julia

Time has come for me to return to land after 13 years of living on a narrowboat. But estate agents don't seem to deal with people of no fixed address who are off the grid etc. Or rather the landlords they represent don't want to know, even if they are offered 6 months rent in advance. They want proof that you pay your utility bills on time, and that your credit rating is good. To rub salt into the wound, estate agents require a £250 deposit before they take matters further and contact landlords etc. If the deal doesn't go through, ie the landlord says no, you lose that money. Seems like we liveaboards are destined to dieaboard!

I've lived on my boat for ten years using an accommodation address for banks, driving licence, insurance etc. Now my accommodation address has closed for business from August 2010. Since I started boating we have had 9/11 and it occurred to me that banks will not accept a change of address without doing all the ID and credit checks and asking for utility bills. I'm scared they - NatWest - will close my account AND keep all my money because I won't be able to prove who I am when claiming my cash over the counter - double whammy. I thought about selling my boat, renting a property and getting back to a normal life, but that also involves ID and credit checks as well as references. It seems you cannot/do not exist these days without a residential address. And how will I pay my BW mooring licence? Cardboard City beckons...

how could what happen?

where can you get one of what? you didn't say.

Does anybody have a normal (terrestial) toilet on their boat? I have a fitted toilet with a small waste outlet and a similar portable one. When you "pull the chain " - #2's remain! What is the answer?