This six-bed Scottish castle is gorgeous, but it’s got one very… interesting, if not slightly dangerous feature.

You have to walk across a plank to get in one of the rooms.

The 16th-century home has six bedrooms and four bathrooms to its name, along with a library – complete with swords on the walls – a wine cellar, and a butler’s pantry.

There are still original period features, which are 480 years old, including an original oak door and panelled walls and ceilings.

But the mysterious plank has understandably left home hunters baffled, as that’s the only way to access one of the rooms that’s currently being used as a study in the three-storey castle.

As one person commented online: ‘I wouldn’t like to try that after a few whiskeys.’

Being sold by Savills, the listing for Blairlogie Castle, which was built in 1543 and sits in the village of Blairlogie, near Stirling, Scotland, doesn’t make any mention of the plank.

It reads: ‘The present-day house is a property of outstanding character which retains many original features.

‘The property offers comfortable rooms and a sensible layout for modern family occupation.’

Hopefully that family has a good sense of balance!

Set in 2.6 acres of land, the castle is Category A Listed, with an arched 16th century stone fireplace with a solid fuel stove and aumbry recess in the ground floor is a sitting room.

In the kitchen, you’ll find a four-oven gas AGA and a Belfast sink, and in the drawing room, there’s a decorative panelled ceiling, stone fireplace,and16th-century oak door, with another studded door leading to spiral stairs that go up to the library.

Said library has a ceiling made of ship’s timbers.

The listing goes on: ‘Blairlogie Castle is set in 2.6 acres of south-facing gardens which are laid out in terraces and are protected by mature trees. There are many unusual plants and specimens in the garden.

‘In front of the castle, enclosed by a castellated arch, is a gravel sweep. Between the castle and the old stables is a flat garden with a central sundial surrounded by hedges and herbaceous borders. A gate and steps lead up to lawns to the north of the house.

‘There is a lawn with a stone summerhouse above and a south-facing vegetable garden with fruit cages to the side. There are mature apple and plum trees in a small orchard. A gate at the top of the property leads onto the hill, from where a path leads to the top of Dumyat.’

Sounds gorgeous, to be fair. You can always build some more stairs later, right?

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With estate agents receiving an average of 25 enquires for each and every rental listing, landlords can afford to be picky.

And this person certainly made his requirements clear when advertising his home on SpareRoom.

The man said he was looking for a ‘gentleman’ to share his home with because says, ‘I deeply believe in being a gentleman as a way of life.’

Will he doesn’t explain what this means exactly, he does say that the space he’s offering is in a ‘well-kept, well-crafted, and quiet home’ and suitable for someone ‘who needs to rest and have a calm and harmonious lifestyle’.

He also added: ‘I am a designer, middle-aged man, who cares about his flat and enjoys conversation, respect, reflection, walking my talk, art, design, and photography.’

The £1,300pcm room in Elephant and Castle also has some other eyebrow-raising stipulations.

Firstly, if you decided to rent the room, you can’t have any guests over – at all. He writes: ‘NOT VISITS ALLOWED. Please this means the room is just for you.’

You’d also be sharing the walk-in wardrobe with your landlord.

‘It will need to be shared, half for you, half for me,’ he writes, which we can only assume means he could be wandering into your room to get his clothes whenever he pleases.

There’s also the slightly concerning fact that you seem to be prohibited from bringing much of any of your own stuff with you.

‘The room is fully furnished, it won’t allow you to bring any furniture with you, just your clothes and a TV,’ reads the listing.

Additionally, you wouldn’t be allowed to work from home, because ‘the room is not suitable as a home office’.

While the pictures of the home do look luxurious, with a design scheme that wouldn’t look out a place in a boutique hotel, it sounds like you’d be in for an interesting home life.

If you think you’re gentleman enough, you can enquire to view via the SpareRoom website.

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A three-bedroom house for £55,000 in this property market sounds like a dream come true. For some, however, this Liverpool home could be more like a nightmare – at least if pictures are anything to go by.

Due to be auctioned next month with a minimum opening bid of £50,000, even its slightly higher guide price represents a steal for househunters.

The mid-terraced house comprises two storeys, with a lounge, kitchen and bathroom on the ground floor and three bedrooms upstairs.

Alongside an outrigger extension and yard to the rear, it benefits from double glazing and central heating, but marketing agent Landwood Property Auctions say it ‘requires a scheme of refurbishment.’

And with images of chipped paintwork, dated fittings, staining and clutter throughout, the Walton home’s online listing reveals the scale of work needed.

That’s not the scariest part, though.

On a wooden chair in the corner of the bathroom sit two creepy-looking dolls that wouldn’t appear out of place in a horror movie.

The larger of the pair, a hairless life-size number reminiscent of Sid’s mutant Babyface doll from Toy Story, seems to stare directly into the camera lens.

The other, meanwhile, is serving straight-up Annabelle; perhaps she is just a harmless porcelain figurine dressed in twee Victorian garb… or perhaps that’s what she wants you to think.

There’s no explanation for the dolls: Why are they in the bathroom? Do they come with the house? Are they waiting to possess the soul of the new owner/whoever sits on their loo?

They could be a fun talking point for those who enjoy slasher films and spooky stories. And what better way to give guests goosebumps each Halloween than with tales of eerie abandoned toys?

Jokey over-embellishment aside, the Freehold home also represents a decent investment opportunity if that’s more your thing. It’s currently let at £500 per month, offering a potential income of more than £6,000 every year.

According to Rightmove, terraced properties in the area sold for an average of £119,027 over the last year, so even if you do need to spend some money on renovations (and exorcisms) it could still work out a bargain.

If you don’t think you’ll jump whenever you hear a bump in the night, this may be the place for you. Plus, you might even make a few quid as the subject of the next Hollywood haunted house blockbuster.

Check out the listing and enquire to view via Rightmove.

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Think you love Halloween? Prepare to get acquainted with Tyler Bello.

The self-confessed ‘Halloween junkie’ started building his front garden display in July and has already spent almost £6,000 on spooky decorations.

The 29-year-old, from Minneola, Florida, has assembled giant skeletons, tombstones, pumpkins, fog machines, lights, and even a transmitter to allow passersby to hear haunted sounds from their cars.

Apparently, the neighbours think it’s a real treat.

‘I love creating a fun and spooky experience for the neighbourhood and enjoy seeing their reactions to the decorations,’ Tyler said.

‘It’s a fun way to embrace the Halloween spirit and bring the community together.’

Tyler, who ‘never stops thinking about Halloween’ begins researching ideas for his annual display in March.

He and wife Kelsey, both software consultants, have spent $7,000 (£5,800) on decorations so far this year, but estimate the display will cost them another $100 (£81) per month to run.

Dubbed Blackwood Mortuary, the couple first began their project in 2022 and it has become a huge hit online with their TikTok, @blackwoodmortuary, gaining more than 62,000 likes.

‘I grew up going to the local theme parks and seeing the larger-than-life displays,’ Tyler said. ‘I knew it was something I wanted to do personally one day.

‘When I was younger, I convinced my parents to build a small haunted house in our garage for Halloween.

‘[After that], I was hooked. The designing, planning, and execution was such a rush.’

Tyler and Kelsey have previously worked in theme parks and still enjoy visiting local attractions for inspiration.

‘Since a full-blown haunted house is a ton of work, we decided to start with a yard haunt and perfect that first, it has allowed us to learn a lot and expand our collection,’ Tyler explained.

‘We began hardcore building [on] 5 July and pulled everything out of storage to make repairs and updates.

‘This gives us nearly two months to workshop everything in the backyard before the display goes up the first weekend of September.’

The decorations take the couple a whopping 80 hours to assemble, plus additional hours to set up cameras, adjust lighting and program the audio.

But Tyler said the positive response both in-person and online makes it all worth it.

‘I feel the love from the community and I’m overjoyed to answer questions about or display that we get on social media,’ he said.

‘I feel so much pride when I talk about something and people tell me that they went out and bought all the supplies to build something similar.

‘Then getting to see what they produce or help them along the way brings the biggest smile to my face.

The display brings us so much joy. I’ll often stand outside and just admire all of the hard work it takes to put on a display at such scale.’

The next step? A full Halloween house.

Tyler added: ‘With a baby on the way we will see how much I can accomplish but that is the ultimate goal.

‘I think we could really produce an amazing haunt for the neighbourhood.’

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A couple of homeowners have added a whopping £35,000 to the value of their house after they renovated with the help of YouTube and TikTok videos.

Lewis Stanley, 27, and his partner Freya Money, 24, spent the past four months making the most of the knowledge on social media, learning tips and tricks for things like how to lay out laminate flooring and fit a kitchen all by themselves

The couple from Crawley, West Sussex, UK, had not been impressed by the prices in the quotes they were given for their grand plans for the home.

This prompted them to get out the elbow grease and take on the challenge of modernising their house themselves.

HR advisor Freya said: ‘Four months in, we have knocked down walls, ripped out and put in a new kitchen, added in new flooring and carpets, completed three bedrooms and a downstairs toilet, costing us a total of £15,000.

‘We had the estate agent round and after valuing he said we’ve added £50,000 so far.’

The pair purchased their £440,000 home in January 2023 and moved in three months later.

They set about renovating the main bedroom and living room, while the kitchen and flooring quotes were way over budget.

Rather than forgo their dreams for the house, Freya and Lewis, an electrician, decided to go through with a full DIY renovation to keep their costs down as much as humanly possible.

The couple had made sure to build up their stock of appliances before they purchased the property and used resources like Facebook Marketplace to buy on a budget.

Naturally, Lewis was able to put his professional skills to great use, and they both did research on YouTube and TikTok to learn as much as they could.

They also utilised the knowledge of their network of family and friends who are tradies too.

Freya explained: ‘We started to buy furniture and house appliances before we moved in, so we weren’t having to pay for that when we have a mortgage to pay for too.

‘We tried to do everything as cheaply as possible; we did as much of the renovation ourselves to save on costs, and we reached out to our family and friends who are in the trade, such as plumbers, builders, and plasterers, to help and guide us.

‘We watched videos on YouTube and TikTok to get advice on how to fit a kitchen, how to fit flooring — there’s so much advice out there that you can get for free.

‘The saving process was hard, and you really have to be serious about it if you want to save up enough to afford a house and the deposit.

‘You need to be realistic and only buy a house you know you can afford.

‘That’s why we went for a house that needed a bit of work.

‘We wanted the challenge of doing it ourselves, so we could save costs on that side.’

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There may have been a time when good references and a deposit were all you needed to get yourself a rental home, but in 2023 you’ll need to bring far more to the table.

Although the number of tenants looking to move has increased by 40% since 2019, the number of available properties has dropped by 35%, Rightmove reported this week.

As a result, more of us are vying for the places that do crop up, with agents receiving an average of 25 enquiries for each and every listing (compared to just eight prior to the pandemic).

In a busy rental market like this, it can feel like fighting a losing battle of endless phone calls and cancelled viewings.

It’s depressing and demoralising, but unfortunately in the current climate, you need to set yourself apart from the competition to ensure you snag your dream home.

So we spoke to letting agents for their insider tips that’ll give you the edge.

Move fast

Before you even get to the stage of applying for a property, you need to be quick off the mark in registering interest – and being able to sign on the dotted line ASAP helps too.

James Forrester, Managing Director of Barrows and Forrester, tells Metro.co.uk: ‘Proactivity is key, and not only do you need to apply as soon as possible, but ensure you are ready to move in right away, while also providing a degree of flexibility if required.’

It’s all about making the agent or landlord’s life that bit easier.

Add a personal touch

While there’s no need to share your life story, some insight into you as a person helps make your application stand out.

James comments: ‘Your background, hobbies and employment status can help paint a picture of who you are as a person and what you’re likely to be like as a tenant.’

Keep it professional; steer clear of mentioning your love of late night partying and aversion to tidying up, for one.

Get references in order

Alongside your own account of your tenancy potential, include recommendations from others to bolster your chances.

‘References are a great way to get ahead and having a good write up from a previous landlord will instantly elevate you above those who don’t,’ says James.

‘A guarantor will also provide an additional layer of comfort to landlords, so if you can get one, all the better.’

Show you care

Director of Benham and Reeves, Marc von Grundherr, tells Metro.co.uk: ‘Time and time again, we see tenants turn up to a viewing late and traipse around showing little to no emotion.

‘Always be on time and show a genuine interest. After all, it’s someone’s property you are looking at and they may be more inclined to let to someone who actually wants to live there will appreciate it fully.’

It helps your case if the landlords or agent can put a (smiling) face to a name on a stack of applications, and by respecting their time you signal you’re a respectful person overall.

And even if this property isn’t ‘the one’, politeness at the viewing could pay off further down the line.

‘If needs be, fake an interest,’ adds Mark.

‘You’d be surprised how often a tenant disregards a property almost immediately, before returning later once it’s already been let as they simply can’t find anything else suitable in their desired area.

‘While you’re always likely to miss the boat in this instance, you may also find that your less than enthusiastic approach to begin with puts you at the back of the waiting list.’

Don’t try to negotiate down

‘Unfortunately, money makes the rental market turn and so you really need to be prepared to pay asking price, if not more,’ says James

‘Trying to negotiate on price is unlikely to put you top of the pile and the reality is, regardless of how good a tenant you are, there are plenty more out there willing to pay the price required to secure a property.’

Read the room when it comes to the offer you ultimately make. Asking price or above may be best, but going way and beyond this in the hopes of securing a place when you’re the only interested party isn’t ideal either.

In some cases, it may be helpful to start with the asking price but let the agent know you’re open to negotiation. It all depends on the situation.

Ask for a longer tenancy

Even if a higher rent is out of the question for you, a longer tenancy is an attractive prospect for many landlords.

Mark says: ‘While most landlords are comfortable with as short as six months as an initial tenancy agreement, don’t be afraid to ask for longer.

‘Committing to a longer agreement shows you’re serious and it also prevents the landlord from having to find new tenants for a longer period – everyone’s a winner.’

If all else fails, manage expectations

Sometimes you put your best foot forward, do everything right, and still it isn’t enough.

There may have been another candidate who pipped you to the post with their viewing charisma, or perhaps the landlord was looking for something different. In reality, however, the decision may have been made due to cold, hard cash.

‘It will ultimately come down to three things – paperwork, good credit and a sufficient income,’ says James.

Ensuring you have documents pre-prepared and a deposit saved will stand to you, yet a bad credit score or low, unstable income could be what clinches the rejection.

So if you keep coming up against the same issue in your search, it may be time to consider looking in a different area or for cheaper properties.

Being a tenant right now is a sad state of affairs, but when you need somewhere to live, all you can do is try, try again.

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It might be unseasonably warm outside, but winter is, in fact, coming.

With it comes those dreaded heating bills, but no matter how much you may want to resist the cold as long as possible, it’s healthier to give in and switch that heating on when the temperatures get too low.

The NHS says we should put our heating on when outside temperatures sink below 15°C, and recommends that it’s at least 18°C in the rooms you use on a regular basis, like your bedroom and living room.

So when might we begin turning on the heating this year, and how can you save money when you do?

Here is what you need to know.

When to turn your heating on in the UK

Online heating specialist BestHeating has analysed Met Office weather data from the past five years to determine that the date we can expect to start switching our radiators on in the UK is October 20, 2023.

This is the day from which the data suggests temperatures probably won’t reach above 15°C for the rest of the year

Although, with that being said, 2022 was an abnormally warm year, with temperatures hitting as high as 23°C on October 29th – so you never know.

Jess Steele, heating technology expert at BestHeating, said: ‘Whilst there isn’t an optimum time to switch heating on, our research shows that once temperatures are below 15°C, usually in the middle of October, it is best to turn the heating on as we feel the chill more. By the end of the month, even the hardiest among us will have our heating on to keep warm as temperatures are predicted to drop further.

‘If it is below 13°C outside then serious health issues can arise, especially in vulnerable people. With many worried about their finances, it can be tempting to hold off putting the heating on but be careful delaying this too long as this can hurt your body.

‘For those struggling, we recommend contacting your local council or energy supplier as there are often grants and help available to keep you safe throughout winter.’

How to save on winter heating bills

Looking to save a bit of money this winter, but don’t know how to keep your heating bills down?

Jess has shared three top tips…

Turn the thermostat down by one degree Celsius

Jess recommends testing the water one degree at a time.

‘Research shows that by reducing a home’s temperature by a little, good savings can be made on energy bills,’ she said. ‘20.8°C is the average thermostat setting in the UK, but 18°C should keep you comfortably warm throughout the colder months.

‘This can save up to 10% on a fuel bill or an estimated £80. A clever way to assess if the heating is too warm is to turn the thermostat down by one °C and see how you feel.’

Only heat the room you are in

This way, you’re using as little energy as possible, but still feeling the benefits.

‘One of the simplest mistakes people make during winter is heating an unused space,’ Jess explained. ‘Make sure to turn radiators off in rooms that are not in use such as bedrooms throughout the day.

‘The one caveat to this is not to turn the radiators off in the room where the thermostat is located, or it could cause issues with the temperature of the rest of the home. Doing this will improve the boiler’s efficiency, allowing rooms you are in to warm quicker and saving over £100 for heating if used daily.’

Choose the best times of day to blast the heating

You should also be picking and choosing the optimum heating times for your routine.

‘If the temperature is going to be lower than 10°C,’ Jess instructed, ‘set it to come on an hour before your alarm to take away the chill. If you are out all day, then do the same in the evening.

‘Anyone with a Smart thermostat will be able to control their heating more easily, as they can make sure there is no wasted energy when out at work or shopping and can also set it so that they return to a warm house that is cost-effective.’

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A 33-year-old content creator and CEO has increased the value of her home by £600,000 – over an eight-year period.

When Jenna Rutherford, who is based in Saskatoon, in Canada, fell pregnant with her now-nine-year-old daughter, she and her husband spent £200,000 on a property from a home builder.

With just the structure, doors, and windows being set in stone, it was up to the former photographer and her husband to build their dream home from scratch, as Jenna decided to dedicate herself to renovating the house full-time.

Before they got to work on the interiors, they put in another $250,000 (£201,447) to finish building the home – which now spans over 4,200 square feet including the basement. 

The first step, Jenna explained, was hanging the drywall and completing all the finishing work inside the home. Once they completed the basis of their starter home, Jenna and her husband got to work increasing the bedroom sizes.

In total, by building forward and over the garage, Jenna and her husband’s home gained an additional 1000 sq ft.

‘This is the current home we live in,’ Jenna added. ‘We decided to keep it builder grade because that is what we could afford at the time.’

Jenna says her journey into home renovations begun shortly after the birth her first child, as she found herself ‘needing an outlet’ for creativity.

‘So,’ she added, ‘I decided to take my husband’s “honey do-list” off his hands and into mine and start making our house a home, one room at a time.’

While Jenna systemically worked her way through each room – which, she estimated, cost between $100-$4,000 (£80.58-£3,223) each to renovate. But she says her favorite overall space in the house is the Murphy Bed Room. Or, as she calls it, ‘The Retreat.’

‘This was one of my first big builds and I only had eight weeks to complete it,’ she explained. ‘This involved building four built-in cabinets with upper shelves, all made from scratch, a custom-made window bench, a custom-made Murphy bed, wall moulding, custom-made faux beams, and new lights.’

She continued: ‘I love this space because I can easily “retreat” to it during the day for a quick nap on the Murphy bed, sit on the window bench with a good book, or lounge on the couch and get some work done on my computer.’

While The Retreat was arguably Jenna’s most ambitious project, she also made other innovations to the home, such as a pantry costing £892.90, and what she calls an ‘open-concept’ laundry room rather than a laundry closet.

So far, they have invested around $25,000 (£20,141) in transforming the house.

But according to Jenna , a home this size, if completed fully by a home builder in the city, markets for $850,000 (£684,921). But they’ve recently had the home valued at around at $1.1M (£886,369).

‘We have a two-storey home with three car attached garage, our footprint is 3,000 square feet plus a 1,200 square foot basement,’ she said.

A few years after having their first child, Jenna and her husband welcomed another daughter, who is now five years old. And it’s because of her children, Jenna explains, that she’s so determined to make their family renovation journey a success.

‘I have been able to teach my girls life skills and make our home more inviting and cosy for us and our friends,’ she said. ‘People are always amazed to hear that I did most of the work by myself and the cohesiveness between each space.’

But despite all the pride that comes with extensive renovations like this, things haven’t always been smooth-sailing for Jenna. Previously, they experienced basement flooding due to a sump pump failure.

‘It was hard to see our hard work literally go down the drain but we were able to get insurance and fix it fairly quickly,’ she noted.

Still, mistakes are all part of the process when it comes to home renovations – and rolling with those mistakes, Jenna says, is the biggest piece of advice she can give to people who feel inspired to make similar improvements.

‘Start small and gain your confidence but also don’t be afraid to try new things,’ she said. ‘Expect things to go wrong sometimes but when they do, allow yourself to shift your mind and keep going.’

Ultimately, despite the ups and downs, Jenna wouldn’t change her experience for the world – and couldn’t be happier with how it all ended up.

‘I am absolutely in love with how it turned out,’ she enthused. ‘I feel like it is far more inviting and a place I can relax in.’

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

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Welcome back to What I Own.

We’ve seen from the last 12 months that getting on the property ladder is by no means the end of housing worries – particularly with rising mortgage rates.

This week, we are chatting to Deirdre McGettrick who bought her home in 2017, but has recently been affected by rate increases.

After taking out a prior fixed-rate mortgage of 1.09%, this has since increased to 5.94%. Here’s what Deirdre has to say about her buying experience…

Tell us about yourself.

I’m 36, originally from Sligo on the West Coast of Ireland. I moved to London 12 years ago. I live in Woolwich and am the founder of ufurnish.com, a search and comparison website that brings 100+ furniture retailers including John Lewis, Dunelm, Heals, Bensons for Beds and many more onto one website to make search easy for the consumer.

I live with my husband, Ray, who is a co-founder of the business.

Where is your property? What do you think of the area?

Woolwich, in south east London. I love the riverside location, watching the Uber boats, the barges, party boats and cruise ships coming up the Thames and also watching the planes come and go from London City Airport.

When did you move in?

I moved in 2017.

How much does your property cost?

I paid £410,000 for a two-bed apartment.

How much was your deposit?

10%.

What is the monthly cost of living here now; both mortgage and bills?

£1,800 for mortgage and about £300 for bills, which mainly consists of the service charge.

But I’ve gone from around £1,000 to over £1,800 a month. I’m on a tracker so expect it could be more pain to come.

How did you save up for your deposit?

Saving from work.

What was the process of getting a mortgage like for you? Did you find any parts challenging?

I was fortunate to be working in banking early at a decent salary and having saved a good deposit. I used a broker who helped explain the whole process to me.

Can you share details on your mortgage (rate/term)?

My mortgage has increased a lot this year. My prior fixed term of 1.09% has increased to 5.94%. I took a 35-year mortgage originally.

Where did you live before this – were you renting or living with family?

I was renting a house with friends in Tooting Bec.

What made you want to buy rather than renting?

As my friends started to move out, I felt too old to share a four-bed house with strangers. I considered renting a room in a two-bed apartment but the monthly mortgage repayment was the same cost as renting a room in a two-bed.

It made sense to pay my own mortgage rather than someone else’s.

How did you find this property? What made you choose it?

I used Rightmove once I had decided on the area. A colleague of mine was living in Woolwich and recommended the area to me which was a good commute from Canary Wharf where I was working and my assumption was that it should benefit from capital appreciation once the Elizabeth Line opened (I didn’t realise it would be five years late but it makes a huge difference in commuting into the City).

How have you made the property feel like home?

I completely redecorated inside, including painting throughout, removing dark wood in the kitchen that was making the space dark. I added a mirror splash back which allows the natural light in the main room to flow back to the back of the room. I moved the TV to the opposite wall, running the cable across the ceiling so that my sofa faces the city. I got a chaise sofa to make the most of the view of the City. I love my view!

What’s the inspiration for your interior decor style?

I grew up by the sea on the west coast of Ireland and now I’m living with the view of the river in London, so I love a coastal look and incorporating the colour blue into my interiors. I’m not a big pattern person, but I love different textures and some splashes of bold colour.

What’s your favourite room and why?

My main kitchen, dining and living room. The Chaise Sofa is my favourite spot to put my feet up and watch the world go by.

Do you feel like you have enough space?

Yes, while it is a small space, you expand to fill the amount of space you have so I believe if I had more space, I would easily fill it with stuff I don’t need. Having said that, given me and my husband both work from home, it would be nice to have a second office rather than one of us working from the living room but I wouldn’t sacrifice the view for a third bedroom that wasn’t on the river.

Do you have plans to change the property?

Not really, all of the cosmetic changes that I made have made it very cosy. I do have a dream of changing the master bedroom to build the bed into an alcove within the wardrobe but I’ve been thinking about that for years and never done anything about it. Like most people, I’ll probably get around to doing it if I ever think about selling

Are there any problems with the property that you have to deal with?

Some small wear and tear issues, the lock on the balcony door got stuck locked during Covid. It took three months to get someone in to fix it as I was weary of having someone come into the apartment.

What do you want people to know about buying a home?

I always felt having a mortgage would be a little scary and could be claustrophobic but the opposite is actually true in my opinion.

I feel it has given me more stability in my life and I am contributing towards an asset that will stand to me in the future.

What are your plans for the future, in terms of housing? Do you plan to stay here long term?

I love my view, I can’t imagine moving for more space which would require giving up my view.

Shall we take a look around?

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A couple say they now live for ‘free’ after ditching their home for a canal boat and renting it out on weekends.

Rosanna Irwin and her fiancé Killian Connolly had been spending £1,700 a month on rent and bills and were keen to buy a ‘fixer-upper’ property of their own.

Despite a budget of £500,000 and spending six months scouring listings, they found themselves unable to afford a one-bed flat anywhere in London.

Exasperated by the tough housing market, they started to consider living on a boat.

The 28-year-old wasn’t interested in the idea initially, believing it’d be ‘tough and dingy’. But after she and her partner explored the inside of one, she decided it was worth a shot.

The couple bought a £100,000 boat, which measures 60ft x 12ft, last summer and haven’t looked back.

The vessel is one long room divided into a laundry room, a sitting room/kitchen, a bathroom, and a bedroom – proving to be a compact but multi-functional space.

Rosanna claims they now pay ‘ultimately nothing’ as their loan repayments are covered by weekend Airbnb rentals – when they stay in their campervan.

Even better, they manage to save around £20,400 a year.

Rosanna, currently moored in Hackney, East London, said: ‘We wanted to buy somewhere in London because we were sick of renting.

‘After looking at apartments, we realised there was no way we were ever going to be able to afford one.

‘One day we were out on the canal and we saw a canal boat go by, he offered us a look inside his boat.

‘For ages we had thought canal boats were a bit tough to live on and a bit dingy, but this was so gorgeous.

‘Living on the water, waking up and seeing the swans go by is pretty nice. It’s really lovely and takes off a lot of stress, but the best thing is the amount of money saved.

‘Ultimately we don’t pay any rent. We pay back a loan each month but it’s much, much cheaper than paying rent.

‘It was the only way we could purchase something of our own in London, there was no other way.’

They think their vessel is nicer than any one-bed apartment in London.

Rosanna said there are some less glamorous realities to boat living, though.

‘You need to be a certain type of person to live on a boat.

‘We don’t have a kettle or toaster, I don’t use a hair dryer or straighteners.

‘We just have a compost toilet, you need to be not-so squeamish. There are more jobs than a regular toilet, you don’t just flush and forget about it. It’s a separator toilet.’

The lifestyle suits the pair as both work remotely, so they have the time and flexibility to move their boat as necessary.

Canal & River Trust tells boaters they need to move every two weeks (or sooner depending on the mooring sign).

Along with their £100 boat licence, the pair spend just £2,500 a year in total, including on insurance and fuel, and see no reason to live in a house.

Rosanna said: ‘We generally stick in and around London but we’ve gone up to Watford and Stansted before.

‘I think it’s because they don’t want the same people to be taking up the best spots in London and so it disperses everyone every two weeks so everyone has a chance at getting a nice spot.

‘My friends and family definitely think it’s quirky, everyone does come on the boat and realise it’s much nicer than they thought it’d be.

‘My passion is tiny homes, I just find them so fascinating.

‘We live in a world where we have all built these massive houses for no real reason other than because they can.

‘I love seeing how much you can add into a tiny space. I love cabins, street houses and canal boats, they’re definitely so much cosier.’

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Doer-upper properties can make you some serious money, and one couple have shown just how much value you can add to a home if you get it right.

Rowan Giles, 45, and her husband, Tim, 48 purchased their semi-detached home for £360,000 in July 2012 and, with all the work they’ve done to it, it’s now been valued at up to £1,000,000.

The couple, from Manchester, have spent over a decade renovating the five-bedroom, two-bathroom property, which had remained untouched since the 1950s when the pair bought it.

Despite it being in ‘really bad shape,’ Rowan and Tim have spent £280,000 to transform it into a nice family home for them and their three children.

‘Lots of family and friends thought we were mad for taking it on,’ said Rowan.

‘The house hadn’t been updated, there was a hole in the roof, no central heating and old wooden sash windows, and the kitchen was from the 1950s.

‘But we were looking for a period property, as well as a project, and this house ticked both boxes.

‘The fact that it needed a lot of TLC really appealed [because] we could put our mark on it without having to rip out a relatively new kitchen or bathroom that someone else had installed.’

The couple loved the property’s original features like a pedestal sink and Victorian bones, claiming it was ‘the exact adventure [they] were after’.

They started by decorating the living room, pulling out the old gas fire and getting rid of the dulled blue carpet and old curtains, before painting the space white and filling it with vintage pieces and prints.

They wanted one nice room to live in while the renovation work was going on, then they re-modelled the first floor to make way for a family bathroom before starting on the kitchen extension.

Rowan added: ‘We have lived in this house throughout all the work, even when our kitchen wall was a piece of chipboard. I cooked in the tiny space, using an oven that only did one temperature and had to avoid the hole in the floor.

‘While it all felt like an adventure and I didn’t mind the kids making a mess, I wanted a space that was large enough for all five of us and was actually “done”.

‘We had lived for years in what felt like a building site and I think we all craved a peaceful space that was decorated and finished.’

The renovated kitchen has a mix of ‘old and new’ with an 8ft table Tim made from old floor boards found in the basement and new inky green cabinet doors from Reform.

‘The school chairs are from a vintage shop in Hampshire and our more modern cement grey porcelain floor tiles are from a shop round the corner,’ Rowan said.

‘It’s an eclectic blend but seems to work.’

Once the kitchen extension was complete, which also included their patio, a utility room and downstairs toilet, they moved onto the living room and Rowan’s office.

Using colourful second hand furniture, laying Herringbone flooring that cost £1,900 from a local parquet flooring specialist and putting up artwork, they’ve given both rooms a ‘new lease of life’.

Rowan said: ‘I love discovering old furniture, art and ornaments and combining them with more contemporary finds.

‘I have lots of white walls so I can fill them with bits that have a story to be told, which adds character.

‘We found three basement chambers full of ornaments and old furniture, including a vintage school science table, which Tim has re-purposed to include across the house.’

Remodelling the first floor was no easy feat for the couple – with the renovations to make way for a family bathroom costing £19,000.

‘We did this by borrowing space from two bedrooms on either side and then knocked two more bedrooms together, including a tiny box room,’ said Rowan.

After fitting a new shower screen, cast iron bath, flooring and tiles, the pristine white and contrasting black space looked unrecognisable.

In the hallway and landing areas, everything was stripped back to basics, before new flooring was laid down and the stairs were painted in Farrow & Ball Off-Black.

Finally, they moved onto their favourite room in the house – their master bedroom – which cost £16,000 in total.

The 45-year-old said: ‘It’s one of the last rooms we renovated, but it’s the best one.

‘For 10 years, we slept in the attic while we did up our kids’ rooms and ours, so having a calm and beautiful space to sleep at night was so important.

‘We also added an ensuite, which is such a treat – the novelty hasn’t worn off yet.

‘We discovered so many original features while doing this room up, such as a roll top bath beneath the panelling and beautiful wooden floorboards.’

The duo have previous experience renovating after doing up their first home together – a 1970s flat. This was a project much bigger, but Tim has a few handyman skills under his belt.

Rowan said: ‘Tim has done other renovations before, so he’s well practised and it all comes easily to him.

‘He is the handiest man ever, as his dad used to involve him in DIY when he was little, so it comes naturally – but for me, not so much.

‘I have the vision, I know what I want in each room and he makes it happen.’

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Next on the couple’s to do list is the attic, but it needs a fair but of installation work.

Rowan is uploading snaps of the home’s transformation on Instagram in a bid to share their ‘unique’ story and normalise taking renovations slowly (@homeisheathside).

With all the renovations the property is estimated to be worth £850,000 to £1million, but the couple’s main focus was never making a profit. They simply wanted a warm and inspiring space for their family.

But this profit margin is impressive given that the couple didn’t have any savings when they moved into the property, as they had used at their funds to purchase the home.

Rowan added: ‘Right from the start, we knew it wouldn’t be quick, especially as we were renovating between working, saving and looking after three kids, but it’s what we signed up for.

‘There are real benefits to going at a steady pace, it means we made considered decisions rather than rushing into choices we weren’t sure about.

‘I think I love the house even more knowing the amount of time and effort we’ve put into it – and the kids appreciate it too.

‘They’ve grown up surrounded by dust, DIY and building work so they appreciate the progress we’ve made and the fact that we’re nearly done now!’

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