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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Why do people prefer to rent rather than buying a house?

285 replies

Cocktailglass · 25/04/2026 21:14

Genuine question, AIBU to not get that in the long run you pay off mortgage, own your home to pass on to your DC and rent, especially with the high rates now, is dead money?

I do of course understand getting a mortgage is harder now and house prices, I'm talking about people who have been renting all their lives.

Unless having rent paid for on benefits, I don't get why anyone working hasn't got on the property ladder, less to pay every month with a long term mortgage, eventually nothing to pay unlike rent.

As I said, not talking about now, but decades ago. You showed your earnings, were offered the best deal of what you could borrow, bought your first home within these means, a starter home with the intention of paying far less for payments than rent, property goes up in value, you buy your next home without too much of an increase, still less than renting. So the upgrading continues and initially you just get what you can afford to get on the ladder.

Renting does give you the benefit of any problems being the responsibility of the landlord but all depends on how good they are! With council properties in a much better position as houses are upgraded and issues dealt with (hopefully) more quickly.

Plainly speaking, you work, give a significant part of your income to someone else just to live in their house, pay bills and CT. What's the benefit of this rather than knowing you're paying straight into a loan for your own property, a financial asset, it's yours? Xxx

OP posts:
RoseField1 · 25/04/2026 21:59

Cocktailglass · 25/04/2026 21:57

Absolutely not being goady at all! I used to rent but at the first opportunity of getting a mortgage I did. I honestly really do not understand why anyone would give money to landlords. I saw my rent money as just gone, so looked at getting a mortgage for the cheapest property I could find, same area. Half the amount in payments so the money saved from meant I could use it to make it my home.

Who the fuck is choosing to rent when they have money for a deposit and the income to get a mortgage? Who are these people?

Cocktailglass · 25/04/2026 21:57

Bigtreeesss · 25/04/2026 21:15

🤨
what a goady post

Edited

Absolutely not being goady at all! I used to rent but at the first opportunity of getting a mortgage I did. I honestly really do not understand why anyone would give money to landlords. I saw my rent money as just gone, so looked at getting a mortgage for the cheapest property I could find, same area. Half the amount in payments so the money saved from meant I could use it to make it my home.

OP posts:
Anon501178 · 25/04/2026 21:54

We rent, have done for 10 years.We are in a nice house, with nice area and neighbours, decent landlord and letting agent, but always feel abit anxious and would like to buy, but due to me needing to work part time and DH's full time income being relatively low, we do not have enough income to afford a mortgage on the size house we need, despite having just about enough for a deposit from inheritance.

We will not be able to buy until we both work full time....hopefully in several years when the kids are older but who knows, as the current cost of living might rinse our savings before then 🤦‍♀️

Skybluepinky · 25/04/2026 21:49

Oh dear, how to show you are totally ignorant.
I don’t know anyone who wants to rent, but lots that wish that they were able to save a deposit but can’t do so due to the amount of rent they are paying.

likelysuspect · 25/04/2026 21:49

Iocanepowder · 25/04/2026 21:29

Renting for life is a lot more common in some other countries, but they also have safer and stricter laws and regulations in place I believe.

If we take money out of the conversation, most of my renting experience was shit, with shit landlords who refused to fix things. So i would imagine some people may prefer their renting experience if they have had reliable landlords.

Home ownership is much higher in most EU countries than here

Although if you mean that those who rent are more likely to be able to rent for life in Europe compared to those who rent here, then yes, there are better protections.

ilovepixie · 25/04/2026 21:49

I couldn’t afford to buy. I was on minimum wage even before there was a minimum wage! I couldn’t afford a deposit. None of my immediate Family have ever owned their own house, so it’s not on our radar as being important.

thinktoomuchtoooften · 25/04/2026 21:49

I don’t believe anyone would rent if they could buy, unless it was very short term. Those that’s say they would are just denying it

Hereforthecommentz · 25/04/2026 21:48

whydidyoudoitfin · 25/04/2026 21:45

pretty sure its 2 years

Even easier then, it was 3 when we got ours 15 years ago

WhereIsMyLight · 25/04/2026 21:46

Some people have careers that mean they move constantly, makes sense to rent than wasting fees on solicitors, estate agents and stamp duty every 2-3 years.

Some don’t want the responsibility of house maintenance, that if something goes wrong, someone else has to fix it.

Some have secure housing association tenancies that will pass to their children.

Some have rented accommodation included in their jobs.

But most long term renters just simply can’t afford to buy.

DreamingOfGeneHunt · 25/04/2026 21:46

I couldn't afford it. Still can't. No help from parents. No inheritance. Let home to escape abusive alcoholics. I was homeless at one point. Trafficked. Dragged myself up to renting a council flat, and this will have to do.

whydidyoudoitfin · 25/04/2026 21:45

Hereforthecommentz · 25/04/2026 21:44

Self employed can get a mortgage they just need to show three years accounts. All the self employed people I know, mostly trades people all have mortgages including my other half, it wasn't difficult for us to get a mortgage. You mean self employed people that don't earn a lot eg hair dressers or people that take cash in hand as their income looks poor.

pretty sure its 2 years

Hereforthecommentz · 25/04/2026 21:44

Octavia64 · 25/04/2026 21:21

Self employed people have trouble getting mortgages.

anyone has trouble getting a mortgage to cover house prices in large parts of the south east and this was true twenty or thirty years ago as well.

my parents couldn’t get a mortgage for a house down south so they moved to Lancashire and this was in 1980.

Self employed can get a mortgage they just need to show three years accounts. All the self employed people I know, mostly trades people all have mortgages including my other half, it wasn't difficult for us to get a mortgage. You mean self employed people that don't earn a lot eg hair dressers or people that take cash in hand as their income looks poor.

Xmasbaby11 · 25/04/2026 21:44

Do you know many people who choose to rent when they could buy? I don’t.

I'm 50 and bought my first and only house age 34.

reasons for not buying earlier were:

Moving around a lot (different countries)
not having a stable job
not having a steady income
not having a deposit

I did feel looked down on especially not having bought by age 30, but I wasn’t in a position too. most of my friends had a partner, steady jobs and deposit from parents. It’s a different ball game without any of those ..

Hope that helps!

whydidyoudoitfin · 25/04/2026 21:43

So that they can whine and play victim in the Daily Mail when they never heat the house or open the windows, dry all their laundry on radiators and cause mould, and bitch and moan on Mumsnet when their landlord wants to do viewings to sell the house, duh....

SummerFate · 25/04/2026 21:41

Sounds like goady old shite 🥳🥳

MrCollinsandhisboiledpotatoes · 25/04/2026 21:41

Needmorelego · 25/04/2026 21:33

Unless someone needs to live somewhere temporarily for work I don't know anyone who PREFERS to rent.
Unless it's a council/housing association tenancy (which is secure) it's a terrifying way to live. No security.

Right now, I can afford to save up for a deposit because my landlord is a 90 old man, who has no idea how much market rent currently is so the rent has stayed the same for the last 8 years. It's expensive in comparison to a mortgage, but it's very cheap compared to other properties in the area.
But as soon as he dies, his kids are immediately going to sell and I am gone. So I have to hope I can save enough to buy this house or another one before he does.
Basically, the security of my home is dependent on whether or not an old man lives or dies.
Which kinda sucks.

WallyHilloughby · 25/04/2026 21:41

some people have such tunnel vision it’s unbelievable

kittykatlover · 25/04/2026 21:37

As has been said, so many variables in life - freelance workers not being granted mortgage, frequent relocation, not having a deposit. In our case we can’t afford to buy the dream home in our chosen area but we can easily afford to rent here and save for a deposit for a longterm family home. If we bought a home in this area right now it would be too small for our family and we’d need to move again in about 4 years due to DC ages- meaning shelling out on stamp duty, conveyancing and moving costs all over again- chucking money down the drain basically.

Also, you’re paying a fuckload of interest on that mortgage.

GeishaTrumpet · 25/04/2026 21:35

Cocktailglass · 25/04/2026 21:14

Genuine question, AIBU to not get that in the long run you pay off mortgage, own your home to pass on to your DC and rent, especially with the high rates now, is dead money?

I do of course understand getting a mortgage is harder now and house prices, I'm talking about people who have been renting all their lives.

Unless having rent paid for on benefits, I don't get why anyone working hasn't got on the property ladder, less to pay every month with a long term mortgage, eventually nothing to pay unlike rent.

As I said, not talking about now, but decades ago. You showed your earnings, were offered the best deal of what you could borrow, bought your first home within these means, a starter home with the intention of paying far less for payments than rent, property goes up in value, you buy your next home without too much of an increase, still less than renting. So the upgrading continues and initially you just get what you can afford to get on the ladder.

Renting does give you the benefit of any problems being the responsibility of the landlord but all depends on how good they are! With council properties in a much better position as houses are upgraded and issues dealt with (hopefully) more quickly.

Plainly speaking, you work, give a significant part of your income to someone else just to live in their house, pay bills and CT. What's the benefit of this rather than knowing you're paying straight into a loan for your own property, a financial asset, it's yours? Xxx

The simple fact is people can’t afford it.

Needmorelego · 25/04/2026 21:33

Unless someone needs to live somewhere temporarily for work I don't know anyone who PREFERS to rent.
Unless it's a council/housing association tenancy (which is secure) it's a terrifying way to live. No security.

Zov · 25/04/2026 21:33

Settling in...

Murder She Wrote Popcorn GIF
Slupeyisinteresting · 25/04/2026 21:32

I own a house but would happily go back to renting. Maintenance costs/work are an absolute bastard and I have no freedom to move for work purposes.

MrCollinsandhisboiledpotatoes · 25/04/2026 21:30

So where exactly was the deposit supposed to come from?

Was I supposed to pull £20k out of my arse?

Not everyone has a mummy and daddy that can either give them a decent deposit or who's house they can stay in while they save up.

Some of us have been out on our own since 16 and have always had to pay rent, which as you quote rightly say, is more expensive than a mortgage, giving you much less disposable income to save.

Bet you're also one of those people who doesn't understand why there are adults who don't drive because you thought everyone had lessons at 17.

Elsvieta · 25/04/2026 21:30

In my case it was because for 20 years I only had temporary jobs and never knew which part of the country I'd be moving to next. (Plus never earnt enough to save a deposit).

Iocanepowder · 25/04/2026 21:29

Renting for life is a lot more common in some other countries, but they also have safer and stricter laws and regulations in place I believe.

If we take money out of the conversation, most of my renting experience was shit, with shit landlords who refused to fix things. So i would imagine some people may prefer their renting experience if they have had reliable landlords.

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