Proving title and VAT status without original invoice

[hellosailor]

People are just miserable on paperwork. After all, do you keep "boat tax" files on your boat? Or, in a safe place at home, or in the office, with your tax files? And if it is their first time dealing with VAT or the "EU" concept...no habits to follow?

And then too, that's just among the honest folk. You'll find plenty of folks here in the US who are selling titled property (boats, cars, planes, homes) who are actually crooks and con men, who often know very well that the item is not theirs to sell.

Just hook the seller up with some middle school kid, who can forge whatever is needed. Oh, no, wait, that would be criminal too.

[GTom]

Forgery would be one step further with immediate criminal consequences. However, if a hidden owner pops up from a hole in the chain of bills, your position against the seller is much weaker.

For a "normal" 30-40 years old boat, it's max 20 sheets of paper (BoS 6-8x, builder's certificate, registration), not a serious burden... Seriously, shall someone buy from a seller who can't prove that he owns a 30k€ titled property? No thanks...

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by GTom

Forgery would be one step further with immediate criminal consequences. However, if a hidden owner pops up from a hole in the chain of bills, your position against the seller is much weaker.

For a "normal" 30-40 years old boat, it's max 20 sheets of paper (BoS 6-8x, builder's certificate, registration), not a serious burden... Seriously, shall someone buy from a seller who can't prove that he owns a 30k€ titled property? No thanks...

[terah]

Just back from a trip away with work.

I went to view the boat last Monday and about the only documentation on board was the owners manual and the certificate of delivery and acceptance - the latter at least has both Jeanneau and the first owners name so helps demonstrate the chain of ownership.

Because of the uncertainty and associated risk we opted to get specific legal advise, and happily the opinion agrees that the T2L is good enough to demonstrate tax status, and the other documentation we have is enough to show title.

We have paid the deposit today, so now on to sea trial and survey.

Thanks all for your input!