Mooring (MCN)

New signage will be provided at every managed site detailing the terms and conditions of use. Any requirement to register or pay will be clearly stated.

There is no ‘right to moor’ on land that is not managed by the Environment Agency. While many of our Clients may offer ‘free mooring’ periods, they do so on a contractual licence basis.

No. District Enforcement are solely responsible for ensuring the conditions of use are met, and to take action relating to any breaches of those conditions. If a vessel is unregistered or breaching statutory requirements, it is the responsibility of the Environment Agency.

Boaters are not required to leave District Enforcement managed sites and charges will not apply for overstaying if any strong stream warnings are in place, within reach of where they are moored.

If a boater is unable to move from a mooring site managed by District Enforcement for any other reason, it is their responsibility to make District Enforcement aware and request an extension to their stay. Failure to do so will result in mooring charges being applied with any extenuating circumstances considered by District Enforcement as part of its appeals process, should the recipient of those charges choose to appeal.

Requests for extended stays on all other matters will be at the discretion of District Enforcement. However, it is highly recommended that boaters have contingency plans in place so that their vessel can be returned to its base mooring, or an appropriate alternative location, if they are not able to navigate it themselves.

If vessels remain beyond any permitted extended period, in addition to mooring charges being applied, District Enforcement may remove it to an alternative location and seek to recover all associated costs from the vessel’s owner.

District Enforcement Operatives are not given any form of incentive or targets to meet regarding the issuing of MCNs. They are paid an hourly rate and do not receive bonuses based on the number of MCNs issued. Instead they are peer reviewed for how they engage with the public and the level of service they provide.

District Enforcement’s responsibility is to ensure that all boaters are able to use its managed mooring sites in the way the landowner intends them to be used, and the way boaters themselves want to use them – to stay for a short period of time at a particular location; to enjoy the attractions on offer locally – before moving on to do the same at another location, freeing up the berth for someone else to use.

Conditions are in place to prevent the minority of inconsiderate boaters from staying moored for far longer than permitted. Compliance with these conditions and avoidance of any associated charges is straightforward. Therefore District Enforcement takes a firm stance on any non-compliance. District Enforcement has a straightforward appeals process that anyone can follow if they feel a charge has been wrongly or unfairly applied.

All signage is created to be both legally binding and informative, and to set out plainly the actions that District Enforcement will take if users do not comply with the conditions.

District Enforcement has a data sharing agreement with the Navigation Authorities to release the owner details of vessels found on their managed sites in contravention of the terms of use.

If you do not pay or appeal an MCN within 28 days of issue, District Enforcement will contact the Navigation Authorities for details of the registered owner.

They will then write to the registered owner of the vessel to inform them that a charge is outstanding, and request either full payment or proof as to the master of the vessel at the time of the mooring event.

If after this the charge is still unpaid, the registered owner will be sent a final letter stating that County Court proceedings will be instigated if the charge remains unpaid.