R K Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26964724 Interesting idea, nice people. Unfortunately in the UK due to the rentier land model you'd be treated like a Gypsy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honkydonkey Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 Pretty good documentary on it here: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montesquieu Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 (edited) For once the UK is way ahead of the Californians http://www.sloughexpress.co.uk/News/All-Areas/Slough/Clampdown-continues-on-sheds-with-beds-09042014.htm http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2277443/Rogue-landlords-create-sheds-beds-illegally-house-migrant-families.html Edited April 12, 2014 by montesquieu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pindar Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 The political elite and their minions really are a nasty bunch of hypocrites. They claim to want to see an end to homelessness yet they make the purging of "sheds with beds" a political crusade. Would they prefer that people sleep on the streets one wonders? I think it's more likely that local scumbag councils are furious that they're missing out on all that lovely council tax lucre. After all, they must maintain their gold plated pensions and inflated salaries for non-jobs somehow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ah-so Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 The political elite and their minions really are a nasty bunch of hypocrites. They claim to want to see an end to homelessness yet they make the purging of "sheds with beds" a political crusade. Would they prefer that people sleep on the streets... Are you Nicholas van Hoogstraten? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pindar Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 (edited) Are you Nicholas van Hoogstraten? Well the point is, the local government communists who appear to so despise anybody surviving off their radar are offering no viable alternative. It appears that they resent the fact that a bunch of people have managed to evade extortionate house prices and municipal tax rates and wish to work for a living without lining the pockets of parasites and government officials. If the concern were genuine, they would also seek to forcibly remove the hoards of beggars and roma itinerants from various town and cities - after all they too are not lining the pockets of council officials - sorry - contributing the local government finances. They feign concern for inhospitable housing yet they completely fail to provide any affordable alternative, given the open door immigration policy of central government and the needs of businesses to remain competitive. Edited April 12, 2014 by Pindar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Economic Exile Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 The political elite and their minions really are a nasty bunch of hypocrites. They claim to want to see an end to homelessness yet they make the purging of "sheds with beds" a political crusade. Would they prefer that people sleep on the streets one wonders? I think it's more likely that local scumbag councils are furious that they're missing out on all that lovely council tax lucre. After all, they must maintain their gold plated pensions and inflated salaries for non-jobs somehow. I think this is the reason for the purge. Personally, like many people, I would love to live in a tiny house on my own land as I just don't need the space of even a small conventional house any more. However, as HPC members know, we are not allowed to be self sufficient and find a way of living within our means. I doubt planners would allow a tiny house design and also it would be the lowest council tax band which would be frowned upon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pindar Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 I think this is the reason for the purge. Personally, like many people, I would love to live in a tiny house on my own land as I just don't need the space of even a small conventional house any more. However, as HPC members know, we are not allowed to be self sufficient and find a way of living within our means. I doubt planners would allow a tiny house design and also it would be the lowest council tax band which would be frowned upon! The exact same scenario existed in the late 1990s and the media vilified them then as "New Age Travellers". I would happily live in a Winnebago or a large shed - unfortunately, mere existence is taxed, crushed and beaten into submission by a brutal and greedy system of taxation and rigged capitalism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Economic Exile Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 The exact same scenario existed in the late 1990s and the media vilified them then as "New Age Travellers". I would happily live in a Winnebago or a large shed - unfortunately, mere existence is taxed, crushed and beaten into submission by a brutal and greedy system of taxation and rigged capitalism. Yes I remember the New Age Travellers. Found a lot of recent stuff on net about people living and travelling in their campervans picking up workk here and there so I guess people are still embracing this way of life but keeping under the radar. Good luck to them I say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 I think this is the reason for the purge. Personally, like many people, I would love to live in a tiny house on my own land as I just don't need the space of even a small conventional house any more. However, as HPC members know, we are not allowed to be self sufficient and find a way of living within our means. I doubt planners would allow a tiny house design and also it would be the lowest council tax band which would be frowned upon! You could rent someone's drive for a few pounds a week (good security for home-owner) and work their garden to share the produce between yourselves. win.win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honkydonkey Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 44k winnebago and a 20k plot of land and you'd live like a king for 64k with several acres of nice countryside. We can dream can't we.... I can see why so many older Americans sell up and live this life, it's because they can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmic Apple Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 would be the lowest council tax band which would be frowned upon! Even that isn't cheap. I lived in a Band A house and I think it was around £70 a month with single persons discount. This was 2003-2007. Nice idea but I'm not sure I could do it in a country where its damp, windy and cold outside for 9months of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
long time lurking Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 You could rent someone's drive for a few pounds a week (good security for home-owner) and work their garden to share the produce between yourselves. win.win. A mate does that for a small business in exchange for their washing/shower facilities and electric for the night,great for them and the company but not to good for the night watchman the sacked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R K Posted April 13, 2014 Author Share Posted April 13, 2014 Pretty good documentary on it here: Thanks! Enjoyed that. Ended up going off at a bit of a tangent though I think from the original Tiny Homes in the US, where the objective appears to radically cut costs and avoid the 'debt' burden to living in tiny apartments in expensive cities. One interesting comment in the US being that McMansions are the anomaly, not small houses. Driven initially by the housing industry in the 70s needing to increase sales and so getting the politicians to change the building code to increase the size of the product. i.e. bigger homes. Contrast that with the UK where developers for the last 20 years or so have been doing the opposite by building smaller homes to increase profits by leveraging the value of their land banks. So you end up with a smaller home for more money not mortgage free for less money. The other point which seemed to be a theme (but with the odd exception) was that most of the people interviewed were either young & single, else retired & single. Once you're living with someone else or have kids, the requirement for space seems to grow almost exponentially. Also the more house you have, the more stuff you need to maintain it. I think living in a small space but looking out on and having immediate access to open countryside is one thing and perfectly doable, but living in a tiny space in a major city looking out onto brick walls, traffic, few trees and no horizon must be soul destroying. I wouldn't choose to spend my life that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 (edited) I think living in a small space but looking out on and having immediate access to open countryside is one thing and perfectly doable, but living in a tiny space in a major city looking out onto brick walls, traffic, few trees and no horizon must be soul destroying. I wouldn't choose to spend my life that way. This ^ is how l see it......a small place is a very big place when the place around, all that you can see is a place you can walk upon, enjoy, view and benefit from.......what more do you need than a bed a chair and a place to cook and eat.......freedom is what is beyond ownership. Edit to add....that is why many people love to live near the sea, but it can quite easily be a hill or a mountain. Edited April 13, 2014 by winkie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbeth79 Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 (edited) Edited April 13, 2014 by macbeth79 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R K Posted April 18, 2014 Author Share Posted April 18, 2014 This ^ is how l see it......a small place is a very big place when the place around, all that you can see is a place you can walk upon, enjoy, view and benefit from.......what more do you need than a bed a chair and a place to cook and eat.......freedom is what is beyond ownership. Edit to add....that is why many people love to live near the sea, but it can quite easily be a hill or a mountain. Spot on yep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honkydonkey Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 (edited) There is a part of this documentary Scandimania where he see's Ikea's flatpack housing, it's a good documentary worth a watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZIK5plHg4w 23:00 for the specific part but documentary worth a watch. Also this is part 1/3 so click the youtube button and you'll get the other two parts. Edited April 18, 2014 by honkydonkey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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