[aracer]

Thanks - I was thinking this advice was slightly dodgy and unofficial, but having just spoken to CRT (without going into specifics of dates) it's pretty much what they just advised me!

 

...though it's now looking like I might not be able to pay for the boat to pick it up before the 1st October anyway

[Alan de Enfield]

4 minutes ago, aracer said:

Thanks - I was thinking this advice was slightly dodgy and unofficial, but having just spoken to CRT (without going into specifics of dates) it's pretty much what they just advised me!

 

...though it's now looking like I might not be able to pay for the boat to pick it up before the 1st October anyway

Don't forget that if you call them on the 3rd, 4th (or whatever) of October to licence it, you will lose your early-payment discount and it will be back-dated to 1st October.

 

IF YOU REALLY are going to buy it then licence it this week and get the £80 saving (or whatever it works out at)

If you are not sure, having 2nd thoughts, etc about buying it then wait and see.

[aracer]

Definitely buying it - have paid a deposit and only delay is because of the stupid* service I used to sell my shares which couldn't manage to pay the money straight into my bank account and I'm still waiting for a cheque from a week later!

 

*I'm inclined to use other words for them - I can't believe it's coincidence that they get to have my money for a week

[john6767]

2 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Don't forget that if you call them on the 3rd, 4th (or whatever) of October to licence it, you will lose your early-payment discount and it will be back-dated to 1st October.

 

IF YOU REALLY are going to buy it then licence it this week and get the £80 saving (or whatever it works out at)

If you are not sure, having 2nd thoughts, etc about buying it then wait and see.

Are you sure that is the case.  I thought when you were buying a boat you always got the early payment discount, even it it were not “early”.  You have payed it as early as you can, ie as soon as you own the boat.

[Alan de Enfield]

8 minutes ago, john6767 said:

Are you sure that is the case.  I thought when you were buying a boat you always got the early payment discount, even it it were not “early”.  You have payed it as early as you can, ie as soon as you own the boat.

 

Well I can only go on past experiences and they 'argued that as the licence was being backdated I obviously couldn't be paying 'in advance'. Huge argument followed and eventually after going 'up the line' it was granted. The licence was issued which when received actually gave me 10 months (not 11 months) as it had been backdated 2 months - it happened to a lot of folks around the same time. Took some sorting out. but eventually got there.

 

Ever since I have always 'bought' a boat on the 1st of the month, and paid before I took ownership in the last week of the previous month.

 

Its just easier that way.

[john6767]

5 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Well I can only go on past experiences and they 'argued that as the licence was being backdated I obviously couldn't be paying 'in advance'. Huge argument followed and eventually after going 'up the line' it was granted. The licence was issued which when received actually gave me 10 months (not 11 months) as it had been backdated 2 months - it happened to a lot of folks around the same time. Took some sorting out. but eventually got there.

 

Ever since I have always 'bought' a boat on the 1st of the month, and paid before I took ownership in the last week of the previous month.

 

Its just easier that way.

How long ago was this?

[Alan de Enfield]

19 minutes ago, john6767 said:

How long ago was this?

3 or 4 years

[Momac]

I had the same situation when I bought my present boat and started the new license from the 1st of the next month so getting the prompt payment discount.

No one seemed to care about the few days remaining in the month before the license  started . 

 

If concerned about a few days running unlicensed you can buy a one week license . I have bought a short term one day license  a few times despite it being strictly speaking not permitted for boats on water connected to the navigation. But if they take my money via their agent they have as far as I can see,  accepted a contract.

I understand the one day license is to be  removed from next year.