Chelsea houseboat owners 'told to weigh anchors to make room for Russian mega-yachts'

 
'Sailing orders' Houseboats at Cadogan Pier in Chelsea Picture: Nigel Howard
Robert Fisk1 April 2014

Houseboat owners at one of London’s most exclusive waterside addresses have been given their sailing orders to make way for the mega-yachts of Russian oligarchs, it was claimed today.

The owners of seven houseboats moored at Cadogan Pier in Chelsea fear they are being cut adrift after developers gave them four weeks’ notice.

The pier on Chelsea Embankmentjust yards from Albert Bridge was used by the Queen to board the Spirit of Chartwell for the 1,000 boat Diamond Jubilee pageant.

Houseboat owners tried to buy the pier in December last year, but it has now been taken over by property developers Albyns.

Now residents, whose mooring fees have been doubled, fear the super-wealthy will turn their attention to the river after snapping up some of the country’s priciest properties in Kensington and Chelsea.

BBC producer Julia Pittam, who has lived on the river for six years, was sent an email two weeks ago telling her she must find another mooring.

She said: “It’s kind of like a David and Goliath thing with the big corporation.

“We have no proof of their plans for the pier but I expect you will see big Russian oligarchs down here in about five years’ time, and they did not want my piddly little boat here.

“There was no reason for them to choose my boat and they won’t meet me face to face to talk about it.”

And she says lawyers have told her there is nothing she can do to fight the eviction notice.

Miss Pittam said: “There is a huge accommodation problem in London and I’m here because I do not have enough money to buy a flat and something should be done because people who live on the river need to have rights.

“It highlights that there are people living on the river and we have no rights at all.”

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The 43-year-old is accusing the pier owners of using divide and rule tactics by targeting some of the 30 boat dwellers, all of whom are on yearly contracts.

She said: “They have picked on a small amount of people down here to avoid uniting the whole pier.

“I was upset that people do not want to fight it as a pier but I understand that people want to protect themselves.

“People are terrified.”

A spokesman for Cadogan Pier Ltd said Miss Pittam had failed to supply details of insurance and other documentation which were conditions under her previous licence.

They also denied that they would not meet her, claiming they offered a meeting in email correspondence.

The spokesman added that the new owners had spent more than £250,000 on maintenance and improving security since taking it over.

Other residents on the pier refused to comment as they feared being targeted by the new owners.

They claimed the previous management had allowed more houseboats to dock at the pier than there were berths leading to double-banking, where a boat is tied up alongside another which is tied to the pier.

The company decided to withdraw four licences based on payment history, unauthorised renting to third parties and vessel condition.

Another three boat owners were ordered to leave through random selection because there were still were not enough berths.

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