Narrowboat Homes

Following my comments on Escape The Rat Race, a business offering private boats for long-term rental, Baz asks if I'd seen Narrowboat Homes, offering a similar service.

If you have a boat, Narrowboat Homes offer to rent it from you for a minimum of four months, renting it out to others.   They make some pretty good, strong promises, including:

• All prospective tenants are fully security and credit checked.
• We pay you regardless of whether your boat is rented or not.
• We take care and pay for the total upkeep of your craft including all license fees.
• If your boat needs a facelift, with prior agreement with you and suitable contract we will undertake any works required to make the boat rentable at no cost to you.
• Your boat will be sat tracked so you can find out where she is at any time.
• We return the boat to you in the same or better condition than we took it over from you.

If you have a boat that you want to keep in the longer term, but want to earn money on in the meantime, is it a good option to rent it out in this manner?  

It sounds like a good arrangement.  But I'd be more confident of Narrowboat Homes if there weren't so many grammatical and spelling errors on its website, if there was a real, physical office you could visit to ask questions, if the FAQ [link] wasn't empty (!) and because of the presence of one glaring, worrying Question & Answer:

Do your boats come with moorings?

Some of our boats come with moorings.  Other boats are classified as continious [sic] cruising please call us on 07728918092 for full details of what this means

So they say you can rent out a boat (with, I presume, a full hireboat licence and properly insured) as a continuous cruiser, without a home mooring.  

Call me cynical, but I groan at the thought of this.  Will this sort of rental really be to someone cruising the wider country on the long term, rather than someone simply looking for a cheap flat for a few months in the London area and who's going to hog visitor moorings?    And in between rentals, where's it going to be based?

Having said all that, there is a place for a business like this.  If you've got a boat on a residential mooring, and you are looking for someone to house-sit while you go away for a few weeks (or even a few short months), it's perhaps reasonable to rent it out while you are gone.

They are currently listing historic GUCCC butty Atalanta as available for rental at £1,200/month on a residential mooring.   

This sounds like a reasonable deal.  A good residential mooring on its own - even before you get the boat - could be £600+ a month.  The mooring I 'borrowed' in King's Cross a couple of weeks ago is costing its owner nearly £800 a month.

Comments

[Andrew Denny]

"Smith",
Hello, John Driver, good to hear from you again! So where are you nowadays, then?

[smith]

i know the guy in person and truly know of his wear abouts and this other guy that talked about him really has no idea

[Guardian Angel]

Andrew, I am not here to have a slanging match with you, I was trying to justify my actions and maybe it came across as personal. Its not meant to and I'm sorry if it came across that way. I am grateful to be able to post my info here re Ed/John and will stick to facts regarding him. When I have his results due to today's court case I shall post them asap.

All I am trying to do is stop others from parting with their hard earned money from a conman.

Ed/John Drivers new phone number is 07878288342
Put the number in Google to see what he is up to now and the many adverts he has under his name and also Carol Rogers. Carol is the sister of a sidekick called Ron who he lived with and left thousands of debt with in Bournemouth.

These adverts of vehicles and boats may be of use to people who have had an unpleasant experience with Ed Rayner/John Driver.

It even shows his address where he is currently living, which was the address he gave in court.

Hope this is helpful.

[Andrew Denny]

Guardian Angel,
I think I mentioned a while back that I'd restored your post. I never deleted it, merely 'unpublished' it, because there was a lot of background about more personal stuff (e.g. former girlfriends and background).

But I'm not going to go into detail about it because my live is in upheaval with a house and career move, and my priority is to sort that (and to do new GB posts, of course).

Everyone else is welcome to weigh in if they want! But my mind is occupied elswewhere, sorry. Particularly with earning a living and paying my bills, which are rather bigger than my income.

[boat lover]

Lets keep this forum as plainly about Eddy Rayner/John Driver/Narrowboat homes as possible, so that people searching for information find it here easily. Thanks to Andrew for making this space possible. If you've been ripped off in any way, or if you're feeling suspicious about Eddy Rayner/John Driver/Narrowboat homes, then read all the entries below. He is currently being tried on 6 charges of fraud to do with boats.

[Guardian Angels]

webinvestigator (4 months ago) Show Hide
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Marked as spam
Reply | Spam
This is the voice of John Driver aka Eddy Rayner con man of Narrowboat homes. Be aware of this man!!! Do not trust!
07728 918 092 updated no. 07878288342
Hes accomplice
Luke Terry
07946 887 403
and
Sam Dodd, Samantha Dodd
07816 623 670
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9GveFfk2ZE

Nothing to do with me. Just another unsatisfied customer me thinx

[Guardian Angels]

Whether that matters to the people who hire Eddy Rayner is a moot point; the clients attracted by his fees probably don’t have much money in the first place. Rayner, founder of the PIT private detective agency at www.detectiveuk.co.uk, reckons one day, with a flat rate of £250 a day and £100 extra for each further agent, is all he has to charge to catch 75 per cent of cheaters in the act.

“A lot of private investigators will tell you it will take much longer than it really will to catch a target cheating, but I reckon one or two days is enough if you do your research,” he says. “Ninety per cent of people who come to you for help already know deep down whether their partner is cheating, and there is usually a pattern of behaviour to demonstrate that.

“If they suddenly start coming home late from work every Thursday, then most of the time you can catch them cheating then. We use all the gadgets and, to be honest, sometimes we sail a bit close to the wind. Everyone does. Anyone who says they can get phone or bank records is probably using someone who is breaking the law.

“Our main aim is to help our client find out for sure whether they can trust their partner. Our job is to ease the pain.”
http://www.newsmonster.co.uk/investigations/watching-the-detectives.html

This was Ed's other JOB, private detective, he was cr*p at it. You can always call the Guardian newspaper and find out if its the same person who lived in Bournemouth. Full address on request. and all the debts that go with it!

[Guardian Angels]

Andrew, I think you will find that 'BOATER' and 'CLOSE SHAVE' are not real names (not that im having a go at them im not, im grateful for their input) but their posts are still up. As for Sam...yes a real name....but where is she now...no where to be found....funny that!!!!!! so if you are going to HIDE my posts because I dont have a 'real name' even tho I have phoned and told you, then you need to stop contradicting yourself! I am not being personal with you, I am trying to balance your theory. So far it doesn't balance!

[Guardian Angels]

I am sorry to hear of your problems with ED but I have tried to warn people of him for the last 18mths on here. Unfortunately My posts have been deleted by Andrew Denny because he spoke to Ed/John driver and was convinced it was all a conspiracy and didn't do his homework and decided Ed was the worthy one to be trusted instead of the people that had been DONE OVER. Strange you cant get Ed's site up anymore, but he is appearing in court Friday to have a date for crown court to be fixed and anyone who would like to show their faces in support against a man that has no conscience or morals then please make a special effort to eradicate this behaviour by being there.
Ed is an unscrupulous character that has been doing this for years but faced with anyone in person, believe me, is unable to cope. He is a coward and doesn't deal with confrontation well at all. His side kick Luke Terry is by all accounts an ugly man and a bit thick, which is why he is along for the ride. Ed's face at his last court hearing was a picture, and his words were.... I didn't enjoy that experience at all......well now you know how it feels, its not nice to feel vulnerable is it? If he was a worthy and law abiding businessman he would have his website still up and running, he wouldn't have changed his name and he wouldn't have disgruntled people leaving messages and he wouldn't be in court!

Oh and just to reply to your..

Guardian, I think part of the reason that I hid your previous comments was because you adopted a pseudonym. If I leave such things up, it inevitably leaves me alone to take the flack and be sued. I'd rather that when people say such things, they use their real names.
...... Then you should have stated that was the reason in the first place, you made other excuses....anyone contacting me would have found out my real identity...as they did...and as for real names...Ed was using John Driver as a alias ages before he changed it by deed poll. so when you spoke to him Andrew he was using pseudonym as well.
I phoned you, and I told you who I was, and who I am connected with but you still chose to leave Ed's posts up and delete mine.
If you wasn't sure who was in the right, then you should have accepted none of our posts! Not taken Ed/John Drivers and deleted mine. remember he is the villain...not me Andrew....you need to either take the responsibility or you should have just not commented at all! If you want to talk to me about this or anyone else for this matter then all you have to do is write to me and I will contact you no problem. I can give you true real facts on paper and proof of everything I have said. Bet Ed cant!!!!

[pinnah ayrton-white]

It is with disappointment and disillusionment that we can confirm Guardian Angels allegations with our own experience. we engaged ed rayner/john drivers services on two counts. one to convert our boat to a live-aboard and two to act as agent to let it out. we paid a lot of money to him for materials and equipment and upon a surprise visit to our boat, have discovered that very little of what he'd been saying he'd been doing had infact been done. almost everything he told us was untrue, including even going so far as to provide the names of tenants. on the advice of the marina where our boat was moored, we transported the boat away, and upon advice of the police, didn't report this movement to ed/john. he continued to correspond with us as though he were on the boat working, when infact the boat wasn't even there. prior to this, our suspicions were aroused by repeated inconsistencies in his stories, and continual postponement of the promises he made. when we found this blog we realised that he is definitely operating under two identities. he has always been known to us as eddy rayner, and he showed us his passport to support this name. we were making payments into the account of john driver and when we asked him who this was he said john is his silent business partner who supplies the capital. so either the passport or the bank account are definitely illegal. we have reported everything to the police. if you are involved with this man or his company Narrowboat Homes, and are feeling suspicious, contact the police immediately. if you don't intend laying a civil charge, the information you provide can be used in the criminal case they are building against him.

[Guardian Angels]

have known Ed a long time and when his name was called out in court as John Driver, it doesn't take a lot to work it out.

[boat lover]

hi angel
thanks for the exposition re: john/ed. can't find the information about the charges on the public court website. can you advise how to see this? and would you mind telling us how you found out about the name change? it would be a great help. thanks

[Andrew Denny]

Guardian, I think part of the reason that I hid your previous comments was because you adopted a pseudonym. If I leave such things up, it inevitably leaves me alone to take the flack and be sued. I'd rather that when people say such things, they use their real names.

[Guardian Angel]

UPDATE 11th September is the next court date not August as mentioned in previous post.

[Guardian Angel]

'' I've also unpublished the previous comment by "Boater" and "Guardian Angel" as comment as well. They are not gone forever, merely hidden until such time as the various allegations are proven.''

UPDATE. Eddy Rayner who has changed his name by deed poll to John Driver. (that should create suspicion) was in court on July 31st on 6 counts of fraud and deception to do with Narrowboats. He pleaded not guilty and has opted for crown court. His next date in court will be 11th August where the date for crown court will be advised.
If this is a man of integrity and honesty as he says he is, then why would he be in such a position in the 1st place.
I notice his website has been cut down to a minimum, not the signs of a successful business man. I think its only fair that people are warned of this corrupt man so no more people can be sucked in his unethical world and lose their money.
The quote above states that my posts can be put back up when there is proof of allegations. I have stated pure facts and these can all be found out as its public knowledge.
I urge you to re-instate my posts or at least leave this one up as I feel John Driver aka Eddy Rayner has not only monopolised this forum to his best advantage and pulled the wool over many peoples eyes but has gained notoriety of the wrong kind to enhance illegal activities in his so called business.
These comments are not in any way slanderous but true facts and can be found on the public court website.
If anyone desires to wish him well on his next court appearance, he can be found at South Western Courts, Lavender Hill Battersea sw11. See you there!

[Dominic Miles]

I can confirm that the GUCC butty Atalanta (see above) was never on a West Lodon mooring - or certainly not in October 2008. It was bought at Penkridge in early 2008, and subsequently spent all its time on the Northern Oxford canal in the Brinklow area. It was on brokerage with me at Rugby Boat Sales from October 2008. And I have since sold it so it now has new owners.

[Su Goodacre]

As ex-tenant of John Driver - it's great to have Grannybuttons as a medium for contact with his Narrowboat Homes.

Here's a request for John to contact me regarding the return of my deposit - £1000 for Vixen (the boat that sank with my belongings in it)

Yesterday I called him to discuss our promised meeting. I'd hoped a 'token' payment of the 50 quid I'd lent him was still on the cards, as an indication of intent to fulfill our friendship & business obligations. All calls were ignored until I used an alternative phone number. He picked up and hung up when he heard my voice.

Please note I'd been supportive of my ex-landlord up until this moment - and am indeed willing to come to amicable agreements, without having to resort to this Public Display of Affection

[Su Goodacre]

As ex-tenant of John Driver - it's great to have Grannybuttons as a medium for contact with his Narrowboat Homes.

Here's a request for John to contact me regarding the return of my deposit - £1000 for Vixen (the boat that sank with my belongings in it)

Yesterday I called him to discuss our promised meeting. I'd hoped a 'token' payment of the 50 quid I'd lent him was still on the cards, as an indication of intent to fulfill our friendship & business obligations. All calls were ignored until I used an alternative phone number. He picked up and hung up when he heard my voice.

Please note I'd been supportive of my ex-landlord up until this moment - and am indeed willing to come to amicable agreements, without having to resort to this Public Display of Affection

[Sam]

Andrew - thanks ever so much for removing the hear say comments. Much appreciated. I doubt you'll ever have to trouble yourself with putting them back on - the allegations were incorrect. Sam

[Andrew]

Just to say that I've 'unpublished' the most recent comment by John Driver, because he mistakenly believes that the previous comment (by 'boater') was by someone else he named. It wasn't.
The person John mentions in his long defence has always refused to be identified on Granny Buttons and has never commented here. Sorry!

I've also unpublished the previous comment by "Boater" and "Guardian Angel" as comment as well. They are not gone forever, merely hidden until such time as the various allegations are proven.

[boater]

That's all well and good, but the butty Atalanta is not for rent from narrowboat homes and never was, nor is it moored anywhere near London.
For your own safety, if you want to hire a narrowboat please check with British Waterways that you are dealing with a legitimate hire business which is fully insured before you hand over any money.

[john driver]

Thanks very much to andrew for his very fair comment on our meeting.

[Close shave]

I still wonder as to why John Driver and Eddy Rayner have the same phone number? Does that not smell of 'alias' when only one person ever answers the phone?

[Andrew Denny]

I met John Driver of Narrowboat Homes on the towpath outside the Narrowboat Pub in Islington yesterday. He quickly collared me and introduced himself.

I thought he was going to punch me on the nose for what some commenters have said, but he was quite polite, and just asked if I moderated the comments. I said no, people are free here to post what they like.

He said that a couple of the comments had been really unfair, and not really about his business (Narrowboat Homes) but about the background of an erstwhile partner and other irrelevant (or potentially defamatory) stuff.

The upshot - I agreed to unpublish one of the commments (by 'Guardian Angels' on Nov 28th), and another post was earlier unpublished at the request of the other writer.

If 'Guardian Angel' wants to contact me and/or rewrite the comment, I'd be happy to talk about it.

[John Driver]

Regarding the comments made on the posting, I thought as one of the owners of Narrowboat Homes I should answer some of the questions raised.

Our FAQ section on the web site is much better now and should answer any questions people have. We GPS track any boats we have that are continuously cruising and warn the tenants if our system picks up anyone who has overstayed the 14-day rule.

If the tenant ignores this they are in breach of their agreement with us. We always comply with any BW regs and operate fully within their rules.

As for the mooring issue, we own our own mooring which has spaces for three 70ft boats or six double breasted. I hope this answers any questions people have but anyone is welcome to call me