We ditched our flat to live on an island by the Thames with no bridge – we have to use a boat but the rent is cheaper

A MONEY-SMART couple have revealed how they swapped their cramped London flat for living on a tiny island based by the Thames. Sacha and Matt were sick of living in a one-bedroom flat in central London, and were left feeling completely burned out due to astronomical rent costs. The thrifty pair revealed that those closest to them warned them against the decision, as the island they live on does not have a bridge connecting it to the mainland - which means that they have to get on a boat to get to work.

However, the adventurous couple jumped at the chance to start a new, unique way of life - and haven't looked back since. Sharing their incredible journey on TikTok, Sacha said: ''Being 25, I think I hit that age where most of my friends were either having babies or moving to Australia - and we were ready to switch it up. ''About seven years of living in cramped flatshares with no greenery or personal space, coupled with the skyrocketing rent prices, it left us feeling pretty bored and fed up,'' Sacha told their 20k followers on her page.

The couple, who share the island with 20 other houses, added that whilst many may assume such living is ''more expensive'' that is actually not the case. As the tiny island does not have a bridge, ''the renting is cheaper'' - although this can vary from island to island. Sacha explained: ''As getting a boat to and from your house only appeals to maybe a certain type of crowd.''. The one-bedroom bungalow the pair now proudly call their home has been equipped with ''full fibre broadband, electricity, gas and sewage systems all from the island to the mainland''.

The loved-up pair, who ''still have to pay council tax'', also previously revealed that there are some challenges they face, 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 chuckled. 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.

But despite the challenges, Sacha said they ''loved'' their unique home. ''We seriously wonder why more people don't explore alternative ways of living.''. The tiny house movement began in the USA before gaining popularity in the UK. What is a tiny home?. Tiny houses are small, fully-equipped living spaces designed to lead a more sustainable, off-grid lifestyle. Although they vary in size and shape, tiny homes tend to be between 15 and 50 square metres in capacity, made of sustainable materials and are easier — and cheaper — to maintain than traditional brick homes.

Are tiny homes legal in the UK?. As long as the tiny house doesn't exceed 19.8m x 6.7m in size, it is defined as a caravan in UK law. Therefore, tiny houses are classed as legal additional living space. Can you get a mortgage for a tiny home?. The small size and relatively low cost of tiny houses means they’re not generally considered eligible for a mortgage. However, there are plenty of options to take out a loan to fund your dreams of the perfect, moveable home.

Unsurprisingly, the video has likely left many people intrigued, racking up over 400k views in just two days. TikTok users flocked to the video's comments section to share their thoughts on the couple's unique way of life. One wrote: ''Just wasn’t aware there are islands in London!! Bit mad actually I would love this.''. ''I’ve watched too many zombie films to know, you made a good choice,'' another joked.