Hi my name is Joanne I'm a widower of 6 yrs and on jobseeker.

I have to sell my hyondi kona 2021 model ,but it needs service first. but I need your help too.!

People often rely on professional survey reports and information provided the sellers when making major purchases.

I did the same_believing these safeguards were meant to protect buyers of houseboats,boats.

I didn't realize the sellers wre suposed to supply a sale report instead of an insurance survey report,which would have included more detailed information.

In April 2025,during Australia's housing crisis,I invested most of my savings into buying a houseboat so I would have a secure place to live.I relied on proffessional information belived I could trust. and a folder filled with the houseboat information provided by sellers.

That trust was betrayed.

Critical problems were concealed or minimised one of the most serious was that the houseboat did not have a legally required greywater tank,which marina law requires.This was not disclosed by the sellers and was not identified in the survey report.

The houseboat had been kept at the marina for 4 years without one meaning it should never have been sold in its existing condition.

The houseboat was in far worse condition than disclosed with serious issues hidden or down played.

What I believed was a safe home has become a financial and emotional disaster.

My savings were wiped out I was been unable to properly restart my small dog grooming business as I now need to relocate again after spending money on business insurance and advertising after relocating to goolwa.

Legal advice indicates I have a strong case _ but justice is not free.

To move forward,I urgently need:

As I have spoken out, and I have done my research ,obtained legal advice.I have learned this is not an isolated case .Poor oversight and inadequate disclosure in parts of the boating industry are putting people at risk of serious financial harm_

Particularly those already vunerable with the housing crisis and the cost of living.

see photos .

The last 6 yrs have been extremely challenging for me .

Since losing my husband suddenly in December 2019, I have faced Grief,complex legal and organizational procedures, bureaucracy, and dishonest individuals. Detailing every moment would take too long, so I’ll move ahead to April 2024.

but here a summary :

• In May 2023, I finally underwent gastric bypass surgery, though it took 18 months longer than anticipated.

• I was diagnosed with ADHD, traits of Borderline Personality Disorder, and PTSD.

• I've faced anxiety and depression for many years. My most recent episode of depression overwhelmed me in 2018, following my father's passing from cancer in 2017.

• In 2023, I had to sell my home because I couldn't return to work at my dog grooming business and had depleted more savings than I'd planned.

• After selling my house in September 2023, I moved in with my big brother. The plan was to wait 12 months, secure a job, and then purchase a new home.

Things didn't go to plan and I needed a place of my own. I couldn't get home loan even with large deposit and good credit rating Home start turned me down .reason being They say I spend to much on clothes and grosseries .I have gone from size 24 to size 10 in last 3 yrs so of course I had to replace my wardrobe as I lost weight.

I have new diet and suppliments to follow.

I explained all this to home start .The responce was to qualify for home loan you must be able to afford it on only your centrelink payment.not use your savings to top up when needed.

I had every intention of rebooting my dog grooming busisness and obtain part time work while doing this .but needed a home first.

Because Homestart turned me down I had to find another solution

I considered houseboats as an alternative for both living and rebooting my mobile dog grooming business, 'The Fur Factor Mobile Dog Grooming.'

• Find me on Facebook if you're interested.

• Joanne Gray, The Fur Factor

This is why I need your help to correct a major injustice that occurred .

When I bought a houseboat on 3 April 2025 after seeing it and the seller at the houseboat that was advertised on Facebook. They had a detailed folder on the houseboat, and an insurance survey completed form done by Nick louis. .dated 20/03/2025

I found out after buying the houseboat that a greywater tank is legally required to stay moored at the marina by the Coorong Quays Management printing out the requirements giving them to me. As I live on board most of the time. The cost will be around $7000 to comply with this.

And since I have been staying on the houseboat the first 4 months, I have had water from rain coming into bedroom from window and possibly from antennae cord inside wall cavity causing water damage to interior wall. The outside cladding is splitting away, I can see now where they have tried to repair issues with claddy before but it’s all coming away exposing interior to water damage electric could be at risk. I paid $160,000 believing survey to be correct and as it was only done the month before theses issues should not be happening to the houseboat so soon.

I have spoken to Nick louis, and he says he can’t be held accountable as he has a wavier at the end of his report. And that the responsibility, accountability lies with me for not getting a pre purchase report done or for the previous owners not getting a pre-sale survey done. But I believe he has misled me by passing the houseboat as seaworthy stated all recommended repairs have been done. And ticked ok for everything else but no mention of the houseboat not having a grey water tank in the survey. Which it should have been mentioned and told to install one before selling houseboat.

UPDATE: ON MORE MISLEADINGS WITH SURVEY REPORT.BY NICK LOUIS. TO COME.

I have on numerous times spoken to previous owners about the cladding watering getting in windows and when I first heard about greywater tank requirements I informed them, they said they would work something out. But they said they tried solve the greywater problem but couldn't get around having to have a greywater tank installed and now they haven’t even offer to pay for the greywater tank saying they didn’t know that they shouldn’t have sold houseboat without it, yet they have been living on the maria at Coorong Quays for last 3 to 4 years?

I now now they did Know about needed a greywater tank because they have sold a houseboat before this one. I have done my research on marina riverboat houseboat law and legislations. And found out the older built houseboats were given a reasonable time to get greywater insulations that meet requirements on how the boat or houseboat is being used.2015 they all had to be upgraded to meet the requirements for catching all greywater and store and dispose of properly. both nick louis surveys state the houseboat meets all requirements when it doesn't.

Trying to move to new marina this last February the captain and I discovered the motor that was stated in good condition on survey report was in fact far from it. It cost me $2300 to have it fixed, and it had to be slipped to do the work. And remove bad petrol from motor and fuel tank. Because of this the mechanic noted how bad the rust and corrosion are under the boat. Rust being more that 12mounth old 2 or more yrs really. The South Coast marine service centre mechanic has written about it including all work that had to be done in invoice

I believe that they deliberately mislead me in the sale of this houseboat.

Example from survey report

• Quote All defects noted when slipped have been attended too. Hulls fully checked and repairs made as required epoxy tar repainted.

The vessel has been inspected at various stages of haul out and as worked progressed on sand blasting epoxy coating.

Here’s the real conditions

• Extreme corrosions rust crumbling brackets support beams, only half painted on the outside of brackets. Rust on where motor is attached too. more than 2 or 3 yrs old.

Now report on motor by surveyor Nick Louis

• Yamaha model 60hp serial no:1025065 built 2015.

• Quote Nick Louis 20/3/25

• ”motor in very good condition”.

Here’s the real condition.

Motor has never been service or maintained by previous Owners.

I have Spoken to lawyer in Hindmarsh I have a strong case against them I just need your help with the legal costs and urgent houseboat repairs. Just for repairs under the houseboat could cost up to $50,000.

not to mention legal fees court fees to get this through court .

By helping me at this time you would be helping to prevent anyone else like me falling into this kind of trap.

I recently emailed a current affair about my story hoping they will act on my story and make the public aware of the requirments in buying a housboat for a home.and the real costs involved.

depending on court

outcome.And after repairs to housboat and bills paid .any money I received through go fund me I will forward onto other go fund me causes.

As you can probably imagine all this has had a real negative affect on my mental health so much so I have had 2 medical exemptions with Centrelink and my doctor has increased my anxiety medication and my ADHD medication.

Please help me if you can, get justice to be able to save my home (houseboat) and start living again .

thank you all.

Joanne Gray

thought I share a photo of myself with a friend .After showing how bad my houseboat is in previous photos should end with keep trying to smile.