|
|
|
OK, maybe not Mission Impossible but still very hard to find!!
We get many people asking where can they rent a houseboat for an extended period, say 1 to 12 months, particularly in London and elsewhere. Many people want to rent a houseboat as they are thinking of buying but want to know if the lifestyle will suit them before committing the money to buying a boat. This is a very good idea but the problem is that there just aren't many boats that come up for rental for longer periods than a couple of weeks.
You can book a 2 week holiday aboard a live aboard boat in London or anywhere else in the country which will give you an idea of what it's like living on a boat but it will only be a quick glimpse of life aboard, many want to try the life for a longer period.
Most people that make the move from a house to a boat just do it, they have an idea that they will like the way of life and go out a look at many different types of boats and buy the one that most suits their needs and simply move aboard. Of course there is still the risk that they will not like living afloat but that is a risk they take. If things don't work out for them then they can always sell the boat and go back to life on dry land.
One of the reasons boats do not come up for rental is that the residential mooring it is laying on does not allow the boat and mooring to be rented out. This is very common on Council run moorings and also in Boatyards and Marina's. If you hold the freehold for a mooring you could easily rent out but more often than not people who have purchased the freehold have done so because they wish to live there themselves.
My advise to people who are looking for a boat to rent is to look very hard and be prepared for a long wait !!
I would say that you could have bought a boat, found a suitable mooring and if you didn't like the life sold the boat on, all before you will have found a boat to rent !!
So what are you waiting for !!
Why not try taking a boating holiday for a couple of weeks and try to imagine what it would be like to live aboard for 12 months of the year in both the Summer and the Winter, if you think you would like this then just go ahead and DO IT !!
Here are some links to help you in your search.
Virginia Currer Marine
This site has a page for rentals, you might be lucky but most of the time their is not much there.
LOOT
Free ads paper has a Houseboat section but seldom seen are rentals but worth a look.
Exchange & Mart
Look at their boating section and housing sections.
You could try contacting Estate Agents and Letting Agents in the area you want to be in but it is a long shot.
HAPPY HUNTING
|
|
