man swaps £1,000-a-month houseshare for living in a van in central london

Lewis cooks,sleeps and works in his van (Picture: @lewis.ldn.vanlife)

A young Londoner named Lewis has chosen an unconventional lifestyle by trading a rented flat for life in a van parked in the heart of the capital.

Under the handle @lewis.ldn.vanlife,his videos of life in the van have amassed him over 51,000 followers.

Faced with monthly payments that swallowed a significant portion of his wage and impeded his chances of buying a place of his own,Lewis sought a radical solution.

His decision to abandon paying £1,000 per month for a room has allowed him to gain financial freedom by avoiding rent,utility bills,and council tax,according to his posts on TikTok.

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Indeed,by embracing van life,he has reduced his monthly outgoings,allowing him to squirrel away savings.

His initial goal was to amass a deposit for purchasing a home,and in doing so,he quickly saved about £7,000.

However,he explains that new governmental policies — such as the property transaction levy introduced by Labour’s shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves — have complicated his path,pushing his deposit into negative territory.

In one video,he said: ‘It had been going quite well when I got up to about 7k,but then Rachel Reeves introduced stamp duty for first-time buyers – which now puts my total deposit at minus £2,000.’

@lewis.ldn.vanlife I started living in a van in central london to save money to try and buy a flat

♬ original sound – lewis london vanlife

He added: ‘Nothing says we live in a functioning society like having a decent paying job where the monthly paycheck only covers you staying alive long enough to work until the next one comes in.’

Yet,undeterred,Lewis remains steadfast in the financial viability and liberating qualities of his lifestyle choice.

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Lewis’s story shines a light on a growing trend — one where financial necessity fuels a creative reimagining of what ‘home’ can be in a modern British city.

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