All aboard

First favoured by creative types in the fifties and sixties, houseboats in London have never been so desirable or more in demand.

Living in a houseboat sounds like a pipe dream but, according to the Canal and River Trust, boating is booming and people are turning their fantasies into reality, with boat numbers in London rising around 75% since 2012. River dwelling took off in the fifties and sixties, when the water began to attract creative types looking for cheap accommodation and houseboat communities of musicians, writers and artists sprang up along London’s canals and the Thames.

Nowadays you don’t have to rough it on the river and there are some stunning ‘grand designs’ with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, bespoke fixtures and fittings and plenty of glass to make the most of views of the water and its wildlife. Prime mooring locations include; Lightermans Walk in Wandsworth where a host of bars and restaurants are a hop, skip and jump away, Cheyne Walk in Chelsea, the only central London marina, St Katharine Docks and Taggs Island in Hampton where floating homes cluster around the picturesque island and lagoon.

SOLD ON THE RIVER

A home on the Thames is an increasingly popular prospect and sellers can boost their chance of finding the right buyer by instructing an agent known for having the largest selection of property on the river and other waterways. To ensure the widest market coverage, Dexters works in partnership with riverside specialists Waterview.

Soren Ravaux, Director of Waterview says, “Anyone who lives by the river is passionate about it and, even better than living by the river, is actually living on it. The Thames has two elements: from Teddington going upstream it’s non-tidal, so you are fairly static but, from Teddington going downstream to London, it becomes tidal so your aspect is forever changing. People are inspired by the landscape and tranquillity of life and it’s rare to see houseboat dwellers coming off the water because once you live there, it’s in your blood."

 

JUST ADD WATER

Buying a boat is no more complicated than purchasing a property on dry land but there are additional requirements, including a licence from the relevant navigation authority. In London there are three - the aforementioned Canal and River Trust which looks after 100 miles of canals and river, including the Regent’s Canal, Grand Union Canal, Docklands and River Lee; The Port of London Authority which is responsible for the tidal Thames downstream from Teddington and the Environment Agency overseeing the non-tidal Thames upstream towards Windsor. There is the cost of repairs and maintenance to factor in and the provision of power, water and sewerage to consider. It is worth noting that if you want to borrow to buy your boat, mortgage rates will be higher than for bricks and mortar.

Prospective river dwellers must also buy or lease a home mooring from a marina, navigation authority or private landowner. Without a mooring where you can leave your boat permanently, you are obliged to ‘continuously cruise’ which means only being able to stay on a mooring for 14 days at a time.

Ravaux says, “People love the idea of buying a houseboat, but residential moorings are few and far between. We only deal with stock that has a mooring where you have the right to live on the boat. If you want something on a particular stretch of the river or marina, do register with your local office so that when something comes up, we can let you know.”

ONCE ABOARD

The word houseboat can describe anything from a pontoon with a house constructed on top to a decommissioned trawler and anything in between but, whatever floats your boat, the advice is, don’t expect your dream home to be available to purchase immediately. And be warned, once aboard, you’ll never want to live anywhere else!

RIVER LIFE

When marketing a property in London with a view of water, Dexters teams up with the specialists, waterview.co.uk