Mooring / marina fees and Corona

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Homer J

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Anyone heard anything from their marina/ club / mooring provider about fees if we can’t use or get to our boats?

i have two - one currently occupying a mooring and one due to go on a mooring both due from 1st April.

given that we won’t be able to travel to or use what is everyone’s opinion as to who carries the cost? Should we expect to pay full price for something we can‘t use?

is It reasonable to expect a discount or not? Who should provide the discount? Who pays for the unusable period? Should we just suck it up as a cost? 50:50?

What‘s reasonable? We pay a lot for these moorings? Thoughts?
 
Why should the marina etc. bear the cost, unless they are unable to keep their end of the bargain? They provide a parking space. Their hit will be the lack of demand for visitor fees while we are off sailing. Afraid mostly we just have to suck it up.
 
Don't think the marina should cover any of the cost. If im right, as long as they have a rateable value of exceeding 12,000 and under £51,000 they will either receive a grant for £10,000 or £25,000 plus zero business rates for 12 months. even if this goes away in 3 months. so they really dont get too much of a hit compared to other businesses that have closed.

Steveeasy
 
I moved my boat from my river Dart trot mooring to Sutton Harbour on New Years day on the grounds that she was much safer in a locked marina, having suffered damage on the mooring in the storms. The intention was always to go back to the Dart in April. And I paid my £200 retention fee in January, guaranteeing my continued use of the mooring. In the meantime Dart Nav have had another boat on my mooring, which is fine by me and means they are getting extra income. All fine so far.

Now we are in lockdown, and I have no idea if and when I can get the boat back to the Dart. So we have made the decision, or rather, its effectively been made for us, that we leave her in Sutton for the year (naturally SH need to know if they can let out the mooring space we now occupy) and hopefully return to our mooring next year. However, even though Dart Nav still have a boat on my mooring, they want me to pay £1200 just to retain (and not use) the mooring for the year, so I can go back to it next year. This is accepted practice when you want a mooring holiday. However, this decision has been taken out of my hands with this lockdown, and I feel somewhat aggrieved that Dart Nav are showing no flexibility, especially as we have had the mooring for the past 10 years, and still expect me to pay for not being there. And if I don't pay, I lose the mooring. I can't justify this on top of now paying marina fees for the year, so its goodbye to the Dart.

We've enjoyed our time there, and its disappointing to be leaving, or rather prevented from returning, on a somewhat sour note. I had hoped that Dart Nav would have been a little more understanding in the current circumstances. At least they have refunded my £200 paid in January, but losing the mooring is a bitter blow. And from a discussion with Dart Nav it seems I'm far from alone in having this choice thrust upon me. I suspect there will be quite a few disgruntled customers, or soon to be ex customers.
 
We just had a email from the marina yesterday offering 30% discount ,
has most of us here are cruisers so we not based here full time only over the winter plus we all stuck and can't move anyway because of the lockdown I suppose it's better then nothing .
I just hoping it 30% on monthly rates and not 30% if we take out a yearly contract.
 
I have just received a bill from Seastart to renew my cover for the coming year. I am obviously going to get a lot less use from the boat this year, maybe even none at all. I think Seastart offer a valuable service and would not like to see them go under but I’m in a quandary as to whether to renew or not.
The issue is much wider - eg most of us will be paying car insurance for cars we won’t be using.
 
Mataji said:
The issue is much wider - eg most of us will be paying car insurance for cars we won’t be using.
Click to expand...
We are about to SORN second car as road tax is due next month. Doesn’t seem much point in having two cars on the road.

About to come off Marina winter rate. 30% discount on summer rate on a monthly basis.
 
James Watt Dock has waived any storage costs on the hard (unsure about berthing costs) for April and is offering a 15% discount for next winter.

Donald
 
Some great comments. I’m sure we all wish these businesses to survive and thrive but many of us have also taken a hit to our income levels. I think there needs to be an element of compromise everywhere. I don’t think we should abandon all of the providers in their our of need but we are all affected (or many of us)

I am very heartened by those organisations that have displayed some compromise and understanding voluntarily in the above posts and will ensure that I remember how well they treated us when normality returns.
 
I've had a winter package with Premier Marinas ending 31st March. My plan was to remove the boat to her summer mooring this weekend. Obviously that is not possible because of the Government covid-19 restrictions and now I've learned that the marina - quite understandably - is shut other than for emergencies. I've been offered their monthly deal of 400+ pounds per month. But I'm not sure on what basis this is an offer since I can't move the boat. I have queried whether the original contract (including that I remove my boat by end of March) is enforceable under these exceptional conditions (force majeure). Since they are closed to visitors then my boat is not making any difference to their income.
 
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I went back in the water last month at Port Solent having paid my yearly fees late Feb to get their 5% discount. BUGGER!!

Yesterday PS told us the lock was shut until further notice I feel for them but do feel a gesture should be forthcoming.

Also got some essential maintenance to do (small water ingress) can I / Should I go down I live 13 miles away.
 
I would agree, you pay to park your boat, nothing has changed. From someone who paid in full early to take advantage of the discount, I'm not sure how I would feel if others were then offered a discount. :unsure:

However, I think the situation must be different for Poey50 where exiting the marina has prevented leaving under a pre-agreed time slot. I would think this should be treated differently and a deal negotiated. This comes down to their public relations and how the marina wants to be viewed amongst a fairly small pool of customers. If it was my business I would offer a short term deal for the period of lockdown or lockin as the case may be.
 
Tinushi said:
I would agree, you pay to park your boat, nothing has changed. From someone who paid in full early to take advantage of the discount, I'm not sure how I would feel if others were then offered a discount. :unsure:

However, I think the situation must be different for Poey50 where exiting the marina has prevented leaving under a pre-agreed time slot. I would think this should be treated differently and a deal negotiated. This comes down to their public relations and how the marina wants to be viewed amongst a fairly small pool of customers. If it was my business I would offer a short term deal for the period of lockdown or lockin as the case may be.
Click to expand...

Thank you for drawing that distinction. Premier Marinas are sticking to 'offering' me a monthly rate of £440 on the basis that this is the fairest solution for their other customers (i.e. those who have pre-existing summer contracts). This is my reply (so far unanswered).

"Dear ----,

Thank you for your further consideration at what, I’m sure must be a difficult time for you as it is for many of us.

I can’t see that the current position of Premier Marinas will hold but I understand that there must have been some collective decision-making for which I don’t hold you personally responsible.

But consider this analogy. I visit a hotel for one night and, as I am about to leave, the hotel is closed because of unforeseen circumstances. I am forced to stay against my will. I take no other services from the hotel other than the room itself. After three months I am presented with the same bill as long-term residents. Is that fair? And indeed, is it legal?"
 
No concessions on my Environment Agency mooring to the extent that last year we all had to be off the moorings by 1st Dec to 1st Apr for mooring maintenance but we were charged for a full years use. I complained but got no joy. Plus they have put up this years charge by £35 which is just over 5%.
I put the boat back on its mooring Wednesday after the PM's announcement so that I didn't get charged another £200 odd a month by the boatyard for a possible 3 or 4 months stay. Mine was the only boat on the moorings, it looked very lonely.
 
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