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Use boats to ease housing crisis, minister says

 
Local authorities should encourage residents to live on boats to ease Britain’s lack of affordable housing, the Housing Minister has said

Grant Shapps said that boats with residential moorings could be used to allow people to live in areas of the country where they could not afford to do so otherwise. Around 15,000 people live on the UK’s waterways and many more “would like to do so”, the minister said. Half the population lives within five miles of one of Britain’s waterways.

 

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Are they having a laugh. Do they have any idea of the yearly cost of moorings? You have to buy a houseboat which have shot up in value over the last 10 years and then pay mooring costs which can be hundreds a week.

I had protester mates who lived on boats which were theirs or belonged to mates but they had to squat the moorings as they couldn't afford the charges. I may be wrong but I'm sure they were told at the time that HB did not cover the cost of moorings

FM

What will they come out with next!!  Do they have no advisors before they release these

'political proclamations??

The politicians who run this country are truly pathetic ~ they haven't a clue ~ its a worry.

Aquarius
Originally Posted by Veggieburger:

Are they having a laugh. Do they have any idea of the yearly cost of moorings? You have to buy a houseboat which have shot up in value over the last 10 years and then pay mooring costs which can be hundreds a week.

I had protester mates who lived on boats which were theirs or belonged to mates but they had to squat the moorings as they couldn't afford the charges. I may be wrong but I'm sure they were told at the time that HB did not cover the cost of moorings

that's right veggie,don't know the situation now,but moorings didn't count legally as accomodation rental so weren't eligible. There was a way round it, but some of the waterways authorities weren't willing to reword agreements so people in those areas were snookered!

FM
Originally Posted by Aquarius:

What will they come out with next!!  Do they have no advisors before they release these

'political proclamations??

The politicians who run this country are truly pathetic ~ they haven't a clue ~ its a worry.

It is worrying.  Used to be all spin, no substance,now even the spin is a bit rubbish ! 

Hope you're well!

FM
Originally Posted by Slinkiwitch x:
that's right veggie,don't know the situation now,but moorings didn't count legally as accomodation rental so weren't eligible. There was a way round it, but some of the waterways authorities weren't willing to reword agreements so people in those areas were snookered!


Thanks Slinki, yep that's what I thought. I used to have loads of mates who squatted all over London but they never squatted the houseboats - just the moorings.

In London, around Camden and Hackney the moorings were extortionate in the early and mid 90s, way over 100 quid a week plus you then got hit for council tax let alone the cost of the boats.

Hence squatting the moorings.

I've been told that around where I grew up (Teddington, Twickenham etc) the moorings can cost 500 quid a week but I don't know if that's true

FM
Originally Posted by Slinkiwitch x:
Originally Posted by Aquarius:

What will they come out with next!!  Do they have no advisors before they release these

'political proclamations??

The politicians who run this country are truly pathetic ~ they haven't a clue ~ its a worry.

It is worrying.  Used to be all spin, no substance,now even the spin is a bit rubbish ! 

Hope you're well!


 

 

Slinky.  Substance?  They don't know the meaning of the word.  They insult our intelligence with comments like this.  Build more flippin houses would be the answer.

And I'm really well  atm thanks.  Hope you are too.

Aquarius
Originally Posted by Veggieburger:
Originally Posted by Slinkiwitch x:
that's right veggie,don't know the situation now,but moorings didn't count legally as accomodation rental so weren't eligible. There was a way round it, but some of the waterways authorities weren't willing to reword agreements so people in those areas were snookered!


Thanks Slinki, yep that's what I thought. I used to have loads of mates who squatted all over London but they never squatted the houseboats - just the moorings.

In London, around Camden and Hackney the moorings were extortionate in the early and mid 90s, way over 100 quid a week plus you then got hit for council tax let alone the cost of the boats.

Hence squatting the moorings.

I've been told that around where I grew up (Teddington, Twickenham etc) the moorings can cost 500 quid a week but I don't know if that's true

Round the Hampton Court Molesey area...it's about £5,000 upwards depending on the size of the boat and the mooring space they take up.....there are some palaces on the water there, they must cost an arm and a leg...without the half million you'd pay for a decent sized houseboat

Kaytee

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