I live for free in central London in my campervan

A YOUNG man has revealed why he ditched paying £1,000 to a landlord for a crowded houseshare in London and decided to live in a van instead. Lewis, from the UK, is now able to live in Central London without spending a penny on pricey rent or council tax. Taking to social media, he showed his followers a typical day in his home on wheels while working full-time. The first thing he did after waking up was to check there were no parking wardens around.

Image Credit: The Sun [Man drinking from a light green mug in a campervan.]

Once he got the all-clear, he whipped himself up a bowl of breakfast before heading out on his morning walk. Lewis admitted that living in a tiny space in a busy city can be difficult, but much preferred it to paying rent. "People often ask me if it's difficult living in a van in a city," he said. "It is, but not as difficult as paying a grand a month to a property conglomerate based in Dubai for the pleasure of sharing a flat in Catford.".

Image Credit: The Sun [Man sitting in a campervan bed, covering his face with his hands.]

According to recent reports, the average renting price in London is an eye-watering £2,100, so we can see why Lewis would want to avoid it. The nomad added that one of the pros of living in a van is that he can make anywhere he parks his van a garden. But unfortunately in London, the views aren't all that great as he made his way past piles of bin bags and a thrown-out mattress. "I don't pay council tax, but if I did I'd be fuming," he joked after observing the scenery.

Once he made his way back, he noticed someone had smashed his wing mirror but Lewis had predicted this would be a problem in London and had a replacement to hand. Lewis then continued to work for the rest of the day before settling down with a bowl of spaghetti bolognese for dinner. While Lewis loves the freedom of van life, he did note that it can get unbearably cold. "It's the middle of February, and it's freezing in the van tonight," he said.

But Lewis revealed in the comments that he keeps layered up and using an electric blanket and electric cushion from Stoov to keep toasty. "I can sleep easy knowing I've gone the whole day without making any landlords richer," he added. IF you are looking to live in a van to save money or travel, you'll be pleased to know that there are no UK laws stopping you. However, you must ensure your vehicle has passed its MOT and is fully road legal.

There could also be restrictions on where you can park up to sleep in your van. For example, local authorities place restrictions on certain streets or lay-bys, and you could be fined if you spend the night there. It could also be unsafe to stop in certain locations, particularly at night-time. Check the The Highway Code guide for guidance. The clip posted to his TikTok account @lewis.ldn.vanlife has gone viral with over 874k views and 44k likes.

People were impressed by Lewis' living situation and 937 viewers took to the comments to share their thoughts. One person wrote: "So jealous, fair play to you mate, fed up with paying ridiculous amounts of rent.". Another commented: “What’s the point of working from home in London? Why not go to Epping Forest or somewhere nice? Cool van though.". "Landlord here. Fair play mate. Good on you. You’ll save a fortune in the long run," penned a third.