A dispute over mooring fees for an 80-foot Dutch houseboat has escalated into a £320,000 court battle between two members of the Greenwich Yacht Club.
Stefan Oloffs, a former cruiser captain, is being sued by Commodore Richard Phillips for an alleged "public campaign of harassment" that has caused Phillips significant distress and embarrassment. Phillips is seeking £20,000 in damages and claims he could incur up to £300,000 in legal fees. Oloffs denies the allegations and is seeking to have the claim struck out, calling it "wholly unnecessary" and motivated by a desire for "recrimination and financial oppression."
The conflict reportedly began in June 2023 when Phillips, who runs a health service software firm, relocated his barge, Verandering, to London with the intention of selling it. Oloffs is alleged to have accused Phillips of "underpaying" mooring fees for the vessel.
According to Phillips' legal team, Oloffs launched a "deliberate and malicious" public campaign of allegations, including claims that Phillips had misused his position within the club to avoid hefty fees. These allegations were allegedly published on a WhatsApp group with 230 members and a website dubbed "Barge-gate," as well as a formal complaint to the Port of London Authority.
Phillips' barrister, Mariyam Kamil, stated that Phillips was forced to defend himself to fellow club members, facing criticism and questioning. She asserted that the allegations made by Oloffs were false and known to be false by the defendant.
However, Oloffs' legal counsel, David Hirst, argued that the claim should be viewed within the context of existing disagreements between the two men. Hirst also stated that Oloffs had previously offered an apology to Phillips and agreed to cease any conduct targeting him. Oloffs stopped his public campaign in February 2024 following a formal complaint.
An internal investigation into the mooring fee allegations reportedly exonerated Phillips of any wrongdoing. Despite this, Oloffs was expelled from the Greenwich Yacht Club in 2024. The expulsion came after a hearing presided over by Phillips himself, and Oloffs has an appeal pending.
Phillips stood down from his commodore post earlier this year. The Greenwich Yacht Club, founded in 1908, has over 400 members and is located on the river, approximately three miles downriver from Tower Bridge.
Mrs. Justice Hill at London's High Court has reserved her decision on whether to strike out the harassment claim against Oloffs.