Houseboat incentive

[rbcoomer]

I see the government are offering local councils similar incentives to make more liveaboard berths available by offering similar amounts for council tax as new for builds... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14690157

Good idea or cunning ploy for more tax opportunities!

Might revitalize the market and save a few more old boats I guess?

 

[Csail]

I thought house boats were exempt.

 

[rbcoomer]

I think central government pays a sum to local councils for each new build - presumably on the basis that additional services etc are required when looked at on bigger scale? I think what they're saying is that councils provisioning new berths would qualify for this 'grant' - but I'm not at all sure! I guess anything that encourages local authorities to invest in marine facilities should be welcomed as all too often it seems to get neglected. Additional moorings 'should' bring an economic boost, but depends I guess on whether councils choose to run with it? I didn't read it as just rivers/watercourses either, but happy to be corrected if wrong...

There are a couple of other threads added anyway now in Scuttlebutt and Liveaboard forums which might shed more light on the topic?

Here:- http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=285218 and here: http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=285226