Moral dilema....

[peteK]

He may of been aware that the boat had several issues so had knocked £5000 off the price he originally wanted.

 

[Graham376]

Some years ago, we had a survey done prior to purchase on a boat advertised privately. Turned out to be a wreck with about £10k of work needed, including some deck planking so we backed out. Shortly after, we saw the boat advertised on a broker's site, describing it as a good example of its type, in excellent condition. I mailed the broker, asking why he was misrepresenting its condition. His reply was "that's what the owner told us". Hope whoever purchased it had a survey, never trust brokerage descriptions, it isn't their responsibility to survey boats.

 

[Norman_E]

What would you do if, seeing a boat for sale with incorrect information? Would you tell the broker, or keep quiet?

I have seen a boat listed with a well known national broker. I walked away from the sale of this boat three years ago after the surveyor had done his inspection. He rang me to discuss the significant problem he found, and we agreed not to complete the survey and save some of his fee. We walked away from the sale because of this fault. This was 2016. The boat is for sale again now, with the same owner as it was then. It is described as having been surveyed in 2015 with all recommendations attended to.

I'm not sure exactly what the broker could do even if I did contact them. It isn't really any of my business, but I am considering a future purchaser. Mind you, they should get a survey. The owner may well have fixed the issue (which was going to cost £5k or thereabouts) and if so does not want to tell anyone that this problem has existed, but been fixed. The asking price is about £5k more than a few years ago....

Probably best to do nothing, but something is niggling........

It may be that a 2015 survey did not find the problem that was spotted by your surveyor in 2016, but it is very dishonest of the seller to advertise the boat disclosing a 2015 survey as if that was the last time a surveyor looked at it. In your position I would phone the surveyor you used and ask him what he thinks. He may wish to intervene in case he is dragged into any future dispute about the condition of the boat.

 

[lw395]

It was on sale for 15k in 2016. Now asking 20K.
I saw it afloat on a mooring last summer, not at the same place we viewed it.
It is a different broker.

Quite likely the vendor knew of the problem you ran away from, and has now spent £5k and wants that back.
The boat has been afloat in the interim, so whatever the problem was, it either didn't stop the boat working, or it's been fixed?

 

[RJJ]

It is 1.5hrs drive from home. Will my moral compass will be happy using up three hours driving, plus time there pretending to be interested in the boat!

You don't have to do that. Call the broker, tell him you are still interested in the boat you viewed a few years ago (which is true), can he please verify that ABC has been rectified since then as it was a deal-breaker before. If the broker doesn't know, can he please ask the seller.

 

[Seajet]

Crazy Diamond,

I think your attitude commendable - and if a survey was done ' only ' 5 years ago a new buyer may think OK then - I would have a simple honest chat with the broker, any problem will then be up to them and you'll have done what you can.