Regulation of narrowboat builders

Maffi has written a stern piece arguing for the need for better regulation of narrowboat builders, after the news that Lees Narrowboats has gone bust. (Their website is still up today, although the phone number answering machine is full and won't take messages).

(Maffi also put Hixon Narrowboats in the same row of ducks, which could be interpreted as saying they were bust too. I just called Hixon and they say they are definitely still in business.  According to NBW they were sued by someone for poor workmanship, which is a different matter).   This followed on from Heron going bust earlier this year.

Maffi suggests, amongst other things:

• Licencing of builders.
• Regular auditing of business plans.
• Notarised certificate of ownership of work completed each time work changes hands.
• All builds insured against loss by the builder.
• Financial management of each project (boat) by the insurance companies.
• A public auditor having right to enter premises to check the books without notice.
• Certificate of financial management competence by at least one member of management team.

I must say, this surprises me.  Isn't it already compulsory?   At the very least I thought most reputable companies already did this.  (And Lees were the inheritors of one of the most respectable of boatbuilding names, Kevin Wadsworth's Warble.)  Naive little me.  Of course, it's seven years since I last bought a boat, and I've never bought one new.

Comments

[Maffi]

OOPS apologies to Hixon duly corrected.

[Maffi]

Then the system to be tightened up because it obviously isnt working.