We ditched our cramped London flat to live on a tiny island only accessible by boat – it’s way cheaper
A COUPLE have revealed that they decided to ditch their cramped London flat to live on an island off the Thames, that is only accessible by boat.
Sacha and Matt, were sick of living in a one-bedroom flat in central London, and were left feeling completely burned out due to skyrocketing rent costs.
The couple revealed that friends and family warned them against the decision, as the island they live on does not have a bridge connecting it to the mainland, so every day, they have to get on a boat to get to work.
However, keen for an adventure, the duo jumped at the chance to start a new, unique way of life.
“It’s been a lot of learning and getting used to our new lifestyle”, Sacha said in a video posted to her TikTok channel.
The island that the pair inhabit has 20 other houses on it, meaning that Sacha and Matt are part of a very tight knit community.
“Being such an unconventional way of living, we all rely on each other for a lot of things,” Sacha said.
The pair revealed that there are some challenges they have to face on the island, such as the fact that they only have one boat between them.
This means that one of them has to drop the other off on the mainland for work, and then transport the boat back to the island again.
Their commute can also be a struggle during bad weather, as the river can get choppy, and the journey is often freezing, meaning that they have to wrap up in all of their layers.
“It’s not your boring commute, that’s for sure,” Sacha said.
The couple also have to use the boat to take the bins out, with Sacha commenting, “the bin run makes me feel like i’m preparing for an episode of Survivor.”
Sacha revealed that it is also almost impossible for the duo to get deliveries to the island and added that the island is often flooded, meaning that it can be very tricky for the couple to get around.
Her video, posted under the username @londonislandliving, has likely left many people intrigued, as it has racked up over 400,000 views on the video sharing platform.
TikTok users raced to the video’s comments section to share their thoughts on the couple’s unique way of life.
One person said: “OMG love this, I literally live across the road.
Different types of mortgages
We break down all you need to know about mortgages and what categories they fall into.
A fixed rate mortgage provides an interest rate that remains the same for an agreed period such as two, five or even 10 years.
Your monthly repayments would remain the same for the whole deal period.
There are a few different types of variable mortgages and, as the name suggests, the rates can change.
A tracker mortgage sets your rate a certain percentage above or below an external benchmark.
This is usually the Bank of England base rate or a bank may have its figure.
If the base rate rises, so will your mortgage but if it drops then your monthly repayments will be reduced.
A standard variable rate (SVR) is a default rate offered by banks. You usually revert to this at the end of a fixed deal term, unless you get a new one.
SVRs are generally higher than other types of mortgage, so if you’re on one then you’re likely to be paying more than you need to.
Variable rate mortgages often don’t have exit fees while a fixed rate could do.
“I always wondered what it’s like to live here.”
A second person said: “I’ve always wanted to know what it was like to live in one of these.
“I always used to walk in the area and be so intrigued!”
A third person added: “It would be a nightmare getting home after a night out!”
A fourth added: “I think it looks so peaceful.”