Mailbridge
For the Provision of Mail Forwarding, serving 'Liveaboard' and 'Continuous Cruising' Narrowboaters

P: Synergistic House, Welshampton, Ellesmere, Shropshire, SY12 0PH.
T: 01948 710925      F: 07006 009803     M: 07887 644135
E: admin@mailbridge.co.uk

Living aboard a narrowboat and continuously cruising our UK canals can be a wonderful way of life, free to move and change the view from the boat window whenever you want. 

                         Some travel the canal system throughout the year;
                         Some cruise the system in season but return home during annual stoppages;
                         Some cruise the canals in summer and travel abroad during those stoppages.

Whichever option you have chosen, the advantages and desirability of such a lifestyle may seem obvious, but there may be practical issues which need to be addressed.

     One of the most frequently posed questions is:         How will I get my post if the boat moves?

Well, we have a very practicable, cost effective, answer to that problem - our Mailbridge Service.

Q. How does it work?  
A. During the period of your contract with us, your mail is collected by Mailbridge and held by us until you are ready to receive it.  When you have paused in your cruising for a few days we, when prompted by you, forward the mail on to a convenient local post office (poste restante) or other suitable address such as a boat yard or marina specified by you. 

Q. Can we use Mailbridge for just part of the time?  
A. Yes, we think we will have a plan to suit you.  We can operate the system on a long term basis (ie for a full year); just during the cruising system; or just on a month to month basis.

Q. But what will it cost?
A. For private individuals, we charge a flat service fee, based on a rate of from £10 a month, based on a couple jointly occupying one narrowboat (from under £8 a month, for a single person).  

We also ask for a 'balancing fee' (usually set at a minimum of £20), the balance of which is refundable at the end of the contract after we have deducted required additional costs. We do ask that the 'balance' we hold for you does not drop below £5. 

To explain the 'balancing fee' in more detail - gone are the days when the post office will readily accept forwarding by merely crossing out one address and writing in another.  Now we literally bundle up your mail and forward it in one or more packages - once you have requested that we send it on to the location of your choice.  Using this method the forwarding mail cost needs to be paid for.  The 'balancing fee' is used to cover this expense at cost. Please be assured that we only use what we have to and any unused 'balance' is returned to you on termination of the contract.  Similarly we need to cover the cost of packaging - again at cost.