Where can we live on our bus?

[vizzyanthro]

Hi Guys, I was hoping that you might be able to offer me some advice on potential places to live on a bus when it has been converted. My partner and I live in Gloucestershire and are hoping to convert a double decker (or possibly a single) and to live in it full time - partly because we're sick of being stuck in the situation where house prices are too high, and we hate palming off our cash on rent. We want our own place - and the adventure of living in something a bit different that we can call our own and possibly take it around Europe in a few years. Eventually though, the dream is to save up some money to buy some land and then build a straw bale house - but that's a way off yet.

The major headache for me though is that I have no idea where people who do conversions can actually live in them. Is it usual for a mobile home site to allow busses on a permanent basis? Are there camp sites that will let you "hook up" throughout the year even when they're closed for the summer? Do any of these places such as farms who provide accommodation for their migrant workers allow other people to rent a spot of land?

Whilst we are both willing to make certain sacrifices that will be associated with living on a bus, and that we would like to be "off the grid" as much as possible (by having solar panels installed), we don't really want to be without running water and waste services - so we don't really want to be squatting on council land or out in the middle of nowhere without running water.

We both sat down the other week and said we want to commit to following this idea through but at the moment, until we can understand the "reality" of living on a bus - things are up in the air. If any of you have advice or experiences that you can pass on with regards to where it is possible to pitch up on a more permanent basis with access to water and waste services I'd be very very grateful to hear from you...many thanks...

[Jonathan Smith]

If you stop over for 24 - 48 hours in one location you are fine, if you stay longer you start to attract attention.

Its difficult to find a "permanent" place to live in a bus to be honest, if a travelling person bought a plot of land and set up an encampment the local authorities would try to move them on.

You may find a farmer who would rent out a plot for a while but there are planning issues.

If you contact the local authority they will direct you to a site for travellers.

You could get in touch with a caravan site, but the rates are likely to be prohibitive.

I would love to live in my bus but the practicalities of finding somewhere safe to live long term are unrealistic.

[jollyjaunts]

I lived in my bus full time for a couple of years when children were small 10 plus years ago, this was when people who lived ion vehicles were public enemy number one, since 9/11(well before really, when the tories were kicked out) the heat is off but still hard.

I'd suggest having a couple of places that you can move between to dilute the planning issues. Depends on where you are, the council only get involved if someone complains.

Beware of thinking about it to much and then not doing anything cos it all seems to difficult. It was the best decision i ever made, you'll not know til you do it. I've had arrangements with land owners - bus depot, coal yard, small holders etc and lived on illegal sites- and been very happy, though my bus was/is sorted in terms of mod cons.

I now have reached the next stage ie bought the land and planning the strw bale house. Wanna buy a bus??

[happyhippy]

I'm not sure why you feel it is so important to have running water and sewerage - that will severely limit the places you can go, and you will have to pay for these services. I have an underfloor fresh water tank and another tank for waste water. I fill up with water at Tesco filling stations, which have free water dispensing machines with a stretchy hose so I can put the water straight into my tank (it goes in to the side of the vehicle a bit like a petrol cap) without having to mess about with water containers - only Tesco seem to do these water dispensers none of the other supermarkets seem to do anything similar at their filling stations. I can last about 3 weeks on a full tank of water so it's not too much of a chore replenishing my supplies.

I also use a chemical toilet which needs to be emptied about once a week if I'm in the bus all day for the week, but in summer I'm often outside most of the day and then it lasts 2 or 3 weeks before it needs emptying. When the time comes I simply go to the nearest free public toilets.

This way I can park up for a week or more in the middle of nowhere, make one trip into a town with a big Tesco and fill up on water, diesel, food etc. and drop off my rubbish in the bins they kindly provide, empty my toilet in the public loos and I'm all set for another 10 days out in the wilderness ;D

I know everyone's different, but to me a big part of the joy of living nomadically in my bus is the ability to just get away from people and escape into the countryside whenever the mood takes me.