About Us

This is the website of the new OPLAC organisation, set up by and run in the interests of customers of the Port of London Authority, specifically River Works Licence holders (licensed moorings along the Thames downstream of Teddington lock).

Who are we?

Membership is open to any PLA mooring licence holder, including single boat owners, not for profit marinas and commercial marinas. This organisation is run by the members.

What do we do?

We promote the sharing of information on licence terms and conditions and fees, in order to make the PLA’s periodic reviews of individuals river works fee increases more open and fair, and less one-sided.

We keep a list of recommended surveyors and experts.

We provide free information on arbitration and on the Port of London Act. We are currently investigating the imposition of VAT by the PLA upon block licences (which is likely to be extended to individual licences shortly).

What is our history?

We have just been set up with the assistance and support of Thistleworth Marine Ltd, a not for profit marina owned by its residents. After facing a threatened 115% increase in our licence fees, only 5 years after accepting a 50% increase, Thistleworth Marina went to arbitration with the PLA. To our knowledge this is the first time a residential licence holder has gone to arbitration. The PLA were forced to withdraw their increase entirely and we were awarded our costs. We realised that most licence holders are intimidated by the costs of arbitration and handicapped by their lack of knowledge of what other licence holders pay.

What do we want?

What we are asking from the PLA in all their dealings on the Thames is -

1. Fairness (in pricing and rule application)

2. Transparency (no confidentiality clauses or special secret deals )

3. Protection from arbitrary and massive fee increases

4. Appropriate regulation, ideally an Ombudsman, to remove the worst practices of the PLA

5. To encourage river use and make it accessible to the people from all walks of life

How do I join?

You can become a founder member now! Just click 'Join us' in the left menu column. Our members do include non river works licence holders too. If you have a licence issued by the Port of London Authority for river works, be it residential, commercial, a large marina or a single boat, you are encouraged to join*. We will ask you for measurements of your boat(s), your annual fee, your review date and (optionally) a copy of your licence. This information will be shared with all the other members who have provided the same information – you finally get to see what everyone else is paying! There is an annual fee of £20 to cover incidental costs and to provide a small fund for research and for obtaining and sharing professional advice.

*If you live on a boat but your marina owner holds the licence please encourage them to join.

What next?

Join us here.

Join our private mailing list/forum - click here