Bricks & Mortar.

[FRUGAL MASTER]

For years now I have thought about an alternative to living in a house , from living in a narrow boat , mobile home or whatever alternative from being caught in the mortgage trap .
DO any dtlaners have any experience in doing this .
Thanks Peter.

[Totally Scrambled]

My Father in Law lives in a mobile home and although they are cheaper than an equivalent sized house to buy you do have to be careful. The plot you either rent to put it on or that it is on already has to be a residential plot and not a holiday plot. If it isn't a residential one you would have to vacate it for a period during the year, depending on the agreement. Also you have to ensure you have a written site agreement laying down the site rules and what you are/aren't allowed to do.
Although you may be mortgage free there are extra expenses over and above Council tax and utilities.
There are site fees that are around £2,500 a year usually payable in one lump but you might occasionally be able to pay monthly.
Often you have to pay the owners for the electricity you use rather than a Utility company, although they cannot charge you more than they pay for it. If you have Gas it will probably be in cylinders which are about £60 pound a pop.
In a nutshell, cheaper to buy but have a shorter life than a house. No mortgage but site fees that aren't much less that a mortgage for a similar priced house/flat.
If you decide to sell it the site owners are allowed to charge you a fee of 10% of the sale price.
Hope that's some help.
Dom

[FRUGAL MASTER]

Thanks Dom ,,
Some of the converted narrow boats look the bis too ! but I suppose like the mobile homes , there are overheads to take into consideration too ....
oh well , thanks....

[redoak]

I've been living in a converted van most of the time for the last 5 years. It's not ideal but also not too bad really. Can be quite cosy, and sure does keep the bills down. A little chilly in the mornings sometimes (when it's -8
Hoping one day to build a house but that's still a way off yet.

[FRUGAL MASTER]

Hi Redoak ,
You keep yourself warm , and focus on that day ,
I,m a Sussex lad too , and one day I will have that cottage too

[Totally Scrambled]

Although I live in Kent now I was raised in Sussex, just outside Mayfield.
Dom

[redoak]

Cheers Peter - it's a little difficult sometimes but gotta keep trying
My previous piece of land was at Five Ashes Dom, I'm not very far from there now.

Marc

[FRUGAL MASTER]

Hi Dom ,
Yeh , I love kent too , got a relative who has just moved from Dungerness to Ashford

[Totally Scrambled]

My previous piece of land was at Five Ashes Dom, I'm not very far from there now.

Marc

Went to school in Five Ashes. Skippers Hill
Dom

[redoak]

Really, my land was in Stonehurst Lane, half a mile away

[FRUGAL MASTER]

Small world , as they say

[FRUGAL MASTER]

Not far from Uckfield

[Totally Scrambled]

They still got the T shaped road signs over the River Uck so that people can't add an extra letter
Dom

[FRUGAL MASTER]

[Mo]

Several of my musician friends live on narrow boats. You have to pay a licence to British Waterways and they have rules about moorings. Someone in Leicestshire couldn't get a licence unless they had a mooring (I think they wanted a cruising licence, but they had to have a private mooring to keep it when not cruising).
Friends who I see near the Shropshire Union who live on the boat, one had a business making fenders and had a residential licence, but others had to take off for a trip now and then, they have just managed to get a residential mooring. Not sure if it's different on different canals. This site may help.
One friend finds that the damp atmosphere on the canal doesn't help his asthma.

Good luck.