Moorings, Licences and Tenure

What you actually own, and the security of your berth

On land, a freehold gives near-permanent security and even a tenant has statutory protection, but on the water almost none of that carries across. This book explains what you actually own when you buy a houseboat and how secure your right to stay really is. It starts with the fact that a houseboat is usually not land at all in law, then separates the two permissions resident boaters constantly confuse, including the difference between a home mooring and continuous cruising. You will see the two kinds of contract you will sign and why neither behaves like a house purchase, and the safety and insurance duties that are far more than box-ticking. The tax chapter explains a treatment that can work firmly in your favour compared with bricks and mortar, and the structure decision. A compliance checklist turns knowledge into action, and the final chapter explains plainly what the common mistakes cost. Next in this series: “A Waterside Income Strategy”.

What’s inside

• The legal framework in plain English
• Permissions, licensing and planning
• The contracts, and what must be inside them
• Insurance, safety and your legal duties
• Tax treatment and choosing a structure
• Your compliance checklist
• Getting this wrong: what it actually costs

Educational material only, not financial, legal or tax advice. Results are not typical and are not a guarantee of income. Freedom Property Academy LTD, registered in England and Wales.