Housing co-ops: is The Drive dream still alive? | Money | The Guardian

Housing co-ops: is The Drive dream still alive? | Money | The Guardian

It's been a "full-on" year, there's still a dauntingly long list of repairs and other jobs to be done – and, because everyone's voice must be heard, it can sometimes feel like you are living your life by committee. But it's a "much richer" way – more sociable and sustainable. And it makes a lot of sense financially, too. For what it can cost to rent a room in a pokey flat, you've got the run of a 10-bedroom Victorian house that comes complete with a grand piano, conservatory and a willow tree.
In August 2011, seven people moved in to The Drive, then a neglected former children's home in east London, after taking the unusual (in the UK) step of setting up a housing co-operative to buy a place to live. That number later rose to 10 and now stands at nine.
As Guardian Money reported at the time, the group – of varying ages and backgrounds – were keen to fulfil their dream of living "collectively" in order to pursue a sustainable, less consumer-oriented lifestyle. They outlined their hopes of being "a model for others".
So, 12 months on, are they living the dream – or have they stopped speaking to each other? What's the cost? And would they recommend it to others?