Frequently Asked Questions...

If you are a Hut Owner in the Southend Area go to the "Join" page and download a Membership Form.  Full details appear on the form. The cost is £20 for a three year period.

Yes, please see our Huts for Sale page.  Huts are also often on the books of local estate agents.

We suggest you walk along the huts to decide if you want a hut on the beach, stilts, the prom by Uncle Toms or East Beach.

Note the number range of the huts you would be interested in purchasing and drop us a message.

Someone from SBHOA will contact you and advise if there are sellers on the register that meet your criteria, if not your details will be added to the register and we'll keep you updated if we become aware of a hut coming on the market.

You'll own the structure & contents, but the ground it stands on belongs to the Council and is held on a leasehold basis by the hut owner in return for an annual ground rent.

Yes. you can buy a season ticket from the council that currently allows you to park in a named car park or those in a certain zone.  The 'Southend Pass' is also available which allows 3 hours daily parking in each zone for a regular payment.

You can find out more information on both options on the Council Website.

All hut leases at Thorpe Bay & Shoebury Common ran out on 31/12/14 and continue to roll forward as the position on flood defences and village green has evolved. The Council have stated their intention to issue new leases for a duration of 7 years.. This period is a technicality to avoid the need to register the lease with HM Land Registry which we would have to if it was for any longer.

We continue to stay in contact with the council to understand when the next round of hut renewals will begin and aim to ensure the process is fair to hut owners.

This varies depending on the size of the hut and whereabouts it is. There are 4 charge bands, the most expensive being from the yacht club to St Augustines Ave. Next is from St Augustines Ave to Lynton Rd & from the yacht club to Maplin Way. The huts on the promenade at Shoebury Common up to the Ness Rd slipway are third , and the cheapest ones are those round the corner without a sea view. The prices range from around £250 to £650 per annum and these prices may well rise with the new leases. Ground rent is due annually from 1st January, and you can opt to pay by Direct Debit in 4 quarterly installments.

Yes, beach huts are subject to National Non Domestic Rates (NNDR). They run from April to March annually and you can opt to pay in two 6-monthly installments. Each hut is individually rated so the amount depends on the size & location like the rent does. Because the rate is non domestic, you can claim Small Business Rate Relief as long as you're not doing so on another property. The saving is currently 100% so it's worthwhile and all you need do is submit an application to the Council on a very simple form.

In theory there is if the existing lease was registered with them. They should be advised using a special set of their forms, including a form TR1 instead of a "Deed of "Assignment". There is a charge, and a Solicitor or Licensed Conveyancer needs to be involved. But as all of the current leases expire 31/12/14 & the replacements will not require registration, many hut Purchasers decide it is not worth involving LR for the short time remaining.

There aren't many insurance companies who offer cover for Beach huts but there are some such as Love Your Hut, James Hallam and Towergate Insurance.  

You can find the full rules of the association here.