new_boaterSep2017 Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 In January we paid £250 for a lift out fee, we've now completed the maintenance and fit out and are due to return to water fairly soon. I expected a rise in costs due to inflation, but have just been told the price for lift in is £540. WHAT? How can it have gone up by so much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 (edited) You don't state the full circumstances, but where has the boat been in the meantime? Is there any chance there is also some charge included for space it has been occupying? Edited October 12, 2017 by alan_fincher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil2 Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 How is this being done - eg yard crane, mobile crane, and is it the same contractor quoting the price? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new_boaterSep2017 Posted October 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 The boat was in hard standing and we have paid all ground rent. We have done the fitout ourselves and all maintence ourselves including a new paint job. This is a yard crane and a couple of cowboys. It is the same company quoting the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac of Cygnet Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 It does sound very expensive just for the lift in. My home mooring boatyard charges are: 32ft and over: out £320 vee bottomed, £260 flat bottomed; in £210. Under 32’: out £195 vee bottomed, £145 flat bottomed; in £115. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new_boaterSep2017 Posted October 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 I expect it is because we have not asked them to do any work, and want to make a quick buck or two. I expected the price to increase but wow. We're paying it but only to get out of there. Ours is 64ft, trad. We don't have any furniture in it as yet. Just walls, floors and basic fittings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haza Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 yes new boater i would agree with you on that ...like you say pay it and be gone from there. ,they now you got to get back in the water ...there are to many rip of merchants in this boating world ...tell them you hired someone to put you back in ,,nar best not good luck any way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BWM Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 One of those questions that need asking before you are craned out, sounds like sharp practice on the face of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new_boaterSep2017 Posted October 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 Thank you @haza We've done the paint work ourselves and stripped it all back and they've scratch it all down one side (just one of many items). I'm gutted. We've spent every available hour at the boat working hard and i expected something but... ah well... @bwm it was asked when we were lifted out in January. But things change as we all know especially after the financial year end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 Sounds like a rip off.We paid 360 for crane in and out earlier in the year, including vat and pressure washing for a 70 foot boat (It was out for a week) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haza Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 thats a lot of hard work you have done there ...and you dont need horrible bast,,rds like that around you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil2 Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 On the face of it , outrageous. I reckon the price isn't far off what a mobile crane would cost, but unless you have the price agreed in advance in writing I suspect this is something you will have to put down to experience. You could of course let us know who/where this is so others don't fall foul of these people. If you don't want to commit it to the internet just tell a few folk when you get on the cut - word gets around fast these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUMPY Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 Don't name them but Is the yard on the GU? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BWM Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 1 hour ago, new_boaterSep2017 said: Thank you @haza We've done the paint work ourselves and stripped it all back and they've scratch it all down one side (just one of many items). I'm gutted. We've spent every available hour at the boat working hard and i expected something but... ah well... @bwm it was asked when we were lifted out in January. But things change as we all know especially after the financial year end. Things don't change that much! Admittedly you are captive and at their mercy, i'd have been on the verge of seeking legal advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new_boaterSep2017 Posted October 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 @BWM I think trading standards perhaps, but not until we're gone. I have other horror stories as well, but until we're gone i'm not disclosing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenataomm Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 At my home mooring we're not charged for the hard standing and retain the mooring at the same time. So it costs no different to be in or out. However the dates in and out aren't flexible and fixed in stone (unless your boat suits a trailer) A mobile crane is brought in and the cost split between all the boats coming out. It averages about £35, the same happens when all of the boats are put back 4 months later, and another £35. The advantage of being part of a society with private moorings, but you can't go back in any earlier, and I've not known anyone staying out longer. The funny thing is although everyone has 4 months to do the work, it's hilarious how many of them are down there a week before the crane's due back. Scenes of frantic scraping and slapping bitumen on are the order of the day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Marshall Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 It may be that several boats were craned out so the cost was shared, but only one going back in. May be worth checking to see if anyone else is coming out or going in over the next few weeks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan de Enfield Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 You could have been lifted out anywhere, you chose a place that suited your needs and budget. Now you are 'out' in their yard, You have no option but to use them, it is their ‘bat & ball’ – sharp practice but something that is becoming more widespread – even in the cosy world of the canals. One thing to take from this, is to sort out the price of the ‘full job’ before committing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil2 Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 36 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said: It may be that several boats were craned out so the cost was shared, but only one going back in. May be worth checking to see if anyone else is coming out or going in over the next few weeks? That would make sense if it was a mobile job but £540 for a crane that's permanently on site is bordering on larceny. I can see why the OP is reluctant to share until they are well clear. Yet another example of unscrupulous operators taking advantage of the inexperienced - there seems to be a lot of it about these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haza Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 what ever you do dont name them ...as much as peeps want to know ..dont .most know who it maybe any way ...i named someone once as a warning to others ,ended up in court ...lucky for me i won ...if i was you new boat ..draw a line under it for now .and dont let it spoil the rest of your adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 13 minutes ago, haza said: what ever you do dont name them ...as much as peeps want to know ..dont .most know who it maybe any way ...i named someone once as a warning to others ,ended up in court ...lucky for me i won ...if i was you new boat ..draw a line under it for now .and dont let it spoil the rest of your adventure I certainly wouldn't name anyone before a lift back in. I can't see a problem afterwards, its a price paid for a service, surely not a secret..... Or Is it.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenataomm Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 (edited) Company's that own a resource like a crane which is not their core activity are likely to manage that as an independent business for tax purposes. If someone phones up wanting to hire the crane, for example at a building site then I imagine £540 would be a sensible daily rate including operator. There would be no discount for part day booking as it would tie that day up. It's like booking a safety certificate bod to come along to do your 4 yearly, it's cheaper per boat on the same day as you can share his travelling and time to get to you between all the boats concerned. Tell them what you want from them and they'll charge accordingly, ask them if there are any bookings already made that you can piggy back in on, and I expect the answer to be different. Edited October 12, 2017 by zenataomm I finally got to the top of the queue for the toilet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new_boaterSep2017 Posted October 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 An update on the situation. My girlfriend spoke to the owner regarding the dramatic price rise. He could not give her an answer and claimed CRT charge them a fee for lift in/launch.... My girlfriend had already spoken to CRT who confirmed this is not the case and they would only charge if they were involved. We're at their mercy, we know they're ripping us off, they know we know, etc. I cannot wait to go tomorrow. Just hope they don't have a skinful tonight and cause us issues tomorrow. My girlfriend informs me we only paid £150 for the lift out fee in January. When we came to pay this is on arrival it jumped up to £180 (because suddenly VAT had not been included) but she pointed out we had been quoted £150 including VAT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psycloud Posted October 13, 2017 Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 When we lift boats where I work we charge both ways up front so that there is no confusion further down the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BWM Posted October 13, 2017 Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 4 hours ago, new_boaterSep2017 said: An update on the situation. My girlfriend spoke to the owner regarding the dramatic price rise. He could not give her an answer and claimed CRT charge them a fee for lift in/launch.... My girlfriend had already spoken to CRT who confirmed this is not the case and they would only charge if they were involved. We're at their mercy, we know they're ripping us off, they know we know, etc. I cannot wait to go tomorrow. Just hope they don't have a skinful tonight and cause us issues tomorrow. My girlfriend informs me we only paid £150 for the lift out fee in January. When we came to pay this is on arrival it jumped up to £180 (because suddenly VAT had not been included) but she pointed out we had been quoted £150 including VAT. Should have got you're running shoes on then, when the price changed. I had a similar experience with an 'engineer' who came out to get the engine running on a boat that we had bought. After managing to eventually start the engine myself he asked for a considerable amount of money, which I couldn't cover in cash being way beyond expectations. We had also arranged for the engine to be taken out and rebuilt- a huge mistake. End result was a shoddy con job and a lesson learned! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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