I was sick of wasting cash on crazy London rent so moved to a tiny annexe – I save a hefty £1.1k a month & have a garden
A WOMAN has revealed that she was sick of wasting her cash on rent, so moved from a two bedroom house to a tiny annexe.
Laura Jade Natalie, a young woman from the UK, confessed that she was spending £2,000 every month on rent in London.
However, she made the decision to move 15 miles out of the city and relocated to a tiny studio flat at the back of someone’s garden.
Laura confessed that she found the tiny home on a local village group, and now saves £1,100 every single month.
Not only this, but even better, she now has her own garden too.
Posting on social media, Laura gave her followers a close-up look inside her tiny flat and said: “Yesterday I moved house from a two bedroom, two bathroom flat and I downsized to a one bedroom studio.
“The rents in London are so crazy and I was sick and tired of working so hard to spend the majority of my wage on my rent and my bills.
“My old flat used to cost me around £2,000 a month, give or take in the winter and the summer, and my new studio cost me £900 a month including all bills, so it is a hefty saving.”
Laura expressed her initial concerns, but revealed that she has now settled into her new pad.
She continued: “At the start, I was worried that I was gonna be so extremely cramped in here, because it is tiny and my god do I have a lot of stuff, and when I moved yesterday I had about 25 boxes, I had bags, I had stuff spilling out the sides, but when I moved in and I started unpacking, everything did seem to fit and I did manage to find a home for everything.
“I was quite nervous, but now I’m in and I’m settled, it really does feel like a home and it’s just super cosy and I feel really lucky to have found something so much cheaper and still so lovely for the money.”
Laura confirmed that the annexe is set back in someone’s stunning garden, which is beautifully maintained.
As a result, she now has her own private path with an outdoor garden dining table set.
The tiny studio opens up with two double glass doors and has a bedroom, a ‘big and spacious’ hallway and a living room with a six foot by six foot sofa and a fireplace.
The rise of tiny homes
By Jonathan Rolande
Property expert Jonathan Rolande told Fabulous: The reason we are seeing more creative ways of finding a home: super-high property prices and rents. Younger people are remaining in the family home later in life to avoid paying high prices and to save for a deposit. With increasingly busy lives, staying within a larger family group makes sense, chores such as gardening and housework can be shared.
Garages are rarely used for their intended purpose as cars are far more reliable and less prone to rust and so are perfectly happy outside. On the other hand, the amount of property space per person has been shrinking – converting a garage can make great sense.
Things to consider. (the boring stuff)
Usually easier than building from scratch but still a lot to do to turn a garage in to a habitable space.
You’ll need to check if you need planning (more likely to be required if the garage is detached).
Building Regulations stipulate many things to make homes safe and secure. Consider
Walls, are they cavity?
Roof height
Windows
How will you get plumbing, electrics and drainage connected
Insulation – it will be cold!
Fire safety
Damp proofing
Also consider if, by converting, you are adding or deducting value from the main home. Garages can add value in busy urban areas where parking is limited.
As well as this, there’s a kitchen with a mini oven and hob, built-in microwave, built-in fridge and lots of storage.
And if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a bathroom with a heated towel rail and shower too.
Are tiny homes legal in the UK?
TINY houses can be UK regardless of whether they are on a trailer base or not. The legality of tiny houses is all to do with where it is and what you use it for.
If you want to put your tiny house in the back garden of the home that you own, and the overall size of your tiny house does not exceed 19.8m x 6.7m (65ft x 22ft), then good news! You do not require planning permission.
Tiny houses that fit within these dimensions and are constructed on trailer bases are legally classified as caravans, which means you can legally park them within the curtilage of your home without planning permission.
If this is your plan, then it is a legal requirement that you only use the tiny house as additional living space, like an office, a gym, or a studio, but you cannot rent out the space to a tenant.
For those of you who live on farmland, what is defined as curtilage can be complicated. In these cases, and under any circumstances where you are unsure, we recommend that you speak to your local planning officer.
You can put a tiny house on your land as a temporary structure for 28 days, but for any longer than this we recommend that you speak to your local planning officer as different permissions will be required.
Source: The Qube
SOCIAL MEDIA USERS REACT
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @laurajadenatalie, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 57,700 views.
Social media users were impressed with Laura’s new home and were keen to express this in the comments.
You have made a brave decision, you will have financial peace of mind
TikTok user
One person said: “Well done, what amazing savings for you, good luck to you, it’s beautiful.”
Another added: “Well done you for making a tough decision. Looks lovely and cosy.”
A third commented: “This is actually really big for a studio! A lot are just one room and a bathroom. So pleased you’re happy with it.”
Whilst someone else penned: “You have made a brave decision, you will have financial peace of mind.”