Ships Register / MCA

[plainsailing]

I have recently had the most appalling service from the MCA over a part 1 registration. Application and supporting documents sent off mid May - with cheque for £124 which was quickly banked. Called mid June as no sight of anything not even an acknowledgement - was told "we are experiencing long delays" you should expect your papers back 6 weeks after applying! So I waited - and waited, and then called again. Incidentally calling the MCA Register of Ships number is a lottery - most often you get left on a phone which rings forever and you know that no one will answer it. One in every 5/6 times you get through. Oh yes I was told still terrible delays please wait. No not good enough I said so person in question went off, came back and said we will try and process this for you in the next week. The MCA by the way need your original Bill of Sale in order to register your vessel so currently I have no documents proving my ownership - and I planned to go to France and Holland in the next week - without papers it seems! A week passes with no progress. So I call again - this time the Director of Operations who is listed on the web site! 5 calls later and 1 more Director involved I get a call saying the application was returned on the 16th July (in response to my complains no doubt) because a date was missing on one form and something else on another. 2 months to get told I had to resubmit my application. Still not good enough so called the bosses again and now, finally, they are going to send me a temporary Registration document as long as I complete the process on return from my cruise - I will but will they be able to?! And not once has anyone said "mea culpa" or apologised in even the smallest way. 2 months to get nothing despite paying £124 never mind the cost of calls and my time - if they are experincing severe delays its either because of a huge surge in applciations (!?!?) or because they simply arent doing their job properly - I cant be the only one who has had this experience?

Plainsailor
/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[Richard10002]

I found them very good last April. returned the forms once because it needed the sellers signature. Never waited long to get through on the phone.

having said that, the vessel was already registered and it was just a change of ownership.

 

[FullCircle]

Hi, welcome to the forum. Pity you had to start with a vinegary subject.
I think you may have been particularly unlucky, and they do state that they are overpressed when asked.
I know they did a sterling job for Morgana earlier this year.

 

[Emjaytoo]

We had a very similar problem back in May with our Part 1 Registration. They had sat on the documents for about 6 - 8 weeks and after several phone calls we were told it would be at least another couple of weeks and we were about to take the boat to Holland.

They suggested that I get a Part 3 Registration in the meantime then quoted 3 weeks for that - even using their on-line registration.

After a lot of ranting and raving by me, they suddenly announced "The Fast Track" For £180 I could have the whole lot completed in a couple of days!!

I'm afraid to say I coughed up and my Certificate arrived 2 days later. I was pleased I had got my Registration through in time for my trip to Holland, but pretty disgusted with the MCA.

 

[Chris_Robb]

Sorry you have had this trouble. I registered a change of ownership, then a change of name, and each time they were not bad - 1 week and 3 weeks. This was in April and May this year

 

[EdWingfield]

You've had bad luck Plainsailing. I've just amended a part 111 registry (ownership and boat name) for £25.

All done quickly and trouble-free.

 

[ebbtide]

But don't COMPLAIN - IME the service will then deteriorate from inadequate to bloody-minded.

Been there, didn't like the T-shirt . . .

 

[duncanmack]

I had some fun changing ownership in late 2005.

I managed to get though to a lovely voiced Welsh lady who laughed at my chat-up routines and sorted out the problem pronto.

Mebbe you should practice a better line of flattery? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[bluedragon]

This seems to be a problem with a number of government depts. I recently needed a statement of residence for tax purposes from the HMRC (old Inland Revenue). I was told they have an 11 week backlog before they even read my letter, let alone deal with it!! Still waiting by the way...