EA Licenses by Direct Debit

[apollo]

Got this email today from the EA, worth checking out.
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We are very pleased that we are now able to accept payment for craft

registration fees by direct debit and credit/debit cards.



We were not in a position to promote these new payment options to

customers in the November renewal mailing so we will be using any direct

customer communication as an opportunity to explain it. We have also put

the information on our website http://www.visitthames.co.uk/forms and on

the River User Group website www.riverusergroups.co.uk.





We are currently offering the following options:



1. Direct debit:



Customers can spread the cost of their annual registration by 6 equal

instalments (February to July), or make 1 full payment.



To take advantage of this option for 2007 customers need to send a

completed mandate form, together with their registration form, to us by

1 February 2007. The direct debit mandate form and instructions can be

downloaded from the website or sent on request by calling our craft

registration team on 0118 953 5650. This option is available for all

annual registrations.



2. Credit/debit cards:



Customers can now renew their annual registration over the telephone by

credit or debit card by calling our craft registration team on 0118 953

5650. Payments can only be accepted to renew an existing registration.

If required, we must see a valid boat safety certificate unless

previously seen. Registration documents will be issued once we have

processed the payment. They will still need to send us your signed

renewal form.



We will also be installing card payment terminals at our 10 busiest

locks in time for Easter so that we can take card payments from

customers visiting the Thames or buying unpowered registrations



We will be enclosing a direct debit mandate to all customers in the

renewal mailing for 2008 registration payments (the deadlines will be

similar to 2007, ie: it can only be set up at the beginning of the

year).



Customers using waterways in our Anglian and Southern Regions will have

the direct debit option included with their renewal mailing in March.



We would be very grateful if you could pass this information on to your

contacts to help us spread the word.



I have attached the mandate form and instructions for your information.





Many thanks for your assistance with this.

 

[Chris_d]

Thats brilliant, why don't they want to tell anybody though /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[TrueBlue]

Agree, partly 'cos you still have to send in a manual application form which defeats the objective.

I guess the Gov'ts IT initiative hasn't got as far as the EA yet.

I'm on EA's mailing list and haven't received an email. Perhaps mine is the black list...

 

[Brayman]

I'd rather just pay for the months I can use it, eg April to October.

 

[Cliveshep]

The www.visitthames.co.uk /forms download of the form doesn't seem to work, but the www.riverusergroups one does.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Cock:-(

I have, of course, just fronted up full whack in one go and beggared myself for the rest of the month.

Predicatble really, I asume that enough have now paid in full that this can be trotted out. It could so easily have been mentioned in November...

 

[TrueBlue]

Me too! The first time ever I've stumped up early. Shan't do that again...

Points to note:-

No mention is made of any "service charge". BW do and so do my marina and the interest rates are not good.

Payments are taken monthly from February so you've paid for it before you use the boat.

Never mind it's a good start.

 

[nickcred]

thanks to the post I downloaded the forms and have sent them off - just as I was about to send off the whole fees. So gratfeful for the info. Did not receive any notification from EA. Could not see any mention of an extra charge in the instructions or on the web site so not sure if they can now charge one or if they ever intended to. At least though a good start to helping boaters spread some of the costs.

 

[Brayman]

There better not be any extra charge, there is absolutely no mention of it. I don't normally renew until March anyway but at least they are forcing me to renew this week, even though they'll only have 2/6th by the time I get back on the river.

 

[byron]

Strange! I normally receive my documents in December, I haven't received them this year. I had completely forgotten that the boat needs taxing.

 

[Brayman]

I didn't get mine last year and had to phone them before I could register it. The renewal came though ok before Christmas for this year though.

 

[TrueBlue]

I rang EA this morning and Craft Licensing confirmed that there will be no extra charge for the DD facility.

First payment in February and last in July.

A jolly good (politic) move to "conceal" the 12% price rise.

If peeps are going to do it then get your forms in by 1st. Feb.

 

[Chris_d]

Thats good news, thanks for checking. I sent my form in today expecting a charge, so thats a real bonus.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Wonder if they will give me my £300 odd back and let me move to DD?

 

[Chris_d]

Cancel the cheque and send a DD form, it has to arrive by the 1st Feb. I'm sure they'll do it, i've found the registration office most helpful in the past.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Bah, new licence in post when I got home last night:-( Sending it all back+ refund etc sounds like a way to incure "administration fees" similar in manner to those charged for replacement licence plaque.

 

[BG1]

If you do this DD thing, what happens next year? Will they automatically take the increased charge from the account previously submitted even though the boat may be 1. out the water, 2. not usable due to state of river, flood etc. 3. not usable due to lock closures etc. Of course all this applies this year as well. If I'm not using the boat, I like to decide when to licence it. As Brayman said, March to October would be good, but unfortunately runs to end December. If ongoing DD next year, will they start taking the money from Jan 1st or give us a choice of payments?

 

[TrueBlue]

[ QUOTE ]
If you do this DD thing, what happens next year? Will they automatically take the increased charge from the account previously submitted even though the boat may be 1. out the water, 2. not usable due to state of river, flood etc. 3. not usable due to lock closures etc. Of course all this applies this year as well. If I'm not using the boat, I like to decide when to licence it. As Brayman said, March to October would be good, but unfortunately runs to end December. If ongoing DD next year, will they start taking the money from Jan 1st or give us a choice of payments?

[/ QUOTE ]
C'mon, where have you been? DD's permit the Debitor (?) to charge what they like when they like - so I avoid them like the plague.

The form is not specific - it's just an authority to deduct. Probably sensible to assume it's a continuous mandate. Of course you can cancel it at any time by writing to both your bank and the EA etc,etc.

If your boat is on the Thames (and shortly even in an offline marina) you are liable for a registration fee (EA speak for license) whether or not you use it, or the locks are broken, or the ditch is dry...

If your boat is trailable then you can buy your day tickets as you go - or not as some try to do.

I'm sure you know that. After all it's no different from a motor car tax disk isn't it?

 

[BG1]

So I assume that you do not agree with paying your licence by DD. A lot of other peeps seem to be ringing its praises. Just trying to get a feel for what other folk think. If my boat is on the hard from Nov-April I definitlely wont be relicenceing before Apr whether it becomes compulsory or not for marina moorings.
At least with car tax you dont have to licence if off the road.

 

[DogsBody]

Re: When to licence?

As the licence runs from whenever you buy it until 31st December that same year, I usually like to buy mine early in the year so if I get a good bit of weather in February I can at least go out for a (short) trip between the closed locks. Don't think I'd be so keen if boat on hard standing though but its the same fee whether you buy it in January or June so I guess buy it when your cash flow is at its best.

Darren.