Shepherds / Liverpool Marina...........

Neddie_Seagoon

Neddie_Seagoon

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are getting on my wick. Bought a boat lying on an unserviced berth in Liverpool, previous owner asked the marina staff to write a 1 month contract for me to cover the berthing fees until I move the boat. Arrived to take over boat at the weekend, no admin staff around but - the weekend man has a 1-year contract waiting for me. previous owner tells him "that's not what I asked for", and rightly tells me not to sign it.

Telephone marina admin staff during the week to correct error, OK they say, we don't do contract for monthly, it's just on invoice. I say fine, invoice me. No invoice arrived. Went to the marina the following weekend - the weekend man finds my record on the computer - they want £417 for a month unserviced on an 8.5M boat! I'm gobsmacked.

Went home, looked up fees on t'internet - Serviced berth for 8.5M should be £260. Phoned up again - "why does my account say I owe £417 when th published price for a serviced berth would be £260?". Admin person works it out, says "Oh, we've made a mistake, it should be £260". I say "Why £260, that's the price for a serviced berth, I'm on unserviced", she says "we don't have a monthly price for unserviced, I'll put the invoice and the bertholders pack in the post".

Invoice & bertholders pack didn't arrive. I want the invoice so I can negotiate on it, but I still haven't got it.

So - does anyone know who is responsible for berth pricing at Shepherds - who I should call to negotiate an unserviced price and sort this out? Obviously not the staff at L'pool Marina - they clearly have little discretion and cannot sell me the unserviced berth I'm on at a monthly rate. If anyone knows who I should speak to I'll be forever grateful (honest!).

Steve
 
Aye, at this rate I'll have sailed before we get the issue sorted - especially with Xmas coming up!

But I'm basically an honest chappie, so I'd like to get it sorted above board.

Steve
 
Hi Steve
When I was at Liverpool a guy called Jeremy ran the show. Don't know if he is still there but if so he can be persuaded to see sense, although he seemed to preside over a lot of cock-ups like this, especially with lock opening hours. The lock is the big problem re sailing away and paying later; they are reluctant to let you out without all bills payed. Hope it gets sorted. Speak to you tomorrow.
Andy
 
Hi Steve
Dont think it will be Jeremy. They have a new marina manager who is young and eager to please. Ask to speak to him. If I had known how much you were paying I would have suggested having the boat lifted onto Nick Lancasters trailer and popped back in the water at the other end for not much more money and less anxiety about the delivery trip in an untried boat.
By the way Shepherds are only the brokers. They do not own or run the Marina. If I can find out the name of the marina manager i will let you know.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hi Steve
When I was at Liverpool a guy called Jeremy ran the show. Don't know if he is still there but if so he can be persuaded to see sense, although he seemed to preside over a lot of cock-ups like this, especially with lock opening hours. The lock is the big problem re sailing away and paying later; they are reluctant to let you out without all bills payed. Hope it gets sorted. Speak to you tomorrow.
Andy

[/ QUOTE ] Yes, it used to be Jeremy and he was OK, at least he was OK with me. Jeremy has now gone, and I don't know who does what there any more but suggest you speak to Liverpool Yacht club. Also suggest you don't p*ss about with the marina finance wise as they'll have you and your boat in irons as quick as as you can say Liverpool FC are c**p. I live in the Nantwich area of Cheshire and was quite staggered to see a local newspaper advertisment for a bankrupcy notice being applied for by Liverpool Marina for a 1500 pound debt. I have also known boats to be sold off in lieu of fees at the drop of a hat.
 
By the way, the pontoon next to Ameera is damaged and they had to anchor it with a big chain to the dock wall. This nearly stopped us going out last sunday. It was only the initiative of a lot of racers to take the chance and move the chain that allowed us to get out. You might try telling them you couldnt leave that day as planned. They might point out that you would have been mad to go out to the open sea that day but they might forget. I dont know whether it is fixed yet. If it isnt it may be a good way to start the conversation. If he tells you there was enough water to get over the chain tell him he's talking bollocks. The boat in front of us drew 3ft and he got stuck on it before the chain was lowered by the crews.
May help i dont know. good luck
 
[ QUOTE ]
suggest you don't p*ss about with the marina finance wise

[/ QUOTE ]

No intention, just wish they would stop pissing about with me! I would prefer to get it sorted, My time wasted so far is worth more than the berthing fee will be /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Yep, the pontoon got quite bent! Another few yards and it would have smashed into Ameera and the neighbouring boats. If I were a long term berth holder I'd have had quite a lot to say, it is after all a very sheltered bit of water.
 
I've spoken to the new marina manager (Sandy Leckie (sp?)), and I must say that there is no connection to Shepherds - that was my mistake, Shepherds merely rent space there.

Young he may be, I don't know 'cos I've only spoke to him on the 'phone. Eager to please he was not /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif If he worked for my company he would have been fired very quickly, come across the type before, definite attitude problem "I'm the General Manager and what I say goes etc.....", no evidence of customer facing skills in what I tried to make a low key conversation. Refused to tell me who his employers were so that I could escalate my query ("I'm paid to make sure they don't hear of complaints" or suchlike) or to disclose the legal entity that owns Liverpool Marina (it turns out that it is not a company in its own right) etc., so a very unsatisfactory conversation. Oh well, I found out the legal ownership for myself and have sent a registered letter to the senior director of the owning Plc, so he may be getting an awkward phone call /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

In the mean time, unless his employers override him, I will be settling a bill for services that I haven't received (when they finally send me a bill!), so for anyone dealing with L'pool Marina in the future, my advice is get it in writing before you berth! This would all have been much simpler if they'd let me know up front that a monthly rate for the unserviced berth I'm on was not possible for them. All rather daft, pissing someone off for what I calculate to be £45
 
I have to say that I had three great years at Liverpool, although I can understand your frustration with this problem.

Personally, I think that the problem was caused by Sheppards! I am sure they could have negotiated a short term lease with the marina.

So!.............. never mind and I hope you enjoy the new boat! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Tom
 
Thanks Tom, it'll all get sorted in the end. Shepherds didn't sell me the boat, I bought it privately, it was my mistake in assuming that given the weight of their presence there Shepherds were involved in the marina administration, which clearly they're not. If I had either come in to Liverpool looking for a berth, or bought a boat there intending to keep it on its existing berth there I'm sure it would have been no problem, I get the impression that things just fall apart when awkward customers want to do something they haven't thought of before, although I'm suprised this problem hasn't happened before, but it clearly hasn't because they don't know how to handle it.

Steve
 
Ha, I've finally received an invoice. Berthing & Services Charges seperately itemised! Dated 11th Dec, Postmarked 19th Dec. "Payment due within 7 days of Invoice Date" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Is there no end to their incompetence?

I give up. At least I can pay them now and leave legitimately, be amusing to see how they handle the follow-up action for services not provided /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
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