We live on cramped boats to save on soaring rents - the highs & lows for Brits living on water

THEY can endure a constant battle with damp and mould, freezing temperatures at night and having to up sticks to move every two weeks.

But increasing numbers of Brits in UK cities, including London and Bristol, are rejecting sky-high rents and shoddy landlords to live on houseboats instead.

Canal-based liveaboards are mooring two-deep across London, where the cost of living has become unbearable.

Spiritual life coach Rhiannon Faulkner snapped up hers in a bid to save money so she could pay for her talented teenage son’s golf lessons.

Mum-of-five Rhiannon, 51, said: “It was literally the cost of renting that forced me to do this.

“We were in Berkshire before, paying £1,200 a month for a two-bedroom house.

“It’s ridiculous money and you double your outgoings with all the bills.

“So I’ve gone up the river. My children think I’m completely mad because I don’t know what I’m doing. Also, I’ve had a lifelong fear of water since falling into a canal when I was a child.

“But I’m just learning as I go along.”

Rhiannon's son Dan Faulker, 17, is an apprentice at Windlesham Golf Club in Surrey and his proud mum called her boat ‘The 19th Hole’ in honour of his late father.

The term refers to the clubhouse where golfers gather for the obligatory drink after a round.

But, having bought her London-based narrowboat two-and-a-half years ago, life has been far from smooth sailing.

Earlier this month, she developed a serious infection that required emergency treatment.

But after a seven hour battle to moor, she only made it to hospital thanks to the calm thinking of her daughter Steph Faulker, 28, who lives in a house in Hertfordshire.

Rhiannon added: "I developed an infection from a biopsy and the GP said, ‘Get yourself to A&E.’

“But I couldn’t find anywhere to moor the boat – I still need to learn how to manoeuvre this thing. I ended up driving around for seven hours. I have never cried so much.

“We went through two tunnels, one of which was dark and took 20 minutes to navigate. I bashed the side into a wall.

“We ended up in the middle of a protest at one point.

“I did get to hospital but I couldn’t have done it without Steph, who calmed me down and called an uber once I reached dry land."

Rhiannon says moving to a boat was a huge decision but makes financial sense.

“I bought this for £43,000 using a 10-year marine mortgage, which costs £500 a month as the interest is extortionate.

“My gas bill for the year is £90 and I don’t use electricity as my dad put on solar panels the other week.

Read more: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/27952699/broke-brits-canal-boats-london/

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