I ditched my expensive home to move into a caravan – I only pay £250 a month in rent but there’s a massive downside
A MAN has shared an insight into the pros and cons of living in a caravan, after moving out of his rented home.
He explained that the monthly costs are much cheaper, however, you may have to end up forking out thousands if your caravan doesn't meet certain specifications.
Ivan, decided to move into a static caravan after being served an eviction notice for the property he was renting.
He decided that the caravan would be far cheaper than looking for another home to rent, and he had the money to buy one right out, meaning that he will never face eviction again.
Ivan paid £8,000 for the caravan and is charged £3,000 a year to stay on the caravan site, which works out at £250 a month.
He revealed that this fee also includes your water bill.
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He also had to pay a one off £800 transfer fee, to transfer the caravan contract from the previous owner to himself.
To heat his home, Ivan uses a large gas canister, which is hooked up to the caravan.
The cannister cost him £85, but Ivan explained that it lasts a "really long time".
He also has electricity hooked up to the caravan, which is connected to a meter.
Ivan revealed that his caravan came fully furnished with a brand new mattress and carpets.
"I thought that was a really good deal" he said, in a video posted to his YouTube channel, Caravan Life UK.
He added that the caravan has a surprising amount of storage space.
"They design these things really cleverly, so that even the smallest amount of space can be turned into a little cupboard", he said.
"It's a very comfortable living space, with plenty of room".
Tiny Homes FAQs
The tiny house movement began in the USA before gaining popularity in the UK.
What is a tiny home?
Tiny houses are small, fully-equipped living spaces designed to lead a more sustainable, off-grid lifestyle. Although they vary in size and shape, tiny homes tend to be between 15 and 50 square metres in capacity, made of sustainable materials and are easier — and cheaper — to maintain than traditional brick homes.
Are tiny homes legal in the UK?
As long as the tiny house doesn't exceed 19.8m x 6.7m in size, it is defined as a caravan in UK law. Therefore, tiny houses are classed as legal additional living space.
Can you get a mortgage for a tiny home?
The small size and relatively low cost of tiny houses means they’re not generally considered eligible for a mortgage. However, there are plenty of options to take out a loan to fund your dreams of the perfect, moveable home.
He also has a garden space on his pitch, which he uses to grow his own vegetables, to save on his food bill.
However, Ivan revealed a huge downside to living in a caravan.
He explained that most caravan sites have a policy in the UK, whereby if your caravan is more than 20 years old, you need to remove it, and replace it with a newer model.
This has left some people forced to fork out over £40,000 to stay on their site.
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However, Ivan said that as long as your caravan is still in a good condition, and isn't an "eyesore" there is a bit of leniency with this rule.
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