Jealousy mainly; mostly at the fact that the person minding their own business doesn't need society and the jealous person is usually dependent on society for numerous reasons. Security, fear of loneliness, state benefits, etc.
@@filipmacamhalghaidh9493 The older I get the more relaxed I get about people pretty much doing whatever they please as long as they don't directly harm anyone else they should be able to do as they desire.
@@Michael-jh9fd and who told you you can't buy property now? In my area they sell for 1, 500 dollars and you can fix it yourself! You got me as a translator! Hellow? When there is a will there is a way! The expensive one is about 7000 and has water but still.need to do work to add a room in the front where the water is!
I have a job I hate. I work for money I only ever see 30% of. They tell me if I buy their cars and buy in to their dreams I’ll be happy but it’s a lie! I’m 34 and I’ve had enough! If this is the only shot we get at this and if this is truly the only thing there is between us and oblivion. I’d like to say I spent my time happy and doing the things I wanted to do! You’re an inspiration and I appreciate your knowledge.
@@enriquecabrera2137 The way I see it, it is you who is pathetic. You are willing to turn your back on nature and live in a graveyard of glass and cement while you are turned into a wage slave by government psychopaths who are using you to fill their insatiable lust for money. They are at war with the lifeblood of humanity: water, trees, air, but what does it matter to you, so long as you get a nice car, a nice job at the office and you get to spurt your wad in chicks every Sunday?
Great video, I've just bought a site here in Ireland and my solicitor was very worried about the neighbours and what they'd think of my plan to live off grid. She was telling me they could set up barricades to stop me accessing the site etc. I met the neighbours and went out of my way to be extra amiable. Now I have keys to my closest neighbours house and know everyone on the road. If you're going to do this kind of life then you have to be realistic, you can't hide away in your site for years until you get planning, so introduce yourself to the neighbours and reassure them your not a troublemaker.
Hi, even though this Vlog is a few years old I’ve only just come across it. It’s one of the most interesting and informative I’ve seen and have been inspired by it, so thank you. I actually own and live on a 55 foot narrowboat, and have done for over 7 years now! But want to buy my own piece of land, to do exactly what you’re doing, to ‘quietly’ live on it, keeping chickens, bees, grow my own veg and weave my textiles ( this is how I make a living now), So that’s my plan for 2022. Interestingly, I had already thought about seeking out the land myself rather than going through the normal land agents and auctions, so thank you for confirming that, your comments give confidence to try it that way. Any more hints and tips would be very welcome. I will check out all your other videos now 😊 Happy land dwelling and all the best for the coming year 2022. 🐓
Thank you for this video. I have found it really interesting. I am 80 and have no plans to do this at my age but I admire you for doing something different and achieving something so special. I also have not had a TV for some years and do not want one. I prefer my laptop with programmes like this. Congratulations and looking forward to your other videos.
good to hear from someone off grid here in the UK. I learn a lot from the videos from over the pond but get disheartened thinking it can't be done here, you've given me hope Max
we have to be ""off grid"" in our own way. The seed planted. Sacrifice. If you don't use you don't get metered. The rates go up. The mass complains. THEN something will be done. They will not listen to common sense from one small number. Yes could take a generation. The other, wait for comm and tech to do their disruption. Fresco(rip) of The Venus Project predicts this.
Oh and breaking news. Many pep do live off grid,,if they are rich. Funny, can't seem to convince the cops that they should protect the tax payer, but I guess big money also means big guns.
Its lovely to see us English heading back in the direction of our ancestors. Healthier living, always an adventure and the freedom to be who and what you want to be. Hats off to you sir, you have my respect.
Johnny Appleseed if you feel he is talking about the ones who still to this day restrict living rather than share knowledge, you may be wrong. I feel it's clear it was a comment regarding those who first lived off the land and their ways of life.
TheTechOasis and what could have caused such a vulgar response I wonder? I never said anything about respect but someone clearly thinks living in the dark ages is a good thing.
I like the story on radio 4 of the guys who lived in a caravan in a field he purchased, but being smart he found on with a parish council boundary running across it and lived one side of it, the when the parish he lived in managed to do all the paper work to make him move he just moved to the other side of the field into a different parish, after a few try's they gave up lol.
Official planning is not to protect the people however, it is to restrict their freedom. Not saying that some benefits might not be achieved, but the purpose is to limit the poor and average person from thriving in a world run by dominators.
15:50 is my favourite bit - "the Royal Mail will deliver to anywhere they can find.... you know, if it's got an address on it that the postman can understand, they'll deliver it. It's quite an amazing service really, so take full advantage"
I’ve almost no interest in doing what you’ve done. But.. “Have a go at doing something even if you fail, because the alternative is to never have a go at anything.” A quote for everyone for life, I think. What a guy!
5 years later,i stumble upon this. I work away from home all week,with a wife that loves the money, just doesnt like me. I was thinking sneaky foxhole with a fireplace dug in for 2 nights a week. This has been very informative
In August of 1854 Soho, a suburb of London, was hit hard by a terrible outbreak of cholera. Dr. John Snow himself lived near Soho, and immediately went to work to prove his theory that contaminated water was the cause of the outbreak. The men who worked in a brewery on Broad Street which made malt liquor also escaped getting cholera. The proprietor of the brewery, Mr. Huggins, told Snow that the men drank the liquor they made or water from the brewery’s own well and not water from the Broad Street pump. None of the men contracted cholera. Maximus I have contributed to your beer fund in the interest of public safety. Great video, keep going.
It was women the well maidens the care takers of the sacred water. After the move to the cities exactly what you describe but actually the first brewers were women for exactly that reason when the country industrialised. Interested in celt mythology my findings came from there xx
Great story, great information and very inspirational. It's my dream to get on the land and having lived on farms in the past i know it's where i want to be. Ill be getting that booklet. Cheers
YT is full of lovely looking off-grid dwellings and owners conducting proud tours of their living spaces... but this is one of the best in-depth discussions of the how's and where's I have come across, top marks and well done. I envy your practicality.
Well done you! I loved listening to your story and I agree wholeheartedly with what you say about taking a first step towards a dream. Independence is so important for healthy mind body and spirit. Thank you Maximus Ironthumper - great name for a Viking and you have the beard! ;) Good work, good life, may you go from strength to strength.
First video I've watched of yours... and mate... good on you sir. What an inspiration. I hope you carry on having the success you clearly deserve. What a nice guy
I've been sheltered and warmfully homed my whole life without much thought of living off the grid, and yet, I just watched the entire video without realising. It's so interesting, and you're so great at talking about it. Thank you Maximus!
I was looking for this comment, it does seem a bit off, camo net is literally designed for concealing things, decent guy doing it for the right reasons but if it had gone to court, don't think he'd win that point.
This man is real smart and real true: #1 Problem, fucking neighbours. He was lucky to have reasonable ones. Nothing but trouble with mine. #2. Fucking councils. Keep off their radar in all ways possible.
Fairly straight forward in Australia.Basically one puts up a mail box on property (or where the designated mail drop area is in a rural area),with your name and address on it,send yourself a letter (from some distance away),and it's usually that simple.Has worked for me (a couple of times) over the years.Take care anyhow.
I gave up in 2012. I had the land, a 40 foot spray foam insulated shipping container, solar panels, deep cycle batteries, everything. When I was 80% finished building it the inspection control came and forbid me to live there. I almost commited suicide, but decided on revenge. My revenge was selling everything and applying for wellfare and government housing. Now I milk the state for everything I can and live for free, even better than I would off-grid. That's what you get for not letting me live in peace on my own land
You could of lived in peace if you had followed the rules, if you weren't earning money you wouldn't have paid tax, what you really wanted was to live without paying any tax, and leaving everyone else to pay your share.
Zod uh revenge against the tax payer because the city government screwed you?!?! You sold your property and had to get welfare?! We the People pay those taxes and you are welcome. Seems slightly askewed, and if you are on welfare, I doubt you're living better, you're just living limited. Welfare sucks!
glad you didn't check out of life, some close to me did and that is never an answer. likely if that caused you to give up, the off grid life would have been too hard for you anyway.
I can see your point to be honest , your not allowed to do anything here in the uk without someone sticking their nose in when all you probably wanted was a quiet life
I will have to try your way. I have lived in a caravan in a friends woodland for 13 years. I went to the PO to ask about putting up a postbox and they said Id have to bring in my council tax form - which of course I hav'nt got! I live in Wales so maybe different rules apply? Think I'll try your way. Will let you know how it goes. Thank you for your informative video.
@Susan Hills - sounds more like an unhelpful post office! What business is it of theirs whether you pay council tax? The postal service is not council funded. It is a limited company paid for by the people who buy the postage stamps. In fact, isn't it THEY, and not the council, who issue the postcode address? Probably, you can't even pay council tax without a postcode address!
I bet the woman didn't come along by herself, they never do. She must have been invited. So if you want to stay out of "trouble" don't bring it on yourself. But once you do so, you have no right to complain, since it's you who crated a situation nobody forced you into.
The law doesn't allow people to build in agricultural land with all sort of excuses but the truth is that if more and more people would be allowed to do that, developers or simply people who owns multiple houses wouldn't be able to get richer and richer by selling or renting their properties to the people who need them. It's a monopoly held by the rich people against the poor.
as an architect of many decades my best advice on planning is: everything in life is negotiable and especially the law. Stand up and say your piece and then do it again and again. The system can't afford to keep that up and will cave
generally there are costs/fees in any government process; often not too expensive just a bloody nuisance. However, your advantage is always that in "legal" matters you can represent yourself..whereas the government entity must send along a qualified legal professional of some kind - at great cost. They can't send the dog catcher to a planning matter.. If this legal process is repeated during mediation, the cost of legal representation for the government entity can approach excessive amounts.. and it is often this simple situation which encourages the government entity to adopt a reasonable point of view. A simple example: a client ended up in a "mediation" session in Planning Court.. the Local Council hired a barrister.. who cost AU$8,000/day.. the magistrate doing the mediation kept adjourning the matter to another day..in the end the Council had paid AU$50,000 to the barrister and blown their legal budget on the matter.. so caved on the issue and granted my client approval. In other words the rate payers had AU$50,000 of their money wasted on a matter that was trite and which would always have been approved in the end either way. In contrast the client lost 3 mornings of his time.
Well done you for getting round the planning laws and making this work for you. Unfortunately the vast majority of people in the UK do not get such a smooth ride. Whether or not your neighbours are tolerant, almost all local authorities have a default position. They DO NOT WANT anyone living off grid or circumventing their desire to stuff everyone into soulless, expensive, housing estates which they grant planning for IN COLLUSION with giant developers and favoured builders. Local Councils have immense discretionary power and usually apply it to do everything they can to stop anyone opting out of the system. This includes mobile homes which are nowadays made to high standards but local authorities only offer residential licences to "park homes" which are an appalling rip off, and the park home industry is presided over by layer upon layer of collusion, price fixing, exploitation, closed shop deals and back handers. The whole UK planning system rewards those who already can afford expensive rural homes who then fight tooth and nail to shut out everyone else. These homes are then bought and sold at perpetually spiralling prices while so-called "affordable" homes are not at all affordable and in any case end up back on the open market at unaffordable prices. Local planners grant permission to monstrously ugly developments but make it almost impossible for individuals to buy or rent a small plot and build on it. Your situation is great and I wish you luck, but you are a very rare example. 99% of those desiring a similar thing will never achieve it.
Hit the nail on the head - rural Wales here and you've exactly described how it works here too. Especially handy that no new parks can be built on the coast, just to make the existing mafia even more snuggly and secure while they grant themselves planning to keep expanding year in, year out...
No, not negative, and please note I wished this video's author the best. I repeat, this is a rarity. The vast majority of those wishing to control their own lives in this way will NEVER achieve it. That's not being negative but telling the truth.
I agree totally with what you say (Cole Whitelaw, I'm also in Wales), though not quite with the 99% (but still a high proportion). Local people can no longer afford property in the country, and the incomers who drive the prices up often come with a huge sense of entitlement over everyone else's business, and are usually the ones who shop people to the planners. I know a number of "planning outlaws" in this area who have fallen foul of those kind of neighbours (never any trouble from the local farmers). One person had a cabin several hundred yards from a holiday home, tucked away in trees, but he spoilt the view of the owner of the holiday home who wanted to build a chalet park! The cabin had been there long before this person came on the scene. Some neighbours, especially those with vested interests, can never be pacified. Avoid a right-of-way access over land, if you can (i.e. it's best if the property borders a public highway). That too can be a sticking point. The good news is that whilst the vast majority of people end up caught, a reasonable number end up getting some kind of permission or reprieve (more like a ceasefire). Nevertheless, it is not for the fainthearted.
No. Apparently they require quite a lot of proof. Mail etc for a start. One vid I saw suggested opening a private social media account and posting on there loads to document it but make sure it stays private
Brilliant video mate....I totally get the ability to 'get around' certain restrictions without being on the radar in that living peacefully and in harmony with your surroundings. People will always appreciate those with value, whether it be in skills or advice. I will have my 5 acres soon and have been trying out the solar and wind generating systems. Above all else I am looking forward to peace and quiet, getting my own wood for fuel and growing a big veggie patch with chickens and goats.
Well, now, this is inspiring. My great-grandfather emigrated from Scotland to Kansas in the U.S. where he bought some acreage and built a lovely 2-story house. Of course then, in the 1870s, it was all off-grid. He married a widow with 2 children and they had 4 more children. My grandfather then built a second house where my father and his 2 brothers and sister grew up, and where, in turn, my 2 sisters, brother and I grew up. It was a beautiful place, lots of trees, and a creek running through it.
Sounds like my dream... My heart yearns for the unsurpassed beauty and infinite wilderness of the US. I so wish I could live there but US immigration regulations make it almost an impossible feat nowadays🇺🇸🙃🇺🇸
@@pianorama That's hilarious... It is funny how many Americans have given me exactly that advice on my travels there... It may indeed, be my only option🤣
Just came across your channel. Awesome vids. Less is more. I think many more people than you think want to live "off the grid". A friend is quitting his government job as of today and choosing another path towards being self-employed.
I’ve just found your channel. I’m 58 and had enough of the rat race. I’m in the building trade and want to sell up and do what you’re doing with my brother. We’re both divorced and I’d have around £50k and he’d have similar I suppose. Your videos have made my mind up. Good job Max. 👍
As I say in the video, what I did was find some unloved land, tracked down the owners and asked if they would sell to me. Other methods would be to get to know people in the area you are interested in and ask about, the quickest (and most expensive way) would be estate agents. Good luck!
**Update** The excellent Planning Briefings mentioned has now been revised and republished as The Rural Planning Handbook see: tlio.org.uk/rural-planning-handbook/ For more updated info on what I'm up to building wise - join my patron (for £1) and get exclusive build project videos!
Maximus Ironthumper thank you so much for continuing to provide updates and any future content, such a unique resource I can't help but come back to time and again.
I wish I could do what you did man I am so fed up with the way things are now and I just wish I could live of my own back, if you ever have a cabin to rent let me know 👀
I love this guy. He is so no nonsense straight forward and super practical. He connects to life and is a natural survivor. He inspires hope and life into doing stuff for yourself. He has true strength of character ability and substance. He is gorgeous looking too and his warmth of person wins your heart for him. An amazing man that commands respect. I love watching his videos
yes, I am 80 but I noticed how handsome he was and he seemed to have a lovely warm personality. What a shame he hides his face with the beard, maybe it's to keep the women at bay.
We are lucky in this country to have Post men and Post women that will go out of their way to deliver a letter for you, it's one of the few institutions that still have a bit of Pride in the work that they do.
Excellent video nice to hear a little of your past experiences hard to believe that you where a traveler and dare I say old enough to remember the battle of the beanfield,I had friends in the military that told me the police were soldiers dressed in police uniforms as the police did not have the level of violence needed. Good point that you made with borrowing the money people find it hard to accept that there is good debt and bad debt.In my humble opinion it's not the rule book that holds the power it's a lot to do with the land choice, it has to suit the intended life and this together with lack of land availability and high price for small parcels makes it very hard and getting harder unless you look at western parts of mainland or island Scotland,crofting is welcomed and young families welcomed with open arms.I make my way around Snowdonia with my work and end up in remote parts, beautiful and rugged and come across interesting characters and when we talk I would comment they where living of grid they laugh and say this is how they have always lived and that technology is caching them up and not them escaping technology the pumps and solenoids and pv panels and solar water heating and internet and battery tech and cost has made their lives better their knowledge of their domestic workings is amazing.Thank you for your posts.
nautilus 1 actually did you know that less than 10 % of the uk alone is concrete., about 8half % and the rest is all land. so there is much land . but its not avalible as the queen and foreign corporations own the land . and most of britans agricultural land . so there are many farmers that sold their lands and live as tenant farmers . and land that is avalible is very very exspensive . its good if you get lucky strike a deal .
Hi Sedonia(nice name) I had read these statistics on line the one I liked the most was that the land built on is less than the land exposed at tidal low water, I do fear that the release of this information is to somehow soften our resolve to allow building on green belt land but that could be my old cynical views.The large private landed gentry in my area went bankrupt in 1969 and released vast acreages that are now in small farms and small holdings, thankfully The Queen owns very little land in my area.The ability to live free of debt and in a nice peaceful guard Eden a walled or fenced part of land is an honorable goal.
nautilus 1 thank you. well im moving to wales end this month . i made myself a deal that this time next year u will be living of grid. i am a single woman and i will do it as it is key to my happiness to live of grid. in wales. i will be starting from nothing and looking for cheep land to buy or aquire. hei maybe we could ask the queen if shed be so kind to give a little land back to the common woman . ;0) thank you for your coment i enjoyed reading it.
Thanks for these videos, I'm currently looking to move to a field somewhere in the middle of nowhere and it's nice to see a similar path which someone has taken before. Relieves some of the anxiety to know it's not impossible to pull off.
Thankyou so much for this video...I've been struggling to get my head around where to start and you've made it very understandable and clear.I hope one day to be able to live like this myself.Inspirational video,thankyou.
great video not sure what info about legal occupancy applies here in Washington state but i followed my heart and it lead me to a great 10 acre parcle with a well, septic, and large shop i am just starting to get my systems in place but i hope to eventually have a micro hydro and wind for the winter, with a solar for summer. i love the diy and off grid nature of your content
90% of the time in the US you run into problems when you want to sell or if anyone complains - so you are often at the mercy of your neighbors. If they get angry enough they can ask a judge to make you remove things. I don't think many places have a 4 year or 10 year rule but I'm not a lawyer.
just to add: i knew a person who had did just this, purchased a 3.5 acre plot of land and built a home for his wife and 3 children and his elderly mum who was being treated for cancer every 2 days. it was in a quiet spot causing no trouble to anyone. north somerset council hounded them through the courts to have them removed and dissmantal the home, despite the council knowing there was a house near by being used to grow canabis of which they never intervened and allowed this ilegal activity to continue for several years. they were told this was going on and did nothing. sadly he died from a brain tumour, then the council hounded his mum for 6 months, she gave up and passed away, his wife and children were moved into tax payer local funded housing, result a family broken up, 2 people died,
thanks for taking the time to make these videos.. very informative.. and interesting to me.. for the last two years I've been living out of my transit van.. even more strangely and worrying to some people, im enjoying it.. at 50 years old.. no money really.. free though
I think a lot of people will find this both interesting and uncomfortable.....it challenges so many ideas and habits that we take for granted. I would guess that most of the commentors here feel much empathy for this bloke, he has worked very hard to get to where he is. He represents one of a very few people who are living the way they really want to, as opposed to living the way they think they should. I hope his obvious contentment continues for a long time.
Surely we all have a Human right to a Home and to live in the country of our birth . Also how come they have all these Rules about Building Regs etc , and yet they ( The Gov ) are perfectly happy to let thousands of Homeless , Freeze to death in Shop Doorways , Tents , Shipping Containers
Really appreciate you taking the time to put these together. This is my first delve into your work, I'm guessing I'll be working my way through them this weekend. Cheers!!
Just love what have achieved and your articulate ability to educate us out here in the world. I live in Western Australia but I am guessing from your neck of the woods - ish originally. THANK YOU!! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Inspiring, helpful, encouraging, and a real hope for the future of our planet. Keep it up. Love it. X
absolutely amazing and goddamn inspiring if i may say. congrats and thank you for uploading. i’ve been researching and haven’t quite found a video describing my ideal situation, but this entire video is an absolute dream for me. i want to live alone, with a couple of dogs and cats, in a home i’ve built by myself.
Thank you, an excellent video, really helpful and inspiring. I'm in Scotland so will need to check the planning laws here but as you say I'm pretty sure if there's a will there's a way. Best wishes.
Thank you again for such useful and inspiring info. It is so impressive how you persevered without any money to start up with. GIves us all hope! Blessings on all you do from Western Australia x
In this particular case it is not the four year rule that applies, surely it is classed as a "Material Change" so therefore would be the ten year rule... The four year rule relies on "Change of use to a dwelling", basically the buildings would already have to be in situ and have been used for a different purpose initially, but you state that you built the cabin and intended it to be a dwelling from the start. My advice would be to not apply for a Certificate of lawful use until the ten year period has expired, as required under section 171b of Town and country planning act.
Dear Maximus, Thank you so much for sharing your story and the tips; exactly the info I was after. I find your words of encouragement very valuable. And the DIY Planning Guide you recommend sounds like the book I need in my life right now. So once again, thank you! I'm off to chase the book now, so I can be off grid sooner than later 🙂
Thank you so much for this video. I currently have a small plot of land which I’m using for vegetables and chickens and often dream of living there. I’m not after something flashy or out of place just a small 1 bed log cabin will do me nicely. My land has an article 4 which restricts permitted development rights and already getting a lot of hassle from local councils. Any more videos on planning for off grid living will be very appreciated. M
So basically the plan should be: Build an extremely basic cabin on land you own, have some mail forwarded to it, once you have saved up money over 4 years invest in a livable cabin. That's probably the best 10 grand investment you can make
I think the council have to register the address , so that its put on the electoral role . . i tried to open a bank account once , from an address that wasn't on the electoral role , and the bank wouldn't do it .
Congratulations on your established rights. All good advice too! I would also add another thing to look out for when buying land. Make sure the sporting rights are included, or get confirmation that they are not retained. I only discovered that there was such a thing because it was mentioned in the sales particulars of the land I bought. Some landowners, apparently, retain the sporting rights. I later met someone who found out the hard way not to be "not bothered because I don't intend to hunt". Throughout the hunting season he had the hunt coming through his property.
Very good advice, but I'm not sure if it all applies to the US. I do totally agree with your statement about doing something even if it might be wrong. I'm now 77 and disabled so it's kind of to late for me. Wish I'd seem this 40 years ago!
Im just about to start something like this, so very informative, my only problem that i can see is my age. 4 yrs is a long time when you're already 55yrs old, i would like to be settled and relatively comfortable by 60, not having to start building a slightly bigger house, so i am going for the planner help. You are very inspiring though, i just wish id sold my boat 5 yrs ago and stated then. But better to start late than never at all. Thanks for the inspirational vid Maximus.
Recently acquired/won some land... 1.6 acres, for £1000+ Fee's Came to £3200, quid's in... I'm so afraid to even touch a tree... Beautiful location though.. Done nothing other than hit it with a Stihl Brush-cutter so far. My land is mainly a footpath to a Championship football ground, recently in the Premiere League... The only structure on it is a vital canal bridge across the Trent & Mersey Canal & an embankment to a footbridge over some train tracks, close to Stoke City's Bet 365 Stadium.. I Basically own the footpath, the canal bridge and adjoining embankments, hundreds of meters of Steel Palisade fencing... Worth £50k+ 2nd-hand. Space for a few maintenance sheds or just one big one?? With planning permission ofc.
The most important thing to know about living off grid is that is its essential to wear rustic clothes and preferably own a fantastic beard like this guy. excellent video Maximus thank you.
Hi Maximus! Thanks for all the info you have given those who also want to live off-grid. It's not about most of us being sneaky to get what we want but there is untapped potential in rural Scotland that can bring in fresh people, ideas, green eco-homes and small businesses. I wish they would help those who would like to live off-grid in nature and in beautiful Scotland and hopefully earn a living too. It isn't for everyone it takes special people and should be helped. So thanks for breaking down all the dross for us.
massive respect to you for sharing this, i know it cant be easy to give away hard earned knowledge. many of us would love to live an uncomplicated sustainable lifestyle in this way. me most of all, i have so much knowledge and skill that would be well used and shared if i ever do get to live off grid. i think we would become good mates if we knew each other. thank you for the time it has taken you to share your knowledge.
Whether or not I'll use this info - it's simply great; PHANTASTIC!!!! Thank you so much for doing this and being encouraging, inspiring and making others think in more realistic and possibility-ways. Xxxxxxx
