Is it normal

O

ozzyb

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Home Herts UK, Boat in Morbihan S. Brittany
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I had a 'bit of a scrape' earlier this year and decided to claim it through Insurance. So as to not stop sailing over summer I cleaned it up a bit and sealed the cracked sidelight. The marina yard repair company should be carrying out the repairs soon but require 1/2 up front before even ordering parts. This deposit seems a bit excessive to me as their estimate for total works is over £2000 and the delivery of parts is quoted as 4-6 weeks.

Should I be suspicious / cautious ??
 
It is quite common I am afraid.

When I was handling leisurecraft claims I used to politely invite repairers to go forth and multiply, suggesting that they either wanted the work or they didn't, unless I knew and trusted them. If it is purely for buying parts then all well and good but there is no reason why they can not list this and show you (and your insurers) the purchase orders.

There is nothing worse than paying for a repair that never happens. There are numerous small examples of situations similiar, if smaller in scale, to what happened at Rampart.
 
Rather depends on the yard and where you keep your boat.
For a small yard getting in parts can be an expensive part of the business, and when you're dealing with such a diverse range of suppliers you're probably not on credit terms with them - hence needing to fund the purchase of the bits.
Paying 1/2 the quote now does seem excessive - but it depends on how much of that is parts - if you know parts are less than that, and the lions share is labour then I'd counter it with a parts only deposit, if they're likely to be more then I'd not worry - but pay on CC.
 
seems an expensive repair for £500 of parts?! I take it there is cosmetic damage that will require the services of someone good at gelcoating?

I assume you got comparative quotes from other yards.
 
sounds an arse of a job, and yes you'll want it to be done properly I guess - although not structural, if bodged it would be picked up by a surveyor if you were ever to sell ... plus you'd know it was bodged!!

Well - I guess it's just down to you to tell the yard that they're not getting 50% deposit - because it's an insurance job and if they can't take CC'ds you can't raise the cash. (even if you can!)
 
ozzyb said:
I had a 'bit of a scrape' earlier this year and decided to claim it through Insurance. So as to not stop sailing over summer I cleaned it up a bit and sealed the cracked sidelight. The marina yard repair company should be carrying out the repairs soon but require 1/2 up front before even ordering parts. This deposit seems a bit excessive to me as their estimate for total works is over £2000 and the delivery of parts is quoted as 4-6 weeks.

Should I be suspicious / cautious ??
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I think you have to approach these situations from the viewpoint of your comort zone. The yard I use hereabouts for such work never asks for money up front, even for parts and their terms are competitive and their work guaranteed. You visit the finished job, agree it's ok, and pay before you leave. No problemos. Why settle for anything less?

The more you put up front the more they have the advantage over you in the event of unsatisfactory work. They in turn have your boat as collateral: why should they need more?

PWG
 
bobgoode said:
Don't quite understand why you are paying despite it being an insurance claim.
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My thoughts too.

The last claim I raised was for £6k of work. Insurance broker wrote a letter to me and BA Peters, authorising the the repair once the other side had agreed to the quotes.

Pete
 
Ozzyb,

Have you had any luck getting parts out of Beneteau? I have a 323 which needs some work and I have been waiting all through August to even order the bits as the repairer could even order the parts before August and as such I haven't been able to sail since July! Latest update is for the work to be finished in mid to late Oct!

Still it could be worse, it could be raining.
 
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