Buying from Belgium

[thejonesey]

I have seen a boat that has piqued my interest -does anyone have experience of buying boats from Belgium. The broker has told me that the boat is in good order and any issues would be resolved at the cost of the seller! I will get a survey etc but this sounds like a rather different approach to the UK?!

I am a total novice to buying overseas so all advice welcome!

 

[ian38_39]

Not sure it is so different, guessing it depends whether the seller agrees that the items your survey picks up are an issue. Even in the UK if a survey picked up a major issue you would expect it dealt with or the price adjusted to allow you to deal with it.

Some owners keep boats perfectly and sell them as such some don't, no different in Belgium than in the UK.

At least Belgium is cheap to get to and easy to get the boat back from.

 

[petem]

My advice having spent 2 months searching for overseas boats my five golden rules are:

1) Ascertain the lowest price that the buyer will be willing to accept (brokers understand that if you're travelling you need to know this)
2) Ensure all documentation is in place before you book flights (ideally get them to scan ownership and proof of VAT docs) and confirm they have the originals
3) If in doubt use a solicitor specialising in marine sales for the conveyancing
4) Pay the lowest deposit that the broker / seller will accept and ultimately be prepared to lose it
5) Don't pre pressurized into making a decision - we are in a falling market, there will be better / cheaper boats available in the future

Pete

 

[BartW]

I'm Belgian but never bought a boat here in the country,
keep in mind that Belgium is a very small boating country, so not very much exprience nor business,
the few brokers that are here, do their best but have hard times to make a living,
so not many professional (experienced) full time brokers around.
As there is so little business going on here, people have harde times to sell used boats, so a bargain might be possible,
but thats the same now everywhere in Europe I guess

the procedures are similar like UK, but not exactly the same.

- de-registration - registration is very easy
- survey, you'd probably best found someone in UK or in Holland
- On older boats, VAT papers might be missing, (that is not a issue here afaik)
- Belgians don't have a habit to keep full maintenance reports, some dedicated or obsessed boaters have it, but they are rather the exception.
if its a newer boat, owners might have the dealer service bills.
- on average, Belgians are thrustwurthy and nice people to deal with ;-) we also have exceptions

travelling the boat to UK is easy, I did this several times, either with a trailer on a ferry, or on the eurostar, or via the water,

where is the boat, and what model is it?
if not too far, I might go and have a look at her if you want me to,

 

[thejonesey]

Thanks for the advice. The broker seems on the ball although he has send me a Excel Spreadsheet of the original bill rather than a PDF (as they sold it initially.) I think I will try to establish price first and then decide whether to go.

 

[superheat6k]

Rob

Has your old one gone - I noticed your berth was empty ?

 

[Baseplate]

Rob

Has your old one gone - I noticed your berth was empty ?

Yarp. Now lying in Penarth, having moved it down last Thursday.

 

[superheat6k]

Yarp. Now lying in Penarth, having moved it down last Thursday.

Congratulations on your purchase - have you tried the Sealine Forum ? Luke makes all welcome, even us non Sealiners.

 

[Baseplate]

Congratulations on your purchase - have you tried the Sealine Forum ? Luke makes all welcome, even us non Sealiners.

Thank you-and I'm already a member there.

 

[thejonesey]

Feeling very boatless at the moment....

 

[Chill]

Great time to look at a boat in Belgium, you can do a booze cruise stock up on wine and other bits for xmas. Belgium Jupiler beer is excellent and well worth bringing back. Not far from Calais so even if boat no good your trip will be paid for all the cheap wine and booze.
Stop in Blankenberge for Moules and frittes in the http://www.restoberbayern.be/
Good luck

 

[balder]

I have seen a boat that has piqued my interest -does anyone have experience of buying boats from Belgium. The broker has told me that the boat is in good order and any issues would be resolved at the cost of the seller! I will get a survey etc but this sounds like a rather different approach to the UK?!

I am a total novice to buying overseas so all advice welcome!

To be honest, It can be worst than in the Netherlands. We just bought a 57' steel trawler in Sleeuwijk and this was a nightmare! God thanks, our french surveyor came to inspect the boat. But the story was not finished: cheap repairs, rip of on year building, slow paperwork... The owner was a broker and has given the boat for sale to another broker.... I would say: one dutch broker , beware, two dutch brokers, "flirting with the disaster"..
I think in all countries, same story : fair people and others...
Good luck! Bonne chance!

 

[BartW]

Stop in Blankenberge for Moules and frittes in the http://www.restoberbayern.be/

or in Ostend "Kombuis" (for moules frittes)

 

[BartW]

.... I would say: one dutch broker , beware, two dutch brokers, "flirting with the disaster"..

we Belgians have a saying about Hollanders: if they didn't cheat you, they forgot it !

have to be carefull now, I have 6 Hollanders employed in my company
good Guy's by the way !

 

[thejonesey]

We are going to look and I need to sort a surveyor out. Do I really need to bring someone over from the UK?

 

[oldgit]

Have been to see Dutch and Belgium boats in the past.Barely a decent day out ,cost peanuts to drive there £40.00 ferry plus fuel, virtually in the UK backyard..
Always treated extremely well possible as buyer usually by people with better grasp of English than me.
To get it home you turn the key and head west,and with a euro that
makes UK pricing look optimistic to say the least.

 

[thejonesey]

Ok, tickets to Belgium booked.. Paperwork viewed and looking good. Survey organised for said day and keeping fingers crossed that Euro will go back over 1.40 next week!
Next question... Is there any way (like UK part 1) to check that the boat will be clear of finance given it has always been bought and sold in Belgium? (By the same broker.)

Thanks as always for your thoughts.

 

[rlw]

Boats are registered but as far as I am aware there is no way to know if there are any loans on a boat.
I always make sure the contracts states the boat is free of all liens.

 

[BartW]

Is there any way (like UK part 1) to check that the boat will be clear of finance given it has always been bought and sold in Belgium? (By the same broker.)

there is no register or something for tracking if the boat is clear of finance,
on the otherhand, Belgium is not a boating country, and there is no culture of living on a boat,
so AFAIK it is very rare or non existing here to have a finance or a loan that uses the boat as a warranty.

You buy from a official dealer / broker, so you can have it stated in the contract, like rlw suggests
and I think that you are fairly safe then.

 

[thejonesey]

Thanks, I was going to insist on that in the contract but am never sure how strong that is. The broker has shown me a pretty impressive set papers to date so I do not foresee any issues.