Man has converted a skip to live in because he says it's better than living in London
In a bid to find a way around the ongoing housing crisis, one bloke has converted a skip into a liveable tiny home.
And, quite frankly, it looks pretty damn cosy.
Anyone who's living in London right now will know that times are tough. Case in point: this shed, which will set you back a whopping £1,500 per month.
Advert
Harrison Marshall was so sick of struggling to find an affordable place to live in the city, he decided to trade it all in for skip life.
As explained by inews, his teeny-tiny home is just one metre wide and two-and-a-half metres long.
Despite the limited space, it has a roof, an upper deck with a bedroom and a washing basin. There's even a chair so Marshall can have friends over.
But the downside is there's no electricity or running water.
When asked why the 28-year-old artist and designer chose to live this way, he told the outlet: "It was the only way I could afford to live in central London."
He's certainly saving a lot of cash, considering his skip is located in Bermondsey, southeast London, where the average rent is between £2,000 and £5,000 per month.
Speaking about his experience in the city, Marshall said: "I have lived all over - from Mile End to Clapham.
"It would cost me over £11,000 to rent for a year in London as the average rent to live in a flatshare now is about £930 a month, and looking for housing is a nightmare because the demand is so high.
"Even if you do find somewhere in a price range you can afford, there are over a hundred other people also looking for that. It’s super frustrating."
He continued: "Last year, rents rose well above inflation. Many renters are forced to cut back on essential spending or face the threat of eviction and homelessness.
"Many have no choice but to live in overcrowded or dangerous housing."
Although Marshall's temporary living situation has overcome some of these issues, it certainly doesn't come without its struggles.
"I have to shower at work and at the gym on the weekends and it’s freezing when I wake up," he explained. "I have moved in at the worst time of year."
As for food, right now it's 'mainly just pasta and rice' as he has no electricity or fridge and uses a camping stove to cook.
The skip renovation is part of a collaboration between Caukin Studio, a design and construction social enterprise, and SKIP Gallery, an ongoing public art initiative that aims to create opportunities for emerging artists.
As Caukin's co-founder and director, Marshall says he hopes the project 'draws attention' to the UK's renting crisis.
"It cost £4000 to build but we were lucky enough to find an amazing site for the project sponsored by an arts charity called Antepavilion," he added.
"It costs £50 a month to rent the skip. That is also still a massively reduced rate to what you’d normally expect."
Marshall concluded: "This was a solution to my own immediate issue of not being able to find anywhere in London to live, but renting still remains a serious issue for many people. I hope this draws attention to that.
"This isn’t a long-term solution though. People shouldn’t have to live in skips."
Daisy Phillipson