Newspaper article 'Living on a London houseboat isn't all it's cracked up to be - there's far too much sewage involved'

[nbfiresprite]

With summer on the horizon there's a new plague facing the thousands of people living on London's canals.

An endless stream of sycophantic articles 'explaining' just how fantastic and cheap living on a houseboat is.

Except they're usually written from the safety of a warm, dry, non-floating office. Crucially, they're always near a mains plug and flushing toilet.

They paint the picture that living on a boat is a cheap and fun way to live in London.

An easy-living 'hack' where you can get a front-row seat to a beautiful treasure of London's industrial past.

And they couldn't be further from the truth.

 

https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/living-london-houseboat-no-paradise-20418341?fbclid=IwAR1WkqhYdFsb2FzWiCWUS6S8HFZdYt8syr1__BbcnVwPO8qL01MEOC3uZUI

 

 

 

Edited April 22 by nbfiresprite

[Mike Todd]

1 hour ago, nbfiresprite said:

With summer on the horizon there's a new plague facing the thousands of people living on London's canals.

An endless stream of sycophantic articles 'explaining' just how fantastic and cheap living on a houseboat is.

Except they're usually written from the safety of a warm, dry, non-floating office. Crucially, they're always near a mains plug and flushing toilet.

They paint the picture that living on a boat is a cheap and fun way to live in London.

An easy-living 'hack' where you can get a front-row seat to a beautiful treasure of London's industrial past.

And they couldn't be further from the truth.

 

https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/living-london-houseboat-no-paradise-20418341?fbclid=IwAR1WkqhYdFsb2FzWiCWUS6S8HFZdYt8syr1__BbcnVwPO8qL01MEOC3uZUI

 

 

 

Equally one-sided, if from the opposite side!

[Mad Harold]

2 hours ago, Mike Todd said:

Equally one-sided, if from the opposite side!

But somewhere in the middle lies the truth!

As more people seem to want to live on a boat,or buy one for a staycation,used boat prices have risen.Just when I was thinking of buying a newer boat.

I could I suppose,take a gamble and sell my boat while prices are strong,and wait until winter before looking for another,as I am guessing that used boat prices may come down when new boaters find that boating is not all it's cracked up to be and want to sell up.

Well,I can hope.  ?

[Theo]

The more articles like this that there are the better.  Perhaps it will dissuade a few potential "livie in London Cheaply" people.

 

N

[Hudds Lad]

3 minutes ago, Mad Harold said:

But somewhere in the middle lies the truth!

As more people seem to want to live on a boat,or buy one for a staycation,used boat prices have risen.Just when I was thinking of buying a newer boat.

I could I suppose,take a gamble and sell my boat while prices are strong,and wait until winter before looking for another,as I am guessing that used boat prices may come down when new boaters find that boating is not all it's cracked up to be and want to sell up.

Well,I can hope.  ?

 

I’ve a feeling in about 18months or whenever hols abroad open up properly there’ll be a glut of boats on the market, but they will be a mix of half-arsed abandoned projects from DIY enthusiasts who didn’t realise what was involved and overpriced perfectly good boats that have been live-laugh-loved to within an inch of their life  

[LadyG]

When I was young and adaptable I lived in various rented places, but the final straw was one that had a lovely walled garden but no means of heating, there was a fireplace but the fumes exhausted in to the flat above, so neighbours were not keen on the fire.

I bought a new house, the mortgage was half the cost of the rented place, but it was pretty basic, a fireplace, one cheapo kitchen worktop, and that was it, the Baxi fire did not work either , so I installed a gas fire and an immersion element, to make sure I could still have a bath every week, whether I needed it or not.

[Mike Todd]

15 hours ago, Theo said:

The more articles like this that there are the better.  Perhaps it will dissuade a few potential "livie in London Cheaply" people.

 

N

But it is a delicate balance. If everyone is put off using the canals (or just too many) then they will simply be abandoned for navigation by a future government wanting to say money, for other priorities. Of course, some would say that we just need more of the 'right' boaters. On the other hand, non-moving boats do not add to the maintenance budget like others f us might do but still pay the same licence so ought to be welcomed, as long as a way is found for long lines of moored boats to be avoided.

[Jerra]

4 hours ago, Mike Todd said:

But it is a delicate balance. If everyone is put off using the canals (or just too many) then they will simply be abandoned for navigation by a future government wanting to say money, for other priorities. Of course, some would say that we just need more of the 'right' boaters. On the other hand, non-moving boats do not add to the maintenance budget like others f us might do but still pay the same licence so ought to be welcomed, as long as a way is found for long lines of moored boats to be avoided.

Providing they are moored close to a water point and elsan/pumpout station, otherwise they need a canal they can cruise on to get there.

[magpie patrick]

On 23/04/2021 at 09:49, Mike Todd said:

But it is a delicate balance. If everyone is put off using the canals (or just too many) then they will simply be abandoned for navigation by a future government wanting to say money, for other priorities. Of course, some would say that we just need more of the 'right' boaters. On the other hand, non-moving boats do not add to the maintenance budget like others f us might do but still pay the same licence so ought to be welcomed, as long as a way is found for long lines of moored boats to be avoided.

The distance between your scenario and where we are is vast! 

[Mike Todd]

15 hours ago, magpie patrick said:

The distance between your scenario and where we are is vast! 

Not so vast for it not to be suggested by some . . . 

[Murflynn]

On 22/04/2021 at 17:57, LadyG said:

When I was young and adaptable I lived in various rented places, but the final straw was one that had a lovely walled garden but no means of heating, there was a fireplace but the fumes exhausted in to the flat above, so neighbours were not keen on the fire.

I bought a new house, the mortgage was half the cost of the rented place, but it was pretty basic, a fireplace, one cheapo kitchen worktop, and that was it, the Baxi fire did not work either , so I installed a gas fire and an immersion element, to make sure I could still have a bath every week, whether I needed it or not.

 

.......................   and your point is?  

[Alan de Enfield]

4 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

 

.......................   and your point is?  

 

Her point being that in the old days she didn't always moan about being 'done-over'.

She gives an example, in that having bought a new house, when the Baxi didn't work, she didn't get the builder back in, or refuse to pay him, she just kept quiet and installed a gas fire.