Peter Clerckx has lived without any income for 10 years now. This 58-year-old man is not complaining: he lives in a listed building in Bruges and has a job, reports the Nieuwsblad. “I don’t have to pay rent to the landlord. My identity card is blocked, I can’t even open a bank account anymore. But honestly, I feel richer than ever,” he says.
He does not pay rent: the owner of his accommodation simply asks him that the building be well maintained. He cooks with the help of solar ovens and washes his clothes with water. At home, there is no need for electricity or heating, he does not consume any. “He hardly uses any electricity and the heating never works. He warms up by moving around and using extra clothes and blankets. He also does not have to pay a water bill. To wash himself and his clothes, Peter uses rainwater. adds Peter.
And yet, the way of life of this Belgian was very different before. A self-employed entrepreneur, he had a silverware stall in the weekend market. He decided to “get out of the system”. “I grew up with the idea of earning money and acquiring property. I had my own house where I lived with my family. But just being in the system always made me feel cramped,” he says.
