Advice on UK marinas/areas for liveaboard (and any jobs...)

[H35]

Gillingham Marina has Tidal which unofficially doesn't mind liveaboards showers toilets laundry etc on the site about £300 a month.

Job wise Agency work for Commercial Trucks is plentiful if you have the license or Agency working in social care working with kids in care or those with disabillity or the elderly again plentiful and flexible

£300, that close to London, really?? Yes, I have all the licences and experience. Only been driving on the correct/right side of the road. But I'm lefthanded... Ha ha! I'll cope with it.
No idea how it pays, but I'll find out. Here "everything" pays well, but unless you have inherited enough to manage to buy a home, rents starts at £1300 a month for a 2-bedroom a good distance out of town. And last month my road toll fees surpassed £200....

 

[pvb]

£300, that close to London, really??

There's a reason, Gillingham is a rather deprived area.

 

[thesaintlyone]

Yes that is true however the area around the Marina is all under development and quite nice to be in heading along that road there are cinema, restaurants pubs Asda supermarket gym etc at dockside I spend quite a bit of time there as my boat is there and I have friends in Gillingham itself and tbh apart from the occasional drive into town centre to see friends or pick up a takeaway have no real reason to venture past the main road where the medway tunnel is so don't let that put you off too much you'l notice it in town on the high street and near the rail station but plenty to suit anyones needs away from the centre

 

[H35]

An update:

No answers from Gillingham Marina on my requests, so far. But from Hull Marina I got this inviting letter:

------------------------------------------
Thank you for your recent enquiry.
We would be delighted to welcome you to Hull Marina next year, we have showers, laundry facilities and reasonably priced electricity in addition to fuel, boat lifting facilities etc. Residential moorings are also provided with a post box and 1 wash and 1 drier token per week.
We look forward to seeing you in 2018.
Regards
Peter
------------------------------------------

Now that's how you answer a liveaboard request! I know nothing about Kingston-upon-Hull, or the surrounding area. I will make a road trip in UK in April, by motorbike. It seems to be some activity in the job market in the Hull area as well, but maybe not as much as near London?

https://bwml.co.uk/hull-marina/

 

[Daverw]

We regularly stay at Hull, very good facilities with good laundry etc. Right in the center of the city with good rail connections.
Job market very good Siemens wind turbine factory and associated jobs

 

[H35]

We regularly stay at Hull, very good facilities with good laundry etc. Right in the center of the city with good rail connections.
Job market very good Siemens wind turbine factory and associated jobs

Thanks for the input! Yes, the fascilities seems decent. I will be staying for just one year, of personal reasons. As stated earlier I can work as a class 1 lorry driver (CE-DE), but any job will do as long as I can make a living on it. Even part time, since the marina fees for a liveaboard are pretty decent there.
-Looking forward to visiting in April

 

[Spuddy]

Did others spell it out...don't mention liveaboard when enquiring. Most marinas don't mind so long as you are discreet (don't hang washing off the rigging etc). London pays best and I know a few blokes who commute in from Medway area - often by motorbike. Gillingham, Chatham marina all have people living aboard. Hoo marina offers official liveaboard status and will accept mail.

 

[H35]

Did others spell it out...don't mention liveaboard when enquiring. Most marinas don't mind so long as you are discreet (don't hang washing off the rigging etc). London pays best and I know a few blokes who commute in from Medway area - often by motorbike. Gillingham, Chatham marina all have people living aboard. Hoo marina offers official liveaboard status and will accept mail.

I used the phrase "I will spend most of my spare time aboard".... Well, Gillingham is definitely still on my map. I presume I will get better info when I show up in person.

Is this Hoo Marina?



If so, not to my liking, ha ha!!

 

[thesaintlyone]

Phone and ask to speak directly to Clinton at Gillingham Marina he is the berthing manager at Gillingham. if need be call back if he is out
The Tidal side is cheaper than the Lock Side (which Always has water) and there is plenty of space so once you speak to clinton direct you'll be sorted

 

[H35]

Phone and ask to speak directly to Clinton at Gillingham Marina he is the berthing manager at Gillingham. if need be call back if he is out
The Tidal side is cheaper than the Lock Side (which Always has water) and there is plenty of space so once you speak to clinton direct you'll be sorted

Thanks! I am sure I will get an offer, in the end. For now there's no hurry. Still 10 months away until I arrive with my boat.
So far Gillingham, Brighton and now Hull is on my travel list in April.

 

[lpdsn]

If you're driving HGV's with a Class 1 licence you're likely to be away from 'home' for a few days a week anyway. So you could get away with living on board at most marinas. As others have said, just don't tell them. Have an address you can give them. Keep your head down. And don't have your mail directed there (a few bigger parcels of boat bits excepted).

Most marinas I've been in have had their liveaboards. I've seen very few get kicked out and it has usually been for other reasons.

 

[H35]

If you're driving HGV's with a Class 1 licence you're likely to be away from 'home' for a few days a week anyway. So you could get away with living on board at most marinas. As others have said, just don't tell them. Have an address you can give them. Keep your head down. And don't have your mail directed there (a few bigger parcels of boat bits excepted).

Most marinas I've been in have had their liveaboards. I've seen very few get kicked out and it has usually been for other reasons.

I haven't actually worked out how, but I do need a registered adress in UK, for some legal affairs. Not even sure if a "boat adress" will be sufficient, but I hope so. The easiest way would certainly be to rent a room somewhere, but then I would have to be without my boat for a year, which is not an option.

Yes, I will likely be away for some days every week, if I don't end up with a local job. We'll just have to wait and see and keep all options open.

 

[Capt. Clueless]

Mailing addresses are easy enough to get.

 

[H35]

Mailing addresses are easy enough to get.

If course, but that's not my worry. I need an approved "residential address" to be registered as a residential in the UK. And there's where I'm not certain a "boat adress" will cut it. Some legal/finacial issues that I would rather not elaborate.

 

[lpdsn]

I need an approved "residential address" to be registered as a residential in the UK.

The UK is not that much of a police state yet. You would need to register for the property tax, called the Council Tax, (but that doesn't apply to a boat that goes to sea, even occasionally so you could ignore that).

Bank account is a pain in the A without a residential address. You might find it easier to get a UK account opened via your Norwegian Bank.

You could probably use your Norwegian address for tax purposes. Check with decent accountant. You'd be resident for tax purposes but not domicilled (So Norwegian income would be no business of HMRC). There was a lot of political sound and fury in the UK about domicile but I don't think much came of it. I'm sure other posters can give you more up to date info.

 

[Rafiki]

Three observations;
1) Have you thought about Dover Marina-- surely there must be quite a lot of lorry driving jobs there picking up trucks at the docks to drive in the UK or to take to the continent, over 6,000 commercial vehicles a day pass through the port.
2) Gallions Point Marina in London near City Airport is relatively cheap and has liveaboards who work in London, I understand that they often join a local Gym in order to use the better washing facilities! The advantage of London is that there really are plenty of jobs and the public transport system means that a car isn't needed.
3) As regards tax, understandably the UK try and make it difficult to avoid tax if you are living here and working for a UK employer, so probably better just to swallow that one. Tax rates in the UK are in any case lower than Scandinavian countries ( and beer is much cheaper). One simple tax tip; as the UK tax system wrks on an annual basis 1 April to 31 March, you can reduce your effective tax rate by working partly in one tax year and partly in another, you then get the benefit of two tax free allowances and could effectively earn circa £100,000 in 12 months with £20,000 tax free and £80,000 taxed at 20% -- Now there's a bargain!

Andrew

 

[H35]

Three observations;
1) Have you thought about Dover Marina-- surely there must be quite a lot of lorry driving jobs there picking up trucks at the docks to drive in the UK or to take to the continent, over 6,000 commercial vehicles a day pass through the port.
2) Gallions Point Marina in London near City Airport is relatively cheap and has liveaboards who work in London, I understand that they often join a local Gym in order to use the better washing facilities! The advantage of London is that there really are plenty of jobs and the public transport system means that a car isn't needed.
3) As regards tax, understandably the UK try and make it difficult to avoid tax if you are living here and working for a UK employer, so probably better just to swallow that one. Tax rates in the UK are in any case lower than Scandinavian countries ( and beer is much cheaper). One simple tax tip; as the UK tax system wrks on an annual basis 1 April to 31 March, you can reduce your effective tax rate by working partly in one tax year and partly in another, you then get the benefit of two tax free allowances and could effectively earn circa £100,000 in 12 months with £20,000 tax free and £80,000 taxed at 20% -- Now there's a bargain!

Andrew

Thanks Andrew! Gallions Point specify on their website "We do not have any residential mooring at the marina". I'd rather not go up against that when they are so outspoken on the matter. Dover shows reasonable price level. Other than that I know nothing about the area, or jobs there. I'll investigate, thanks!
Norwegian taxes are slightly higher. -And our tax office tend to follow us abroad too, unless I make it clear I have left "for good". Which is the case. We're off to Denmark after my year in the UK.
I'm not bringing my car, but probably my motorbike, to get around and see Britain. Haven't been there since I was 12

 

[laika]

Gallions Point specify on their website "We do not have any residential mooring at the marina". I'd rather not go up against that when they are so outspoken on the matter.

"residential mooring" is normally a specific term which implies ability to use it as an official address and the requirement to pay council tax. Per my earlier comment most liveaboards in the uk don't have residential moorings and you'll find them in many marinas which *officially* have far more proscriptive Ts&Cs on their web site.

Gallions Point is not the most attractive of locations and nor is the walk to and from the DLR the most pleasant of routes unless things have changed in the past 3 years.

 

[Seajet]

Did others spell it out...don't mention liveaboard when enquiring. Most marinas don't mind so long as you are discreet (don't hang washing off the rigging etc). London pays best and I know a few blokes who commute in from Medway area - often by motorbike. Gillingham, Chatham marina all have people living aboard. Hoo marina offers official liveaboard status and will accept mail.

Absolutely, this is critical ! Lots of marinas on the south coast too will turn a blind eye to liveaboards - in fact quietly welcome them as they are good for security and can help people falling in, boats about to come adrift etc - BUT NEVER ask ' can I come as a liveaboard ' as the wrong person will see problems with council regulations, insurance etc.

You seem to be onto a good thing with Hull, but still be cautious as the next person you contact may not be so friendly - Hull is not a scenic area but there's public transport, and it should suit your needs for a year. And yes we do like Norwegians !

 

[PaulRainbow]

Gallions Point is not the most attractive of locations and nor is the walk to and from the DLR the most pleasant of routes unless things have changed in the past 3 years.

You are being very generous, i think. Last time i was in Gallions point it was a shit hole and the surrounding area left one wishing stab vests were onboard.