A WOMAN has shared a glimpse into her new static caravan life after having lived in flats and houses her whole life.
TikToker Katrina said that she forked out an eye-watering £26,000 for her new home, where she plans on staying most of the year.
2
2
Before this, Katrina had been spending a whopping £1,000 in rent – but managed to save the huge sum for the static caravan, adding she also ”did well with some stocks and shares” to help with the funds.
Katrina, whose site is located in the South of the country, explained that she pays ” ‘rates’ on the van, and council tax” at her residential address which is a different property to the one she was renting.
As many sites don’t allow people to stay in their caravans for the full year, Katrina has to vacate her home around February for a full month.
She told social media users that during this time, she will either go back to her residential address – and jet off to Bali to soak up some sun.
Answering questions left by intrigued viewers, Katrina also claimed that she doesn’t need to pay council tax, as it’s included in the ground rent.
Sharing a short clip of her new caravan online, she said: ”I paid £26k in total for the caravan itself, and considering its age and condition that was the exact market value of the van.
”Now, caravans are like cars and their value depreciates by about £3,00 a year – which I already knew before I bought it.
”I have a nine year lease on this site with this van, and by the time this lease is up in nine years I should be able to sell it for about £3,000.
”And if you’re thinking ‘Oh, but you’re going to lose all that money’ – I was losing way more than that paying £1,000 for my flat and a mortgage wasn’t an option for me.”
According to the young woman, she pays £3,500 every year for the ground rent, which covers not just her pitch but also includes a swimming pool, sauna and a hot tub.
”[I’ve] been swimming every day and living my best life at aqua aerobics,” she chuckled in the comments.
The annual fee, she added, also includes water, waste and rubbish.
”So considering everything that’s included, do you think I got a bargain?
”Because I do.”
According to Katrina – who posts under the username @katrinascaravan – ”if you do your research and find the right site” this way of living can be ”much” cheaper.
Tiny Homes FAQs
The tiny house movement began in the USA before gaining popularity in the UK.
What is a tiny home?
Tiny houses are small, fully-equipped living spaces designed to lead a more sustainable, off-grid lifestyle. Although they vary in size and shape, tiny homes tend to be between 15 and 50 square metres in capacity, made of sustainable materials and are easier — and cheaper — to maintain than traditional brick homes.
Are tiny homes legal in the UK?
As long as the tiny house doesn’t exceed 19.8m x 6.7m in size, it is defined as a caravan in UK law. Therefore, tiny houses are classed as legal additional living space.
Can you get a mortgage for a tiny home?
The small size and relatively low cost of tiny houses means they’re not generally considered eligible for a mortgage. However, there are plenty of options to take out a loan to fund your dreams of the perfect, moveable home.
Social media divide
Katrina’s new journey has since sparked a fierce debate online – whilst some couldn’t wait to follow her caravan life, others thought she had made a huge mistake.
One sceptic said: ”Worse decision – site fees raising year on year, and 2 months without a home.”
Another commented: ”20 years and then you need to remove the caravan off site or buy new one, these things are never a good investment.”
”Worst decision, site fees more than the average mortgage,” someone else added.
However, there were also plenty of those who admired Katrina – and said they, too, were looking into living in a static caravan.
”I couldn’t think of a better way to live congrats on making a great choice,” read a comment that’s been liked almost 900 times.
”I just moved into a van and quit my job lol. Currently touring England. good luck to you. You will love downsizing. So liberating,” another viewer said.
”I admire you If you learn to live within your means and get a stress free life, it will be worth it,” a TikToker chimed in.
