FAQs

The bill of sales acts as the legally binding document to transfer ownership of watercraft from the seller to the buyer.

You can use this document for transactions involving both new and old water vessels. Besides filling in the required details, the document must contain signatures of the seller, buyer, and witnesses to confirm the transaction took place.

The short answer is yes. But if the new owner wishes to keep the boat at the Waterside & Marina it is moored at, a commission is applied. This is called a sale on berth fee which is a percentage + VAT of the overall sale price of the vessel. 

This fee is applicable as a mooring location adds value to a boat and the ability to transfer this mooring can see purchasers bypass waiting lists for moorings. 

A lot of people prefer to sell their boats through Aquavista, should your location allow, as it is hassle-free.

Also, remember you still have to terminate your mooring contract and give the relevant amount of notice. Log in to your Aquavista account to check your termination period.

Yes, your boat must remain insured and hold a valid BSC. The boat still belongs to you, meaning you are still responsible for it so it would be within your best interest to have the boat fully insured.

Having a valid BSC makes the boat more appealing to prospective buyers, as they know that it has been inspected and meets the relevant safety guidelines. It is also peace of mind for us knowing we are selling a boat that is safe and up to standard.

It would usually go in the following order:

• Make an appointment to view the boat you are interested in
• After your first viewing, you might want to view it again, but if not you can then put an offer in for that boat
• There may be some negotiation on price between yourself and the seller so you might have to wait a little whilst this goes on
• Once an offer has been agreed we would advise you to have a pre-purchase survey. You usually have to diarise this, and securing a time can sometimes take a couple of weeks. Don’t worry though, we can help with this.
• Once the surveyors' report comes back to you, you might decide that you no longer wish to purchase the boat. If this is the case you would walk away from the purchase. Your penalty for doing so is the cost of the surveyor. 
• Dependent on the report you might wish to negotiate further on the price or you might be happy with the agreed price and continue with the purchase.
• Should you continue, we then contact the seller and get the wheels in motion for the final paperwork to be agreed and signed
• The boat is then yours.

This might seem a lot but our experienced team are on hand to help every step of the way!

For further details take a look at our helpful Process to purchasing guide. 

We would advise that you get your insurance in place, check your BSC is up to date and ensure you have a copy. If it is not up to date this must be a priority as soon as you take ownership. Make sure you have your Canal & River Trust license in place. Also, make sure you have a mooring in place to take your boat to. We can help you with all of these things, so don’t worry.

I might be worth looking at our Leisure ownership page. This might answer your questions around insurance and boat safety certificate.  

No, they are excluded from these.

As you don’t own the land where your floating home is located, you don’t have to pay any stamp duty.

You will receive a written agreement at least 28 days before completion. You will also receive a sale and purchase agreement that includes your floating home specification, a floating home mooring licence agreement, a copy of the marina rules and details of guarantees and warranties that are applicable.