According to a recent article in KentLive News, Rosanna Irwin and Killian Connolly claim they live for 'free' in London after buying canal boat property.

After finding that their budget of £500,000 couldn’t get them the one-bed flat they needed or wanted in London they decided to change direction. As the writer Eleanor Bowyer puts it, “Exasperated by the tough housing market, the couple decided to leave dry land and opt for a more frugal life on water.”

Rosanna wasn’t quite sure this was going to be a lifestyle she wanted or not but the couple managed to snap up a £100,000 boat, which measures 60x12ft, last summer and haven't looked back. The vessel is one long room divided into a laundry room, a sitting room/kitchen, a bathroom, and a bedroom - proving to be a compact but multi-functional space.

They’ve taken the initiative to rent out their “tiny home” on the water moving into their camper van, and claim they cover their loan repayments and basically live on it for free. Along with their £100 boat licence, the pair spend just £2,500 a year in total, including on insurance and fuel, and see no reason to live in a house.

But living on the water does come with its ups and downs. As they highlight “"You need to be a certain type of person to live on a boat. We don't have a kettle or toaster, I don't use a hair dryer or straighteners.

"We just have a compost toilet, you need to be not-so squeamish. There are more jobs than a regular toilet, you don't just flush and forget about it. It's a separator toilet."

Plus you do have to be prepared to move around. Canal & River Trust tells boaters they need to move every two weeks (or sooner, depending on the mooring sign). Residential moorings are really hard to find so most people find themselves ‘Continuous Cruisers” which means you need to keep moving.

It seems a lot more people are choosing this life.  Recently, there has been a large increase in liveaboard boats, especially in a few locations.  In fact there has been a 40% increase on finance deals for homes on boats. It's not clear what the population of Liveaboard Boaters in the UK is. Information from the Residential Boat Owners Association highlights that at least 15,000 people live afloat in Great Britain. However, the National Bargee Travellers Association estimate that over 50,000 or more people are currently living on boats.

Wondering if living on a boat could be your dream life come true? Keep in mind that living on a boat comes with a whole different way of life. If you don't like to move around this will not be a situation you like. There are so many extra jobs that you need to do to maintain and run a boat. For example, collecting and moving fuel, filling your water tanks and emptying toilet tanks. A fairly significant chunk of your time will be devoted to these daily tasks, so it’s important to think about how this will affect your life.

Want to know more? Check out these two resources

Inland Waterways is a great reference to start exploring

Canal Junction can also provide you with some insight

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Does any of this sound like you?

• People wanting to see the countryside; sell the house, buy a boat and invest the rest.
• People opting out of the rat race and downshifting, especially if they can work from home.
• Anyone trying to find budget accommodation in an expensive area such as a city centre.
• People who just like canals and wanting a view of water from their window.
• Anyone wanting or needing to be mobile.

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Pros:

• Freedom
• Working anywhere
• Minimalistic lifestyle
• Life at a slower pace
• Being more environmentally friendly
• Keeping fit
• Quirky community
• Saving money
  

Cons:

• Always planning ahead
• Limited space onboard
• Lack of security
• Maintenance
• Not always environmentally friendly

How much does it really cost?  

Discover a breakdown of all the costs here

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