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Single Parent Hiring Boats


Loddonlad

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2 hours ago, JennyMorgan said:

I understand where Richardsons are coming from on this one but I also fear that those in the insurance industry, as well as some within Yare House, will consider it to be a good idea, heaven forbid

I've never understood the Rangers out alone doing tasks on the rivers unlike a hirer get on and then off at next point, don't they have a lone working arrangment in place and if their out of mobile/radio range. It wil come in and they'll need more cash for it.

 

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1 hour ago, EastCoastIPA said:

This seems a very strange decision. We are being told it is to bring the terms and conditions in line with those of Hoseasons and that it is nothing to do with insurance. That I can certainly believe because Barnes are still happy and even promoting the fact that they will do solo hires, and yet they also use Hoseasons. So I guess Barnes are happy to keep their own terms and conditions and not align themselves to Hoseasons and their insurance company are happy with that.

Makes me think though that I would be very wary of booking with a company that doesn't allow solo hires, or insists upon 2 x people over the age of 18 in every party. I can see a number of scenarios where someone could inadvertently fall foul of the companies booking conditions.

1. Mum and Dad + children booked on a boat, take the boat over and are happily enjoying their holiday when something happens elsewhere within the family. Aunt or Uncle, Grandmother of grandfather taken ill. Home or business emergency. Not serious enough for the family to cancel their holiday, but one of the parents on board the boat may decide to curtail the rest of their holiday to go and attend to the sick relative leaving the remaining parent to carry on with the children on their holiday, or could they now? Wouldn't that then fall foul of the new conditions?

2. Mum and Dad + children booked on a boat and prior to the holiday something important crops up at work for one of the parents meaning they must make an appearance for a day or two back at work. They intend on starting their holiday with one parent disappearing for a couple of days leaving the remaining parent with the children until they return, or can they now?

3. Thursday start holiday, Mum cannot get the Thursday and Friday of work, so Dad intends on going to start the holiday with able 13 and 15 year old, and Mum will join the group on the Saturday, but not any longer under the new terms?

All seems very short sighted to me and I'm sure has a bigger impact than just the small number of people who may solo hire. Even as a group booking, I would now be nervous of situations that may occur that could needlessly curtail the holiday for everyone.

Someone from one of the Facebook groups had booked solo with Richardsons same week as me, as he was picking a friend up to join him for a couple of days part way through the holiday he got in touch with Richardsons a couple of weeks back to add his friends name to the booking

Because of this being mentioned on the Facebook groups he got in touch with Richardsons and has had to cancel due to the fact he was starting the holiday solo

As he had added someone to the booking Richardsons weren't aware of the fact he was starting the holiday solo so would not have got in touch with him regarding the new policy

People may be annoyed about this situation being on the Facebook groups but in this instance it prevented someone from turning up to Richardsons in 2 weeks time only to be told "sorry we can't allow you to take your holiday here's your money back"

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5 minutes ago, YorkshireTripper said:

Someone from one of the Facebook groups had booked solo with Richardsons same week as me, as he was picking a friend up to join him for a couple of days part way through the holiday he got in touch with Richardsons a couple of weeks back to add his friends name to the booking

Because of this being mentioned on the Facebook groups he got in touch with Richardsons and has had to cancel due to the fact he was starting the holiday solo

As he had added someone to the booking Richardsons weren't aware of the fact he was starting the holiday solo so would not have got in touch with him regarding the new policy

People may be annoyed about this situation being on the Facebook groups but in this instance it prevented someone from turning up to Richardsons in 2 weeks time only to be told "sorry we can't allow you to take your holiday here's your money back"

An interesting point relating to the last paragraph. It's been stated that the change is not related to insurance, but is related to bringing the terms and conditions in line with Hoseasons.

So does that have to apply if booking direct with Richardsons? But more importantly surely the booking is subject to the terms and conditions in force at the time of booking? Now if something were to change outside of the control of the company, such as insurance renewal specifically not allowing solo hire then that is understandable, but in this case we are being told it is not down to the insurance company, therefore surely there is no reason why the original booking cannot stand along with the terms and conditions it was booked under?

Not sure if I would be happy entering into a contract if one side could change the terms at the drop of a hat! For things beyond their control understandable, but just because the business has decided to realign its terms with a partner?

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If I wish to cancel my contract of hire, I can only do so for specific reasons, such as illness or death in the close family.

It seems, however, that the same thing does not apply to the yard, who have entered into that same contract of hire with me. 

I think this is the main thing that we are all worried about here. Why were these cancellations made retrospectively?

In my view, the existing bookings should have been honoured, according to the conditions of hire that I saw on their website yesterday.

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I think it'll all depend on how they word the new t's and C's 

If they were to honour the bookings already made prior to the change it would mean throughout the year there would be a number of people solo on a Richardsons boat,if someone saw someone solo and then phoned Richardsons to book solo and then be told "sorry we don't accept solo hirers" how would Richardsons explain that to them

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4 minutes ago, YorkshireTripper said:

I think it'll all depend on how they word the new t's and C's 

If they were to honour the bookings already made prior to the change it would mean throughout the year there would be a number of people solo on a Richardsons boat,if someone saw someone solo and then phoned Richardsons to book solo and then be told "sorry we don't accept solo hirers" how would Richardsons explain that to them

Simple really, just explain that since xyz date we changed our terms and conditions and now do not accept bookings for solo hires. The boat you have just seen would have booked before that date.

Although it's very academic, because how do you know if someone is solo cruising? The other person may be in the heads! Not many people go down the river advertising how many people are on board.

No difference to me taking out a Broadband offer with BT and then two months later they are offering the same deal but throwing in a £100 gift card, or some other freebie. Mobile phone tariffs change all the time and it depends on when you signed up, or took out your contract.

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9 minutes ago, YorkshireTripper said:

But surely when you take over a boat you have to abide by the "current" terms and conditions

Then why would anyone make a booking not knowing what the terms may be when they go to take over the boat. It can only be the terms in force when you make the booking.

If it was the current terms then that would have a huge impact on the advance bookings which a lot of these yards need to balance the books. Dangerous  ground IMHO.

 

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Shocked that so many are interested in my boat booking experience but thank you .  I don't know all the rules , from some comments several are boat owners and know a damm site more than me. I don't get the insurance thing but from a person who just likes getting on a boat and live the dream for a week imagining its 'mine'  , it seems like discrimination . . In  the school I  went to they  hired 3 or 4 boats with a teacher and 5 kids on each . What fun we had . Suppose thats not allowed now.  Well we are booked on the canal now . But cheers everyone . 

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1 hour ago, YorkshireTripper said:

So hoseasons don't allow solo hirers,but if you look at there website at brink of peace and moorhen,it says "sleeps upto 2"

So does that mean I can hire it solo? NO!!

You actually picked a very good example, because no you cannot through Hoseasons, BUT you can if you go direct to Barnes. Both the boats you quoted are Barnes boats, and they are currently promoting the fact they allow solo hirers.

The really strange thing is that I'm sure if you do book direct with Barnes you will be allowed to book a solo hire, but Barnes will also still have to pay a commission to Hoseasons because any direct bookings that take a boat away from a promoting agency such as Hoseasons, normally still attracts a commission for the agent!!

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I feel really sad for those who have had this last minute dropped on them - it could have been done better 

i also feel for single parent families who want to come to the broads where money can be very tight Rico,s through sheer size i think offer a service reachable to most pockets - in fact i always admired them very much in doing so ,hopefully folk in this position will still manage to come to the broads and hopefully some of the smaller yards get a bigger bite of the cherry 

finnty

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1 hour ago, EastCoastIPA said:

You actually picked a very good example, because no you cannot through Hoseasons, BUT you can if you go direct to Barnes. Both the boats you quoted are Barnes boats, and they are currently promoting the fact they allow solo hirers.

The really strange thing is that I'm sure if you do book direct with Barnes you will be allowed to book a solo hire, but Barnes will also still have to pay a commission to Hoseasons because any direct bookings that take a boat away from a promoting agency such as Hoseasons, normally still attracts a commission for the agent!!

I have booked solo direct with Barnes on Friday on brink of peace as I've been caught up in all this as I was booked with richardsons for 2nd March 

I remember on Barnes website it said peace was ideal for 1 person so I was curious about what it said on hoseasons site for the same boat but it say sleeps upto 2 so in theory that means any number of people upto 2 

Screenshot_20180218-151435.jpeg

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I also feel so sorry for these people who have booked in good faith, they have have confirmation of the booking which may have been booked early last year, they have arranged to have time off of work (not an easy job for some people to fit in their holidays).

Now in some cases they have been informed that their bookings will not be honoured, some may be able to arrange with another boat yard if it i early in the season, but in the height of the season this may prove to be almost impossible and in the summer holidays other locations will be already heavily booked.

My personal opinion that these bookings should have been honored.

Regards

Alan 

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14 minutes ago, YorkshireTripper said:

Especially 2 weeks prior to the start of the season LOL

Imagine how the yards would react if a hirer informed them "our family has changed its policy in respect of holidays to one of No Boating, please take this communication as notice of cancellation of our booking..... we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause"

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9 minutes ago, NorfolkNog said:

I don't think you should but you can bet there will be a clause in very small print hidden away somewhere to the effect that the owner can alter the terms at any time to suit themselves

it doesn't  seem right to me, I'll certainly be sticking with Bridgecraft!!! :default_biggrin:

Sadly you are probably right, going back to my childhood and remembering the excitement in anticipation of the broads holiday to cancel a holiday at short notice is simply wrong.

My thoughts are:

BOATYARDS; YOU HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO HONOR BOOKINGS MADE.IN GOOD FAITH

 

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I am one of the solo hirers that has had his booking cancelled by Richardsons, 4 weeks before my holiday. This would have been my fifth solo trip, the previous four all being uneventful. 

Whilst it is entirely up to Richardsons to change their policy, I felt that their refusal to honour bookings already made and paid for to be wrong, and said so. Clive was very polite, offering me an upgrade for the same week, or move the booking to later in the year, but would not accept that Richardsons should honour any solo bookings already taken by the company.

It is a shame that Richardsons has managed to trash its excellent reputation in one go.

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Dear BoF,

as per my post a while back please give the girls at Martham a call.

They will be more than happy to help a solo hirer.

Say Charles suggested them to you and take a Janet, Judith or Juliette, all centre cockpit.

Make sure you bring a rope from each end up to the centre cockpit whilst under way and Bob's Your Uncle !!!!

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Ever so slightly different circumstances but how does this effect me hiring with a disabled partner, ok the booking is for two adults but as the wife is pretty much wheelchair bound she does not helm the boat nor assist in mooring, so I am in effect solo hiring, can't really see any difference to a single hirer plus the fact I have other things to take care of ie the wife, never had any questions asked before but would like to think this decision won't affect us, well I hope not anyway....

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39 minutes ago, charlesa said:

Dear BoF,

as per my post a while back please give the girls at Martham a call.

They will be more than happy to help a solo hirer.

Say Charles suggested them to you and take a Janet, Judith or Juliette, all centre cockpit.

Make sure you bring a rope from each end up to the centre cockpit whilst under way and Bob's Your Uncle !!!!

Thanks for the advice Charlsa, I will certainly bear them in mind for next year, but I have managed to secure a hire out of Bridge Craft over in Acle for next month. I have been to the yard many times, but never hired from them before. All the reports I have read are excellent, and they were very helpful when I called, so after the initial shock when I took the call from Richardsons, it's looking good. 

Cheers,

Chris

 

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5 minutes ago, Jocave said:

Ever so slightly different circumstances but how does this effect me hiring with a disabled partner, ok the booking is for two adults but as the wife is pretty much wheelchair bound she does not helm the boat nor assist in mooring, so I am in effect solo hiring, can't really see any difference to a single hirer plus the fact I have other things to take care of ie the wife, never had any questions asked before but would like to think this decision won't affect us, well I hope not anyway....

I put a very similar question the Clive when we spoke. My wife isn't really into messing around in boats, previous trips have not gone as well as hoped, but she was willing to come with me so I didn't miss out. However, she is not fit or able enough to be of any practical use in crewing the boat, other than her ability to dial 999 if something happens. 

In answer to my question "What's the difference between me going on my own and my wife coming, when I would still have to do all the crewing single-handed anyway?".  The reply was "She is over 18". Full stop!

So it would appear that the abilities, or lack of, the second person is totally irrelevant, the only criteria are that they be over 18 years of age. 

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