Welcome to our guide to the buying process. Our easy to follow and transparent buying process has been in place for decades and has helped 1000’s of buyers and sellers from start to finish.
We aim to provide you with as much information as possible so you are informed every step of the way.
British Marine.
We are members of the British Marine and so we follow a strict code of practice with regards to our processes.
Explore Our Incredible Boats with Virtual 3D Tours. This will help you to get a feel for the boats and to narrow it down (Excuse the pun) to which boat fits your criteria, budget, layout etc. There is also a measuring tool to measure heights, widths. Our boats are located Nationwide so it’s important to have a wish list so you know exactly what you want regards length, layout, type of toilet, number of berths, electrical systems, type of stern etc.
Please take a look at our Guide to boating for some further information on what to add to your wishlist.
Lets break it down in stages,
Set sail to find your perfect boat by contacting our friendly team. We will discuss with you your requirements from your ideal length, to stern type and budget. Our team will get to know you and what you are looking for so we can match you with the perfect boat. At this stage we will find out about your position, do you have funds ready to go and are able to complete within 4 weeks or are you awaiting a house sale or finance offer… this will help in determining how quickly we need to work for you.
Got your funds in place and able to complete within 4 weeks? Then let’s get you onboard. We will ask for your full name and address for insurance purposes and confirm a contact number so we can confirm our appointment. Our team will send details through of boats they feel match your requirements, if you agree this could be the boat for you we will look to arrange a viewing. We ask for contact information in case the boat that you want to view is offsite or it had been sold before you had viewed the vessel. We would not want you to have a wasted journey.
REMEMBER our boats are Nationwide, which means we are not able to jump ship and view lots of boats at one time. Our approach is different than may brokers out there which is why so many sellers choose us!
So you want to make an offer… as a broker we are here to deal with all the negotiations to protect both you and the seller. So we will discuss with you your offer and check you are able to put down a deposit should it be accepted, we will then put it forward to the seller. If your offer is rejected we will work with you to negotiate to an acceptable figure. If your offer is accepted we will ask for payment of a minimum £1,000 deposit and we then take the boat off sale. (Please see our deposit terms and conditions).
Your offer has been accepted, congratulations!. Once your deposit and terms and conditions have been received we will remove the boat from sale. If you are choosing to have survey on the vessel we can help in providing details of independent surveyors in the area and making arrangements for the nearest dry dock. If your happy to proceed without a survey we will make arrangements for payment.
We always recommend that you have a boat surveyed regardless of how new or old it is. You are making sure that you will be aware of any potential issues with the vessel. Would you buy a house without having it surveyed?
Only a qualified fully insured surveyor could survey the boat. We cannot allow an unqualified and uninsured person on any of our client’s boats. We don’t personally do sea trials on narrow boats. You can instruct and pay your surveyor to sea trial the boat.
If the survey reveals any issues or any recommendations of any work that needs to be carried out, you can obtain a quote from the workshop based on the independent factual survey and we will then go back to the sellers and try to renegotiate the price once we have received a full copy of the survey. We will need a full copy of the survey detailing any faults found with the vessel. You can then get the work carried out once you become the legal owner of the vessel. Should yo wish to withdraw from the purchase due to the results from the survey (Please see our deposit terms and conditions).
Happy with the survey results… We will send over to you the details for our Client Trust Account where your money is stored until completion has taken place. Final payments can be paid by cheque or electronic transfer preferably BACS or CHAPS which ensures cleared funds on the same day or Internet Banking if enough time is allowed for the transfer to take place before completion day.
Once the survey has been carried out and we have requested payment then we will draw up the sales contract for you and the current owner to sign. This specifies the conditions of the sale and how, where and when the balance of the purchase price has to be paid (final payment is normally required within 4 weeks, this may vary based on individual cases).
We will then arrange to hand the boat over to you. This may be with the sellers present or with one of our team. You then sign a final receipt to accept the boat and you are now the legal owner. From this moment you should have your Insurance and licence in place.
The vessel will only be handed over once the funds have cleared in our Clients Trust Account and all the relevant paperwork has been signed.
Please note: No guarantee is given or implied in respect of age, specification, condition, suitability for a particular purpose or legal title. All vessels are sold without warranty or condition as to the fitness either expressed or implied by status or otherwise. No appliances or systems have been tested. All measurements stated are approximate. These details are not intended to, and do not, form any part of any current or future contract. In this transaction we are acting as Brokers only. All sales subject to contract. We are relying on information supplied solely by the seller and the Company cannot be held responsible or liable if information is proven to be inaccurate. All information is given as a guide. Plating thickness cannot be measured during our visit while the boat is in the water and is based on information supplied by the owner. A prospective buyer is strongly advised to check the particulars and where appropriate at their own expense to employ a qualified insured Marine Surveyor to carry out a survey of the vessel. It is ultimately the reasonability of the buyer to ensure that all the particulars are accurate prior or during the purchase of the boat. We advise that a qualified independent surveyor carries out a full out of water survey for every vessel.
Please Click Here in order to view on Deposit & Payment Terms.
There is no point in taking a deposit if a buyer can just take it back. Deposits go towards covering a companies costs. Vessels must be paid for in full with in 4 weeks from paying your deposit. We can sometimes extend the 4 weeks for final payment based on individual requirements and subject to terms and conditions.
If for what ever reason a buyer decides to withdraw from the purchase we will as a gesture of good will let them use their deposit against any of the vessels that we have for sale for a 3 month period from the date of withdrawing from the purchase.
We are members of the British Marine and we operate under their code of conduct and we have to follow a strict code of practice, which we do. This also includes a protected client account for customer’s funds.
You can also seek free advice regarding deposits by contacting your local Citizen’s Advice.
Thank you.
The team