LIVEABOARD IN THE SOLENT

[nortada]

Thank you Solent Cruiser very well said. What harm am I doing living on my boat? Due to the unbelievable greed of the housing market. Builders solicitors estate agents etc I can not afford a house. I do not know how the prices keep going up. How do young people start a family when a simple 3-bed house is needlessly so much. In Poole, it costs £450 a month to rent a room in someone's crappy little house. Even if I could afford a house I would much prefer to live on my boat even in winter in England. It is the best thing I have ever done. These moaners. jobsworths would they prefer me to live on the streets or have the government house me. rather then let me find another way. ?Yes, I do not pay council tax but I would pay it if the laws were made easier for liveaboards'. We are not a burden on society. We find a way in difficult times. I am a dedicated yachtsman, not a dosser.

You both miss the point, it is as it is and challenging the norm, supported by a vast majority of the general public will get you nowhere.

You may see yourself as dedicated yachtsmen but to society you’re people trying to live cheap on the back of society. You do not pay council tax but you still benefit from all of the things council tax provides. Invisible to most of society, you could be permitted to enjoy your life style but brought to their notice, many will consider you’re a dosser and a drain on their resources.

If you do not believe me, try writing a letter expressing your sentiments to the local paper and see the response, if any. You will probably harden public opinion against you and make your ambitions even more attainable. Other successful liveaboards will not thank you.

 

[BruceK]

Out of interest why no council tax to liveaboard? I am considering a short 1 season liveaboard between properties and when I phoned the local council about my tax provision they were completely stumped on how to answer. The question has now been escalated up their chain. It is important to me to retain some sort of official status within the county as my kids are in local school and one who has ASD needs to go to a special school for which the council provide a taxi service due to his vulnerability in public. I just wish to use my boat as a residential address. Why is this such a problem? Mail, bills etc can still reach me, and authorities know where I can be found. Why is it such a big deal?

 

[Tranona]

Because you marina berth is not a recognised residential address and council tax is levied on property (would have been on individuals if Mrs T had got her way!) so you fall outside the "system".

Anyway not sure any off your rights and those of your son are linked to you paying council tax - although lack of a residential address can cause difficulties, for example registering with a GP. Is he going to live with you on the boat or elsewhere? If elsewhere why not use that as your address even if you actually "live" on the boat.

 

[BruceK]

We are already registered for GP etc. We live local to our boat currently but are finding out it's a bit of a nightmare to become recognised as living on a boat when or should we choose to. The system simply doesnt cater for it but I struggle to understand why. Historically when they put the A55 tunnel under Conwy they built what was to become 2 marinas for creating tunnel tube parts. To encourage the uptake of the marinas in what was a harbour they sold a few legs on lease for 25 years. These are residential with their own telephone lines etc going to them. Yet the system still fails to recognise liveaboard status. That's the part I dont really get. I would have an address etc etc but it seems as if you are penalised for not living on land. Unfortunately I have no UK based family and certainly not in the area whose address I can use. All I want to do is pay my dues and get equal status as far as recognition for all the other services I may employ be that local council, banking, etc etc. One which of particular worry is the DBS which I subscribe to and need for work.

 

[BruceK]

i.e. if I can get a better understanding on why there is such difficulty I may be able to find ways around them.

e.g. could I rent a a small office and use that as an address for legal docs etc?

 

[Tranona]

We are already registered for GP etc. We live local to our boat currently but are finding out it's a bit of a nightmare to become recognised as living on a boat when or should we choose to. The system simply doesnt cater for it but I struggle to understand why. Historically when they put the A55 tunnel under Conwy they built what was to become 2 marinas for creating tunnel tube parts. To encourage the uptake of the marinas in what was a harbour they sold a few legs on lease for 25 years. These are residential with their own telephone lines etc going to them. Yet the system still fails to recognise liveaboard status. That's the part I dont really get. I would have an address etc etc but it seems as if you are penalised for not living on land. Unfortunately I have no UK based family and certainly not in the area whose address I can use. All I want to do is pay my dues and get equal status as far as recognition for all the other services I may employ be that local council, banking, etc etc. One which of particular worry is the DBS which I subscribe to and need for work.

The first sentence of my reply explains all. Residential marinas have planning permission for permanent residence and are assessed for council tax and the tenant pays it, just like a house.

A marina is essentially a parking lot for boats and while many operators permit people to stay on their boats for long periods, local taxes are collected for the marina as a whole in business rates and your berthing fees include this. So you are Paying local taxes if you are worried about that - but of course you are also paying that whether you live on your boat or not!

Individuals do not pay council tax as individuals but only in relation to the property they own or rent. If you do not own or rent a residential property you do not pay council tax.

You are not going to change the "system". It is your choice to live in a non residential situation so you need to consider whether it is practical before you commit. Your suggestion of a small office with a separate address would probably satisfy banks etc, particularly if they are existing accounts, although opening new accounts might be problematic. Don't know what DBS means so can't comment there.

 

[Lucy52]

If you were to swap your boat for a caravan, the same would apply. It is not only boats that are in this position. A caravan can be hitched up and move elsewhere, in the same way that a boat can move and moor somewhere else. The caravan is a touring caravan, the boat a pleasure craft, council tax does not apply.



Living on a boat for, “a short 1 season,” though it is your residence for that time, is little different from taking a long holiday, or staying with friends or in a hotel for that time. There are no dues due to César, enjoy the legal tax break.

 

[BruceK]

Thank you for the replies.

 

[ashtead]

Should you fancy a trial as a liveabord in a scenic location there are plenty of houseboats at Bembridge and I see one is for sale just now .