With the lack of availability of affordable housing an increasing issue in London, the alternatives for cheaper places to stay are becoming increasingly creative.
A micro house can costs as little as £8,000 and is 60 times cheaper than the average London house. It’s both portable and compact, although it’s worth asking how far you’d want to take your house with you? The micro house is eco-friendly, comes with a fold down bed, a small kitchen area and a shower room. It’s small, obviously, at just 130 sq ft and is made entirely from wood.
The question is, where would you put it? The suggestion has been that it would be ideal for a parent’s garden for them to provide a home for their adult child who can’t afford a house. You’d need a sizeable garden to house it, but also planning permission as it’s higher than three metres.
It’s undoubtedly a creative solution to what is a very big problem. However it only works for those who have private grounds or parents who are happy for a house to be set up at the bottom of the garden? If you’re relocating to London and need a place to live that isn’t expensive then a micro house might sound like fun but it’s an indication of how bad the private housing market is in the capital that young people might consider a pop-up house.
Increasingly, serviced apartments have become an alternative for those who are relocating and are looking for a place to stay in London. A hotel is usually a smaller living space and a serviced apartment offers an open plan living space with a fully fitted kitchen, bathroom and allows guests to cook their own food, spread out, relax and be centrally located. It offers both privacy and security as well as the flexibility the micro house offers, but without the parents at the end of the garden.
Being able to choose where to live in the capital, whether close to the office, near to the tube and close to attractions is a major draw and one who rely purely on the private rental sector feel ostracised from. With serviced apartments from Richmond and Kew to Canary Wharf and the West End, Clarendon offers a broad range of central London locations that are ideal for those who are relocating to the capital. As Clarendon serviced apartments apply minimum night stays it offers a professional, either individually or with their family, a sustainable solution to let them get a foothold in London before they either rent or buy.
The issue with the micro house is that it’s a colourful idea but doesn’t offer a real solution to a growing economic problem. London’s increasing prices could make it difficult to attract professionals to work in London if they think they can’t afford to find a place to live in the capital. A serviced apartment offers a much better solution for those who are relocating but while they’re ideal for an extended stay it still doesn’t solve the problem of those who might be looking to buy eventually.