Legality of living in a yurt in the UK...

[Prophecy]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who will most likely never be able to afford their own home, and is attracted by a yurt-living lifestyle.

Does anyone here live in a yurt, even part time? Is it an additional homestead on your land which has a brick and mortar building already?

I went to France recently, and I saw a few hippie folk living in yurts, and apparently there are hundreds if not thousands more doing the same thing. But they're either under the radar or they've set up on someone else's land, with permission. Not exactly legal, but appealing nonetheless.

How does it work in the UK?

 

[sunndog]

In this country i'd imagine you'd need a plot of land with full planning permission as if you were gonna build a house

 

[Nice65]

In this country i'd imagine you'd need a plot of land with full planning permission as if you were gonna build a house

A yurt is probably classed as a mobile home, or could easily be proved to be. I'm not sure of current law, but static caravans can only be lived in for 10 months of the year. October here sees the occupants of static caravan parks take off with their mobile caravans for a couple of months, then return two months later.

 

[sunndog]

A yurt is probably classed as a mobile home, or could easily be proved to be. I'm not sure of current law, but static caravans can only be lived in for 10 months of the year. October here sees the occupants of static caravan parks take off with their mobile caravans for a couple of months, then return two months later.

Aye if the op wanted to live there full time with some stability i bet he'd need the same permissions as a house

 

[Nice65]

Aye if the op wanted to live there full time with some stability i bet he'd need the same permissions as a house

Or get a spare yurt

 

[richy3333]

There's a guy near(ish) to me that lives in a yurt permanently we also have people living permanently in static caravans. I think the 10 month thing is to get around paying community charges/poll tax (whatever it's called now). I'd happily live in a yurt full time.

 

[Laurentius]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who will most likely never be able to afford their own home, and is attracted by a yurt-living lifestyle.

Does anyone here live in a yurt, even part time? Is it an additional homestead on your land which has a brick and mortar building already?

I went to France recently, and I saw a few hippie folk living in yurts, and apparently there are hundreds if not thousands more doing the same thing. But they're either under the radar or they've set up on someone else's land, with permission. Not exactly legal, but appealing nonetheless.

How does it work in the UK?

I have to say there are a lot of travellers who don't care much for legality, they stay wherever they can get the vans on until they are moved on. At least you can say this for a Yurt, it is portable so if you do find yourself on the wrong side of planning authorities you can bundle and go.

I spent a couple of nights in a Yurt in the middle of Edinburgh, essentially doing security duty, we had permission to be there but I had to contend with the drunks passing by at all times of night insisting that this was travellers and threatening to burn it down, interesting times.

 

[Laurentius]

Aye if the op wanted to live there full time with some stability i bet he'd need the same permissions as a house

To live there on a year round basis, I would expect yes, but to erect a Yurt and leave it there, probably not as it would come under the same regulations as a shed or greenhouse if it were on your own land.

 

[Corso]

your land, your set up no drama

someone else's land court drama

how you deal with that is up to you...

 

[Countryman]

So far as I understand the law.
If you have agricultural land you may use it for another purpose such as camping for up to 28 days a year.
A yurt is a structure, not a building so long as it has no foundation or is attached to an anchoring point that is cemented in or could otherwise be deemed permanent. Being plumbed in could also be deemed to make it permanent. If it is a permanent structure it becomes a building and requires planning permission.



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[Andy T]

Have a look at tipi valley......

 

[ammo]

Following this threw with interest.

 

[Prophecy]

Have a look at tipi valley......

Cool. Bit too hippy for my liking but here's a good article I just read.

http://www.lifeforcemagazine.com/feb2014/index_11.htm

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[mrcharly]

So far as I understand the law.
If you have agricultural land you may use it for another purpose such as camping for up to 28 days a year.
A yurt is a structure, not a building so long as it has no foundation or is attached to an anchoring point that is cemented in or could otherwise be deemed permanent. Being plumbed in could also be deemed to make it permanent. If it is a permanent structure it becomes a building and requires planning permission.



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Sounds right to me.

Friends of mine lived in yurts for years, in a valley in lancaster. They were not the only ones living in yurts in that valley, at one point I think there were about 4 yurts up, 3 lived in pretty much year round.

The yurts got moved now and then.
Yes, they had permission of the landowner. It was part of a project enthusiastically supported and encouraged by the landowner.

The downsides are that it is difficult to keep a yurt structure damp-free in this climate (bear in mind that yurts originate in a dry climate) and can require considerable fuel to keep them dry and rot-free. Keeping out vermin can be difficult - you have to be meticulous about food scraps to avoid being overrun with rats and mice.

 

[woodstock]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who will most likely never be able to afford their own home, and is attracted by a yurt-living lifestyle.

Does anyone here live in a yurt, even part time? Is it an additional homestead on your land which has a brick and mortar building already?

I went to France recently, and I saw a few hippie folk living in yurts, and apparently there are hundreds if not thousands more doing the same thing. But they're either under the radar or they've set up on someone else's land, with permission. Not exactly legal, but appealing nonetheless.

How does it work in the UK?

I lived in a tipi for a good while and looked after my friends yurt for a few months in Tipi valley, there is a similar setup in spain

 

[Janne]

Living in a Yurt/tipi/tent full time seems like hard work. Why not a caravan?
Are there different legal aspects preventing that?

 

[Countryman]

Not really. People get funny about caravans. They have primal connections to "travellers" or Gypsy folk.
We rocked up to our new piece of land and plonked a little touring caravan on it to use as a feed store and toilet. The planning officer turned up in 48 hours following up on loads of tip offs.

More acceptable might be a shepherds hut or living van.


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[Janne]

The worst (imo) would be the earthen floor. Wet and nasty. Straw hosts 'little friends'

 

[Barry Rowland]

My wife and I have been intrigued by them for years. The local park up the road has one on a concrete pad that is used for camping during the fall and winter, but I've never stayed in it. Here in the States, you run into all kinds of strange codes on everything from having a foundation, plumbing and electricity, etc. Once you work your way thru that mess, it might not be bad. Never thought about vermin....my wife is scared to death of snakes!

 

[Janne]

I do not think snakes are a big problem. Mice, insects.