Camping commuters

Commuters Go Camping To Avoid High Rents

Hard-pressed London commuters are increasingly turning to camping rather than paying exorbitant rents in the capital.

"Camping commuters" are pitching their tents or parking their caravans from Monday to Friday and retreating to more permanent homes at the weekends.

Lucy Boggis, from Chippenham in Wiltshire, said: "People think of it as a summer holiday in their little caravan, but as long as you've got a caravan that doesn't leak, you're as good as being in your bedroom at home.

Better known to some as Tempest from the Sky1 series Gladiators, the 21-year-old's campsite at Lee Valley Park in Edmonton, north London, is beside an athletics track where she is training to represent Britain at the 2012 Olympics.

Other residents include an IT contractor working in Canary Wharf and an urban planner for Hackney Council.

Prices do vary and Lee Valley Park is among the more expensive sites in London, with single campers paying midseason rates of £122.50 per week, including electricity.

However, that is still less than half the average weekly rent of £250 for a one-bedroom flat in London Zones 2 or 3, according to the accommodation website Outlet.

Campsite manager Rick Garvey said: "It's certainly a cheaper option. We do seasonal rates so obviously outside our high reason you can benefit from cheaper rates.

"We've got a sister campsite just five minutes away that offers static caravans as well and people treat it as their permanent residence."

Major cities like London are a magnet for migrants in difficult times and demand for housing continues even if the supply is drying up.

Roger Harding, head of policy at the housing charity Shelter, said: "Next year building could be lower than at any time since 1924 so what we need from the Government is a sustained commitment to building affordable homes."

Source: Sky News

Listen to these two people who rent - one in central London, one in a town on the coast - describe their homes.

Source: You Tube (JOE) Key Words: London rent crisis