Sole brokerage

• ABNB works almost exclusively on a sole brokerage basis, but occasionally we do work in partnership with several boatyards that may be themselves involved in brokerage. On making a sale a brokerage fee is charged, and there are no other charges.

Our Professional Accreditation

• For your reassurance Paul Mudie, the principal broker, is an accredited member of ABYA, the professional Association of Brokers and Yacht Agents. ABYA has a strict code of practice and rigorous minimum standards designed to ensure the highest levels of service and protection to the vendor and buyer alike. He is also a Qualified Broker through BRBA, the Boat Retailers and Brokers Association.

Your Boat Details

• In the first instance we take details of your boat either by phone or by personal visit to our Crick Sales Office. This enables us to establish a rough estimate of the boat's value: although not always - particularly where the interior fit-out has been carried out by an unknown or relatively unknown joiner in which case a visit to the boat can result in a revision of our paper estimate - both up and down!.

• If you wish to put your boat up for sale through ABNB, we arrange a full inspection that takes between three and five hours. It results in a highly detailed four-page brochure, which includes layout & side view drawings, and several colour photographs. If you are reading this then you will be already familiar with our website, which is updated every week without fail (except between Xmas and New Year).

Our Advertising

• ABNB reaches customers with full page advertising in the major waterways' publications. Waterways World and Canal Boat are glossy magazines with lots of news, features, advice & of course, boats for sale. Towpath Talk is a relatively new publication compared with the Waterways World and Canal Boat, starting its circulation just a few years ago. It is produced in a newspaper format, is FREE, and can be found in an increasing number of waterways outlets around the system. It too has lots of news, features, advice & of course, boats for sale.

• ABNB uses the internet, and operates its own website, www.abnb.co.uk. We also advertise each boat on the Apollo Duck website and use social media, such as twitter. Take a look at our comments page and read how some past customers feel about the service we provide.

• We have an extensive computer database through which we can monitor customers who have already registered their needs. ABNB's emphasis is not on building a large list of narrowboats for sale; rather on personal service. We believe that it has an unsurpassed sales rate with boats lying on private moorings. ABNB is a licensed credit broker.

• ABNB operates from a canalside office at Crick Wharf (near Rugby) which offers up to eleven sales berths. Our policy is not to allow any unescorted viewing on boats on our moorings. ABNB's sales office also features a quality photo wall display of all craft we have for sale. Crick Wharf is close to the hub of the narrow canals system; and is just over one mile from M1 J18.

• ABNB exhibits at appropriate national boat shows.

• ABNB is consistently busy during out-of-season months, when enquirers, planning ahead to the next season, tend to be more committed and particularly appreciate ABNB's system of highly detailed sales information, supported by experienced advice and personal service.

• The format of ABNB brochures is particularly effective at conveying good specification and maintenance history. Conversely this factual detail does not work so well for craft of debatable content. We will advise honestly if we think that ABNB's service is not the best for your boat.

• We are able to offer 2 months free membership to RCR, River Canal Rescue a waterways recovery breakdown service. A free annual membership of the IWA Inland Waterways Association is also one of the many benefits of buying through ABNB.

Our Procedures

• The brokerage service is supported by well-established administration procedures: monies paid by buyers are held in a Client Account, separate from ABNB's trading activities. Payment to owners is made promptly. Every step of the sale process involves clear documentation: Brokerage Agreement, Sale Agreement and Bill of Sale.

Our Rates

• We operate on a No Sale, No Fee basis.

• Our charges are based upon the final selling price of your boat. The charges are on sliding scale, with a lower rate for higher priced boats. The rates are based upon 6% up to £60,000 and 2% thereafter (all plus VAT).

So, for example, the overall rate for a boat selling at:

£70,000 is 5.4% (plus VAT) - calculated based upon 6% of £60,000 and 2% of £10,000

£80,000 is 5.0% (plus VAT) - calculated based upon 6% of £60,000 and 2% of £20,000

To find commission rate, enter estimated selling price 
    in box below (numbers only, please!):

Contact us

The ABNB team are available seven days a week - if you would like to discuss brokerage possibilities further, please call us.

Last updated December 2011

For further details on selling your boat through ABNB,
please download our Selling Through ABNB leaflet