{"id":141,"date":"2018-06-08T08:49:14","date_gmt":"2018-06-08T08:49:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.idealflatmate.co.uk\/flatmate-HQ\/?p=141"},"modified":"2018-10-10T10:31:32","modified_gmt":"2018-10-10T10:31:32","slug":"13-reasons-why-you-should-be-living-on-a-houseboat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/flatmate-HQ\/13-reasons-why-you-should-be-living-on-a-houseboat\/","title":{"rendered":"13 Reasons Why You Should Be Living on a Houseboat"},"content":{"rendered":"
Being able to afford to rent a flat of your own in London is, for most of us, not even an option to be considered. The only affordable possibility we have is to rent a room in a shared house or a flat. Here are 13 reasons why living on the water could float your boat\u2026\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

1. It\u2019s a Money Saver\u00a0\ud83d\udcb8<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
Whether you are renting or buying, houseboats on average are much cheaper!\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
See this one below, <\/span>for<\/span> example, the room price is only \u00a3370 per month:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Houseboat in Gravesend on Ideal Flatmate<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Also, if you\u2019re looking to invest you can buy a houseboat for less than \u00a350,000 according<\/a> to Homes and\u00a0<\/span>Property<\/span> if you know where to look.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Anything under that price may require a bit of refurbishment, but you can have a fish around on Gumtree to catch those good deals.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Keep in mind though, that there are quite a few additional costs to owning a houseboat, which can push the price up:<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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Source: The Telegraph<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

On the plus side, you don\u2019t have to waste a penny on Stamp Duty, which makes a very big difference for your savings.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

2. Being Environmentally Friendly<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n
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You can say that mother nature <\/span>ha<\/span><\/span><\/span>s no beef with you if you get a houseboat, especially if it\u2019s from a green manufacturer.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
If you fancy giving \u2018saving the planet\u2019 <\/span>a go<\/span>, I definitely recommend looking into these guys: http:\/\/www.theriverpodcompany.co.uk\/\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
At the River Pod <\/span>Company<\/span>, you can purchase a bespoke <\/span>1-bed<\/span> houseboat from only \u00a360,000. All come fully kitted out with a <\/span>solar-powered<\/span> engine, water sanitizer, and a recycled floating system. <\/span>Eco-warriors<\/span> rejoice!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

3. Breathe in the Fresh Air\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
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Put the wind in your sails as you get back to nature and breathe in that fresh river-side air!\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

4. You Can Call Yourself a CAPTAIN \u2693<\/b><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
I think we can all agree there is absolutely nothing cooler than that.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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5. Mobility\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Whether it\u2019s to move away from that annoying <\/span>neighbour<\/span> or just to go visit a friend <\/span>on<\/span> the other side of London, you can go anywhere you please with a Houseboat. If you get a big enough one, you may even be able to sail away, sail away, sail away for a weekend on the French West Coast.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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6. Being Part of a Strong Community<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
It\u2019s true we are being very optimistic about a situation that can be a last resort for many who are priced out of the property market. And if you really can\u2019t afford much, the conditions of the boat you get can make things tough.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
However<\/span>, it has been said that all the people that are in the same \u2018boat\u2019 (figuratively) form a strong community, that you can rely on.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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Crowdfunding campaign<\/a> for the UK’s first Floating Village – The Village Butty<\/em><\/div>\n

7. Sleep Like a Baby<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n
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No need to buy sleeping pills, you can let your houseboat naturally rock you to sleep every night.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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8. Become a Fisherman<\/h3>\n

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Who needs to go to the Marks and Spencer\u2019s fish section when you can get fresh fish yourself? You might even find it a fun and therapeutic activity.<\/p>\n

Careful though, you are not allowed to fish anywhere. The Evening standard<\/a> says you are allowed to go to the following around London: Clapham Common Ponds, South Norwood Lake, Alexandra Palace Boating Lake, Epping Forest and Walthamstow Reservoirs.<\/p>\n

These can change so you may need to check with your local authority regularly.<\/p>\n

9. You Have to Keep Things Light<\/h3>\n

Living on a houseboat, you won\u2019t be able to have massive furniture. You\u2019ll need to be a minimalist, which is a good thing by the way!<\/p>\n

So get rid of all those items that you keep just in case but will probably never need, and enjoy a clutter-free, less materialistic and cleaner lifestyle.<\/p>\n

Find out more about it in our article on Minimalism here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

10. Nature at Your Doorstep<\/h3>\n

Just anchor yourself next to a park. Our personal favourite location is by Victoria Park down the Hackney canal:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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No filter vibes . . . . #london #canal #hackneyroad #hackneylondon #lndn #hackneycanal #travel #nature #beauty #travellondon #london_only #londonspirit<\/a><\/p>\n

A post shared by Dean Bing<\/a> (@dean_bing) on