The long-running and increasingly bitter battle between houseboat owners at Chelsea Reach and the Chelsea Yacht and Boat Company (CYBC) has exploded into the public glare at a court hearing in London.
Boat owner Simon Howard, who lives on a 100ft converted Dutch barge near Cremorne Gardens, is facing legal action and eviction by CYBC following a dispute over his licence. Now he is counter-suing CYBC for breach of contract.
This latest court action comes in the wake of years of rancour between the houseboat residents and CYBC’s owners, Andrew Moffat and his wife, Charlotte. The boat owners have been campaigning for “security of tenure for a fair market rate” since the couple took over the marina alongside Cheyne Walk in 2016.
The new court case stems from when Mr Howard failed to re-new his licence in April 2022. At the time, he was recovering from major heart surgery and missed the deadline. Since then, CYBC has refused to offer him a full licence and is now seeking to have his boat – named Joseph Conrad – forcibly removed from its mooring. The company is also suing him for damages for “trespass”, based on the time he has continued to live in the boat at the mooring without a licence.
The Joseph Conrad houseboat moored on The Thames at Chelsea Reach by Cremorne Gardens
Mr Howard and his former wife Katy King, who co-owns Joseph Conrad, are counter-suing CYBC for breach of contract. This is based on, what the coupe say, are previous agreements with CYBC that they would not be forced to leave and that under law they are entitled to be offered a new licence at market rate. They also claim that they have little hope of finding a new berth for their houseboat, which is thought to be worth around £1.5m.
A report from court on MailOnline asserts that both parties are also in dispute over potential legal fees in advance of any court appearance. It is claimed that CYBC is deploying “intimidating” legal tactics by ramping up their costs in advance of any hearing.
Timothy Polli KC, who is representing Mr Howard and Mrs King, stated that CYBC and Mr and Mrs Moffat are ‘behaving in a deliberately extravagant and intimidatory manner’ by claiming that they will incur costs of £700,000 in the case.
Mr Polli added: ‘It seems apparent to the defendants that CYBC is not interested in litigating in a cost-effective and proportionate manner.’
Location of the Chelsea Reach marina alongside Cheyne Walk