Registering a boat in UK, living in Belgium

[Ammaco]

Hi,

I spend a few days each week working in Belgium, my home address is in the UK (Northern Ireland). I am hoping to purchase a yacht to liveaboard in Belgium as it beats hotel rooms!

I am just wondering the best way to go about this? The boat I am hoping to buy is currently located and registered in Belgium, can I simply buy the boat, then send of the papers to have it registered to my home address in the UK?

Hope someone can help.

Thanks!

 

[macd]

Before it can be registered in the UK, it would need to be de-registered in Belgium. I'm afraid I haven't a clue how you'd go about this.

Belgian registration is by all accounts fairly cheap and hassle-free, at least to the extent that many French boat owners chose it in preference to paying taxes associated with French registration.

From what you write you're eligible for UK registration. There are two types: SSR (aka Part 3); and Part 1.
SSR is cheap and straightforward and can be done on line. The majority of registered UK pleasure craft are on this register.
Part 1, essentially the full ships' register, is a little more expensive, but requires a measurement survey, for which you'd have to pay.

Further info here, from your very own Six Counties: http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/registering-your-pleasure-craft

If the sale is not through a professional broker, check out sources such as the RYA site to ensure the buying process ticks all the necessary boxes. If nothing else, it includes a useful 'bill of sale' form.

 

[Sybarite]

Before it can be registered in the UK, it would need to be de-registered in Belgium. I'm afraid I haven't a clue how you'd go about this.

Belgian registration is by all accounts fairly cheap and hassle-free, at least to the extent that many French boat owners chose it in preference to paying taxes associated with French registration.

.

With respect to French boat owners, the Belgians have tightened up on this and it is virtually impossible to do this anymore. It didn't have any effect on the taxes payable but did give a certain liberty concerning safety norms.

As long as normal residence remains the UK an SSR would seem the easiest way to go. However, residence is a question of fact and, if you spend more than 183 days per year in Belgium you become a de facto Belgian resident for fiscal purposes.

If in fact you do become a Belgian resident then I don't think there would be any problem about remaining on the Belgian registry.

When I worked in Belgium I had an accounting assistant who lived on a barge and moved it around the country when we did out-of-town work. He had a workshop in it where he assembled kichens which he then installed during the weekends. He made more money doing this than his accounting job. The last I heard of him was that he was in jail.

Oh, and a welcome to the forum for the OP from a fellow Ulsterman.

 

[westernman]

It didn't have any effect on the taxes payable.

It effectively does if the boat is not kept in France.

 

[Koeketiene]

Before it can be registered in the UK, it would need to be de-registered in Belgium. I'm afraid I haven't a clue how you'd go about this.

Deregistration is a fairly straightforward and simple affair.
If you do not intend to keep the boat Belgian registered it is the sellers responsability to have to boat deleted from the Belgian registry.
If you want to keep the Belgian registration you jointly send off a form informing the authorities of the change of ownership. You will then have to fork out €55 for a Vlaggebrief/Lettre de Pavillion in your name. These are valid for 5 years.

FWIW: If it were me, if I were keeping the boat in Belgium year round, I would keep the Belgian registration. You are far less likely to attract the attention of the authorities (Douane/police) with a Belgian ensign than with a red duster.

 

[RAI]

It's not clear where you intend to keep the boat in Belgium. Note that living aboard all year is often not approved but you might get away with it by keeping a low profile. The only firm exception is Wilhemsdock in Antwerp.