At a recent school reunion, I was talking to a “boy” (now 50-something) whom I had not seen for many years. “My wife and I have just moved on to a boat!” he told me, recounting with great enthusiasm the joys of this new life on the water.
I was, of course, delighted to hear of their happiness, but I’ve always been sceptical about this choice of living arrangement. I fear it would be less The Wind in the Willows and more the damp in the pillows.
It is clear, however, that my friend is far from alone. Estate agents report a rising tide of demand for houseboats. In the UK, an estimated 15,000 people are now living on the water. Some are drawn to the lifestyle; many are driven by more practical matters.
With house prices in England and Wales, on average, close to eight times a person’s yearly earnings — and more than 13 times a person’s yearly earnings in London — it’s perhaps unsurprising that the lower purchase price of a boat is so attractive.
Figures from the Canal & River Trust show the number of boats in London soaring by 84 per cent between 2012 and 2019. The trust’s Joe Coggins believes much of the growth is a result of people seeking an alternative to buying or renting on dry land.
As I write, a luxury, 46-square-metre houseboat in the fashionable Limehouse Basin Marina, between the City of London and the Docklands business district, is on the market for £225,000 (about €246,000). A similar-sized apartment overlooking the marina is more than double the price to buy and £1,600 (€1,750) a month to rent.
Lana Wrightman, of the Riverhomes agency, told Business Spotlight that houseboats are especially popular with divorcees because of the high deposit needed for a marine mortgage. “If you’re selling the family home and have a lump sum, this can be a way to a bigger home in a nice area than might otherwise be possible.”
In Scotland, the Living on Water initiative, run in partnership with government-owned Scottish Canals, is actively promoting the supply of high-quality moorings in Edinburgh and Inverness, saying: “Living in a boat offers a greener, more relaxed and more individual way of life. It can also be significantly cheaper than living on land.”
Both Coggins and Wrightman warn, however, that anyone considering a “liveaboard” should research the full cost involved in mooring and maintenance. As Coggins says: “You’ve really got to embrace the lifestyle because having a boat can be a part-time job in itself.”