‘Van homes’ aren’t romantic – they are proof of our horrifying housing crisis

[Rob Hammond]

A motorhome or caravan. is just a studio flat on wheels.

Is that the same as a bed sit

 

[Littlewheels]

If you are choosing to live in a Van full time out of choice that is one thing however here is a different view:

Finally, an ingenious solution to a housing crisis that is sapping the quality of life of an entire generation: the humble van. More than 21,000 Britons applied to the DVLA in the past year – a rise of almost two-thirds in two years – to convert their van into a home. These can be furnished to include a shower, a bed, cooking facilities and a seating area. Apparently, some van homes even have hot tubs. With your cosy cubby-hole on wheels, you can escape the tyranny of a private rental sector defined by rip-off rents and a lack of security and roam the British landscape, unshackled, free!Stop this – stop this immediately. This is yet another attempt to glamorise a national scandal, to dress up desperation at the inability of a wealthy society to provide one of the most basic needs of its citizens as kooky and fun. Will historians look back at this as a wacky, innovative trend, or will they write: “In 2019, citizens of the country with the sixth-biggest economy were forced to transform vehicles into places to live because of the lack of affordable housing”?

There is at least two MoHo's locally to me where the occupants are full time, these are old vans and they move around never staying more then two nights at any one spot but do re-circle between several of their locations, never leaving any mess, but it cannot be ideal if you are forced to live in a MoHo because of financial circumstance.

There was a similar thread on this very subject only a week or two ago and I understood these figures are Registered Motorhomes brand new included , 21000 self builds in one year would be going a bit particularly as the DVLA set requirements on what is termed as a Motorhome.

 

[Steve and Denise]

We used to have council houses for people who couldn't buy, but they were given away.

And then sold on for huge profits by the people who bought them very cheap.

 

[tacr2man]

And then sold on for huge profits by the people who bought them very cheap. ☹

And what did most of those that sold them use the money for ?

 

[Tony50]

At the moment we are spending a few days on a nice little site in Suffolk and at a glance there are several what appears to be full timers in various vans from caravans to a RVs.

Hope you have you Passport coming over the Border !! we love Norfolk , and live in Silly Suffolk "Silly" meaning in "Holy" During the time of the Wool trade where the rich built lots of churches,
Just another piece of unnecessary Brain Food !!

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[Larrynwin]

Hope you have you Passport coming over the Border !! we love Norfolk , and live in Silly Suffolk "Silly" meaning in "Holy" During the time of the Wool trade where the rich built lots of churches,
Just another piece of unnecessary Brain Food !!

We love Suffolk and visit often , nearly as nice as Norfolk

 

[Tony50]

All this has to be put into perspective. Where we live there are a lot of empty houses and flats owned by the local housing partnership, they built too many and there is no demand. House prices are low as well. Mate of mine is offering a two bed flat in good condition, on the market at £39,950. Not a single viewing.

Can't understand that we love Scotland , we Just hope you stay in UK

 

[Tony50]

We love Suffolk and visit often , nearly as nice as Norfolk

Oi ! just because Norwich have a better football team than Ipswich

 

[Rob Hammond]

And what did most of those that sold them use the money for ?

Next step up the ladder

 

[Larrynwin]

Oi ! just because Norwich have a better football team than Ipswich

Will be in the same league next season but Norwich a bit richer financially.

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[Campervan_man]

Years ago around December I was ''working as a contractor @ B.A.S.C.O Bournemouth Airport in an old 'G'reg Renault Trafic Camper van { Most comfortable cab seat ever BTW }.
There was 2 local caravan sites to choose from. I expected them to be empty but they were pretty much full. Most of the towing vehicles were vans with Joe Bloggs Decorating, Fred Plumbing etc. The Caravan Awnings even had laminate flooring fitted.

 

[mikebeaches]

These pictures are from the area surrounding Silicon Valley in the USA. House prices and rents spiralling out of control have made it impossible for many to even rent with less than a six figure income.


View attachment 346673View attachment 346674

Saw vans just like that around Golden Gate Park in San Francisco a few years back.

And whilst I agree that, for some/many, it is no doubt a case of necessity.

However, I also believe it is for the sense of freedom for a significant number.

And indeed, the whole 'converting a van' thing has, in some quarters, become extremely 'fashionable'.

 

[Ivory55]

When big road jobs were being done there used to be large camps of caravans housing the digger drivers etc. Don’t seem to see them now.

 

[vwalan]

When big road jobs were being done there used to be large camps of caravans housing the digger drivers etc. Don’t seem to see them now.

yes be them for road works , then on to build airport runways . or even large sewage works . if lots of labouring was needed then the workers lived in caravans ,converted coaches , trucks etc
oh i forgot building new ports for ferry or fishing etc
most never knew where they would be working next. many were irish , but there were lots of scottish ,english welsh etc all doing that kind of work.
there was also the workers for large housing estates being built . many again were the same workers just a change of job.

 

[Tony50]

The policy by the Tories to sell off council houses cheap was to encourage people to get a mortgage thereby have Debt , and what happened people could not afford to go on Strike, while all along being told how great an idea is this.

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[Figaro]

The policy by the Tories to sell off council houses cheap was to encourage people to get a mortgage thereby have Debt , and what happened people could not afford to go on Strike, while all along being told how great an idea is this.

That`s an interesting view of what was a very popular and successful policy. As for not being able to afford to go on strike, surely if they were renting they were in a similar position ?
Right to buy gave many working class people the opportunity to own their own home and carry out the improvements to it the council`s had neglected to do for many years.
Many I know were very grateful for that opportunity.

 

[Ivory55]

If you’re out of work then the social will pay your rent but not your mortgage.

 

[MyrtleGuru]

If you are choosing to live in a Van full time out of choice that is one thing however here is a different view:

Finally, an ingenious solution to a housing crisis that is sapping the quality of life of an entire generation: the humble van. More than 21,000 Britons applied to the DVLA in the past year – a rise of almost two-thirds in two years – to convert their van into a home. These can be furnished to include a shower, a bed, cooking facilities and a seating area. Apparently, some van homes even have hot tubs. With your cosy cubby-hole on wheels, you can escape the tyranny of a private rental sector defined by rip-off rents and a lack of security and roam the British landscape, unshackled, free!Stop this – stop this immediately. This is yet another attempt to glamorise a national scandal, to dress up desperation at the inability of a wealthy society to provide one of the most basic needs of its citizens as kooky and fun. Will historians look back at this as a wacky, innovative trend, or will they write: “In 2019, citizens of the country with the sixth-biggest economy were forced to transform vehicles into places to live because of the lack of affordable housing”?

There is at least two MoHo's locally to me where the occupants are full time, these are old vans and they move around never staying more then two nights at any one spot but do re-circle between several of their locations, never leaving any mess, but it cannot be ideal if you are forced to live in a MoHo because of financial circumstance.

I noticed a couple of vans that would turn up occasionally where I lived in outer London. Never caused any bother, always turned up late (presumably after work) and were gone early morning. They parked where no houses fronted onto the street, so were respectful. The local borough has now introduced resident parking permits in that location, so that's another parking spot for them that has disappeared. Enforced van living is definitely a sad reflection of the times.

 

[Paddywack]

And then sold on for huge profits by the people who bought them very cheap. ☹

Forty per cent of ex-council flats sold through right to buy are being rented out more expensively by private landlords, the Commons communities and local government select committee has found.

Right to buy puts 40% of ex-council homes in private rental - MPs' report

Forcing councils to sell off homes and extending right to buy will further profit private landlords, Commons’ committee finds

www.theguardian.com

 

[vwalan]

Forty per cent of ex-council flats sold through right to buy are being rented out more expensively by private landlords, the Commons communities and local government select committee has found.

Right to buy puts 40% of ex-council homes in private rental - MPs' report

Forcing councils to sell off homes and extending right to buy will further profit private landlords, Commons’ committee finds

www.theguardian.com

mind they were bought by council tenants and then sold . so do we blame council tenants first. the ones that sold them had to move on to some where. some one had to buy them so the ex council tenants could move on.
mind many even from nice uk houses moved to council estate type housing along the spanish sea front . the flats there are called apartments .

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[Northernraider]

you tube has glamourised this way of living ' i am 23 and mortgage free' ... no mate you are living in an LDV Convoy at the bottom of your parents garden.

He is still 23 and mortgage free

I'm 46 and mortgage free ? and I own my own home.

 

[Northernraider]

But you kept a house, with which I agree.

It gives you income now and some sort of bolt hole if you need it, with NHS entitlement if needed.

I always advise against selling up. But I have considered selling up myself to move my tax base to Andorra. But only possible with substantial capital. Meanwhile, like you, I keep the house in UK and just take the rent.

Geoff

I sold up

My house was worth £120k my mortgage was only £42k but I paid £278 pm add to that insurances etc , rental for my property would have been £425-450 PM
Having an agent or someone looking after that would have cost money

Therefore I'd maybe have got £100 a month profit if I was lucky ....that's without anything going wrong
Boiler , roof etc etc

So I sold it and banked the money
I dont have anything in storage so no monthly costs for that
Everything I own is in the van with me

If any emergency I can go stay with family

And I've money in the bank should I need to rent a place or whatever.

No ties that way

 

[PhilG]

He is still 23 and mortgage free

I'm 46 and mortgage free ? and I own my own home.

But that is saying it like its a good thing for them. It isnt.

Its one step up from living in a shed, and i bet you can probably buy an LDV for less money than a shed.

You are doing it with the cash from a house behind you by choice, not without because you dont have a choice.

The only thing with selling up , is that rather than being backed by an appreciating asset , you are now living in a depreciating one.

A friend of a friend was trying to sell me on the 'freedom' he has living in badly converted LDV with a wood burner, car park hopping about the place. I just wondered when the last time he went to the toilet and didnt have to buy a burger was.

If you are travelling and seeing the world ( even if its just a tiny bit at a time) and not having to work, then thats a decent trade off, otherwise its not for me.

 

[Steve and Denise]

Forty per cent of ex-council flats sold through right to buy are being rented out more expensively by private landlords, the Commons communities and local government select committee has found.

Right to buy puts 40% of ex-council homes in private rental - MPs' report

Forcing councils to sell off homes and extending right to buy will further profit private landlords, Commons’ committee finds

www.theguardian.com

Yes but I am sure the private landlords paid market value and not a discounted price, hence the rent has to be a realistic investment return

 

[Northernraider]

But that is saying it like its a good thing for them. It isnt.

Its one step up from living in a shed, and i bet you can probably buy an LDV for less money than a shed.

You are doing it with the cash from a house behind you by choice, not without because you dont have a choice.

The only thing with selling up , is that rather than being backed by an appreciating asset , you are now living in a depreciating one.

A friend of a friend was trying to sell me on the 'freedom' he has living in badly converted LDV with a wood burner, car park hopping about the place. I just wondered when the last time he went to the toilet and didnt have to buy a burger was.

If you are travelling and seeing the world ( even if its just a tiny bit at a time) and not having to work, then thats a decent trade off, otherwise its not for me.

I beg to differ...I'm living in a hymer I paid 18k for that's worth £25k ? it's currently an appreciating asset.

My point was you were disrespecting the fact that someone was living in a van at the bottom of their mums drive.

Why ? If they are happy good on them

Theres a housing crisis in the uk

Personally theres no way I'd pay £450 a month rent and someone else's mortgage for them
But I'm lucky I have money in the bank for a deposit so I can always buy again if I choose.


But many dont have that choice so vanlife is becoming more common

Some through no other choice, others it is a choice.
But if someone is mortgage free and living in a van they own and are happy with that good on them. They may well be working and able to save money better doing that than paying high rent costs

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[Northernraider]

Not so much a shortage of housing ( although I agree there are too few) but prices of houses are artificially too high for people to buy them, especially youngsters on stupid zero hours contracts.

Once houses are seen as homes and not investments to make huge amounts of money, then maybe more people will be able to afford them.

The only options left for people now, are renting homes or buying boats or camper vans to live in or converting their own.

I agree and unfortunately the hoarders of programmes like homes under the hammer and the kirsty and Phil ones only added to that. Encorouged loads of people to go out and buy up flats and houses at auctions etc give a quick coat of paint and clean the 30 year old carpet and rent it out to someone for maximum rent , so you have people with a portfolio of properties making a small fortune out of them which means your average Joe gets outbid when looking for a family home.

 

[Badknee]

Just found the article about tech giants building affordable homes to attract workers.

Google will build 15,000 Silicon Valley homes as part of a $15 billion project

Google is teaming up with an Australian developer to build $15 billion worth of homes, retail and hospitality spaces in Silicon Valley.

edition.cnn.com

 

[Badknee]

Is that the same as a bed sit

No.

 

[Khizzie]

We used to have council houses for people who couldn't buy, but they were given away.

We have plenty of council houses and flats in West berkshire. Most of the flats are given to "single" mothers and the house are also given to the single mothers or migrants. So if you are a married couple or in a proper partnership you are at the bottom of any social housing ladder. All this thanks to human rights signed up to by the bliar government ensure every person bar British born couples. Can have somewhere to live without paying rent... Sit back and wait for the sweet feedback now.

 

[PhilG]

I agree and unfortunately the hoarders of programmes like homes under the hammer and the kirsty and Phil ones only added to that. Encorouged loads of people to go out and buy up flats and houses at auctions etc give a quick coat of paint and clean the 30 year old carpet and rent it out to someone for maximum rent , so you have people with a portfolio of properties making a small fortune out of them which means your average Joe gets outbid when looking for a family home.

The buy to let market is on its arse now, as the recent changes in tax laws on BTL property makes it far less attractive.

My wife works in Mortgages, and folk are giving up on it big time. New BTL business is through the floor, while houses that are ex-BTL are coming to market at an alarming rate.

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