I couldn’t afford to pay rent so I moved into my dad’s old shed – it’s tiny and freezing, but my kitchen cost £20
A WOMAN who was priced out of renting even in shared accommodation has revealed how she turned her dad’s old shed into her tiny home.
Ten years on, Catrina Davies is still in her tiny shed which she describes as ‘freezing’ due to the lack of insulation, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
She revealed that living in shared accommodation was super ‘stressful’ as she was just working to pay her rent and not enjoying life when an idea struck her.
Catrina remembered the ‘shack’ her dad used to use as an office in Cornwall in the 90s and decided to go and live there instead to give herself a ‘breather.’
But almost ten years on, Catrina still calls it home she revealed to The Times.
She revealed that spending winter in the tiny shed was particularly hard as the inside space was small and wasn’t insulated leaving her freezing.
But after buying a wood burner for inside she feel in love with the simple way of life where she gets to write and sing her songs without any bother.
Despite it being tiny, Catrina revealed she still had enough room for a kitchen – buying a camping cooker for £20 ten years ago and still uses it.
Propped up on a wooden bench – the bottom half is also used as her pantry to store fruit and vegetables.
She announced it was ‘the small things in life that matter’ like good coffee and being able to be with nature – something that’s surrounding her shed home.
With no sink or toilet – Catrina is always popping outside to clean her teeth or go to the bathroom – and she even has her own vegetable garden on site too.
“I have a really deep sense of being part of an ecosystem,” she said in regards to living in the middle of nowhere.
To keep herself afloat, Catrina has a host of jobs, from teaching children to writing books.
The clip has gone viral with over 600k views on their Youtube account and people were quick to share their thoughts on Catrina’s living situation.
One person wrote: “I love her little shed. She looks so healthy too – beautiful glowing complexion. A sign of happiness and plenty of fresh air.”
Another commented: “It’s a disgrace that people are priced out of the market and it’s startling how often this happens.”
Do I need planning permission to convert my shed?
CONVERTING an existing shed or outbuilding into a self-contained living space will usually require you apply for planning permission.
However, there is a “loophole” Brits can use to convert outbuildings into a tiny home without permission.
Planning expert Martin Gaine from Just Planning warned the conversion process is far easier than you may think.
Speaking to The Sun, the Chartered Town Planner of 14 years’ experience explained: “An outbuilding can be built using ‘permitted development rights‘, meaning it does not need planning permission.
“As long as you comply with the various restrictions and conditions.”
One of these is that the outbuilding can only be used for something ‘ancillary’ to your main living accommodation – examples include storage, a gym or a pool room.
If the outbuilding is existing, converting it then into primary living accommodation IS allowed.
Martin explained: “This is because internal changes to an existing building are not considered to be development at all under the Town and Country Planning Act.
But like anything, there is one catch.
The new living accommodation must still have some connection with your use of the main house.
For instance, if your gran is living out there, she must still come into the house to eat.
“What a delight. It’s taken me years to reach the same conclusion, the little things have value, nature, peace of mind, friendship, everything else is veneer,” penned a third.
Meanwhile a fourth said: “Just because you don’t have a house doesn’t mean you are homeless. She certainly has a home.”
“Catrina looks healthy and happy and that’s a great base for enjoying life.I wish her well,” claimed a fifth.
Someone else added: “She’s independent and self-reliant. God Bless her always!”
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