zugzwang Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 This is the amazing interior of a former Marks and Spencer delivery lorry converted into a HOUSE – complete with a corner bath, sliding patio doors and even a lift. The astonishing £10,000 transformation, featuring two bedrooms and two bathrooms, was completed by Iftikhar Azam, who lived in it for TWO YEARS. The 43-year-old site engineer came up with the wacky idea when he needed somewhere to live as his house sale dragged on. He bought the trailer for £3,500 four years ago before he transformed the 59 sq metre space. Iftikhar said: “I did it up to a good standard so I could live in it when I was looking for a home. “I put in a kitchen with a dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, built-in appliances, two bathrooms, two bedrooms, a living room and a lift as there was already one there to stack pallets.” http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/watch-ms-delivery-lorry-transformed-11213957 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nome Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 Given that the house itself looks more like an industrial unit the lorry trailer doesn't actually look out of place parked next to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeryMeanReversion Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 Excellent, I like to see ideas to beat the system. I wonder if he can get it moved onto the road and live in it there instead. Get a used cab so it looks like a normal lorry and get it all taxed/insured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckin2up2down Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 Mums house looks like a prefab, the difficult to mortgage type. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamLancs Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 If it cost £10,000 to retrofit a Marks & Spencer lorry then it's probably only £2500 to do up a Lidl or Aldi lorry... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janch Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 I wonder what the neighbours think? I think I'd be complaining about the house as well.....neither is pretty. What's wrong with a summer house or a caravan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Allegro Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 I wonder what the neighbours think? I think I'd be complaining about the house as well.....neither is pretty. What's wrong with a summer house or a caravan? The neighbours might not complain about a summer house but if the council got wind of it being used as a separate residence, they would prosecute. Can't have people beating the system! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMonkey Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 Fair play to him. If the game is rigged, change the rules of the game. What his neighbours do not realise is that this trailer home is not the problem, it is simply a symptom of the wider economic and social problems their community is facing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenDevil Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 Cant see why you cant park your own vehicle/van/trailer on your own or someones land with consent, tell the council egit to get stuffed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Allegro Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 Cant see why you cant park your own vehicle/van/trailer on your own or someones land with consent, tell the council egit to get stuffed. If people are prepared to move every year or so, it could be a reasonably good way to live. I am guessing it would take one to two years for the council to find out, investigate and then take legal action. There's a slum landlord in London who's been doing this with a houseboat for years - every time the council moves him on he just tows it to the next borough and the process starts again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibbon Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 I'll be converting a Luton van this year and making it as stealth as possible to live in full time. Sick of giving my landlord the majority of my salary in modern day slavery. I know a few people already living like this. When every flat is now let out on the basis of how many Poles or Romanians you can squeeze inside you either accept your standard of living either has to drop as well or look for alternative solutions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeryMeanReversion Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 I'll be converting a Luton van this year and making it as stealth as possible to live in full time. Sick of giving my landlord the majority of my salary in modern day slavery. I know a few people already living like this. When every flat is now let out on the basis of how many Poles or Romanians you can squeeze inside you either accept your standard of living either has to drop as well or look for alternative solutions. Please keep us updated and let us know how the other people you know doing it are getting on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamnumerate Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 I'll be converting a Luton van this year and making it as stealth as possible to live in full time. Sick of giving my landlord the majority of my salary in modern day slavery. I know a few people already living like this. When every flat is now let out on the basis of how many Poles or Romanians you can squeeze inside you either accept your standard of living either has to drop as well or look for alternative solutions. Good luck - although either the country is crazy or you are (I don't think it is you) for you to be doing this. Perhaps you could make a business doing this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibbon Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 Please keep us updated and let us know how the other people you know doing it are getting on. One guy I know has been in London for a few months now in a fully stealth Luton parking on normal streets close to his work and hasn't had any issues yet. He's saving to put a deposit down on a house eventually which would be impossible if he was renting. Good luck - although either the country is crazy or you are (I don't think it is you) for you to be doing this. Perhaps you could make a business doing this? Think it's just a natural regression back to the rentier system. Neo-feudalism. Being a single working age male the system wants me to work, pay rent and pay tax to be given to the feckless. I know too many teenage mums with big council houses coining it and another friend who's scamming disability to the tune of £30k a year and she's even allowed to work! Figure that one out because I can't. Think we've reached a point where you either play the system, avoid the system or get shafted by it. Here's some pics of a Luton camper conversion, better than a lot of studios I've seen: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecrashingisles Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 Trailer eh? When I was a lad we lived in a trolley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamnumerate Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 One guy I know has been in London for a few months now in a fully stealth Luton parking on normal streets close to his work and hasn't had any issues yet. He's saving to put a deposit down on a house eventually which would be impossible if he was renting. Think it's just a natural regression back to the rentier system. Neo-feudalism. Being a single working age male the system wants me to work, pay rent and pay tax to be given to the feckless. I know too many teenage mums with big council houses coining it and another friend who's scamming disability to the tune of £30k a year and she's even allowed to work! Figure that one out because I can't. Think we've reached a point where you either play the system, avoid the system or get shafted by it. Here's some pics of a Luton camper conversion, better than a lot of studios I've seen: Sadly your analysis is spot on, the sad thing is that with the current government it is a strict as it going to get for "Holy Single Parents" who must be pandered to. I think the solution is local benefits as sooner or later one council will realize that they can cut them without fear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverfinger Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 Fair play to him. If the game is rigged, change the rules of the game. What his neighbours do not realise is that this trailer home is not the problem, it is simply a symptom of the wider economic and social problems their community is facing. He's been looking for freeeeedom... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dames Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 Given that the house itself looks more like an industrial unit the lorry trailer doesn't actually look out of place parked next to it. Just for info the house type is known as a BISF house - British Iron & Steel Federation - I used to live in one , it was ex council. Essentially a steel frame ( like an industrial unit ) , render around the bottom and cladding around the top. D :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellerkat Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Just for info the house type is known as a BISF house - British Iron & Steel Federation - I used to live in one , it was ex council. Essentially a steel frame ( like an industrial unit ) , render around the bottom and cladding around the top. D :0) How did I not know that? Even has its own Wikipedia entry. (Ones on the left have been upgraded. All in fabulous Port Glasgow!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porca misèria Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Looks like a posh version of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jiltedjen Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Seems gov doesn't really want to seriously tackle beds in sheds. Perhaps because the land-owner pays council tax and gets rent. I suspect they certainly will crack down on van living, how dare you attempt freedom. I predict that in a year or two police with thermal imaging cameras will be searching the streets. van living is too much of a good idea for its popularity not to explode. especially given London rents. living in a well kitted out van (detached house) your effectively getting paid anywhere between £800-£2000 a month to live there in rent savings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habeas Domus Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 This Mercedes looks pretty sweet, even has solar panels on the roof http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-709d-1990-/252362499791?nma=true&si=yBG53lraoC3%252FHhPIVsOiQHY%252B%252Bh8%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibbon Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 This Mercedes looks pretty sweet, even has solar panels on the roof http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-709d-1990-/252362499791?nma=true&si=yBG53lraoC3%252FHhPIVsOiQHY%252B%252Bh8%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 That conversion looks amazing, mechanically I've heard they are solid as a rock far better than the modern rubbish designed by accountants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zugzwang Posted April 25, 2016 Author Share Posted April 25, 2016 Sheldon man sells M&S trailer home, has it towed away. http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/sheldon-ms-lorry-trailer-sold-11233619 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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