To tell people we're still renting when we bought outright.

Definitely don't stand next to my exdh! I'm getting flash backs of our ds's graduation last year when we were sitting in the hall. The man next to him asked him if it was our son or daughter graduating and exdh said it was our daughter! Later on he said it was our son and the man was very confused and exdh said why did you ask! The man couldn't get away fast enough after the ceremony!

You could say you paid cash and ask them if they were cash or mortgage, that would probably shut down a lot of interest in having the discussion.

This is what we do. We bought our house outright and people presume we have a mortgage and I don’t tell them otherwise

It is very easy to see when a house is sold and how much it went for in the UK. This wouldn't tell you who bought it or their financial details.
We own our house outright and have done for a long time. People sometimes ask me if I'm renting (I work a minimum wage job) and I just say no, I own the house. They don't ask if we've got a mortgage!

It’s nobody’s business whether you own or rent - but honestly you should both be so proud of the financial planning and decisions you have made to get yourself to where you are. I wouldn’t lie about it, if asked, but simply say you do actually own the house now. They don’t need to know you don’t have a mortgage as the detail is unimportant, they will assume you do have. I have friends I’ve known for 35 years+ - we don’t discuss our finances and I have no idea which ones have paid off their mortgages or not. We all make financial decisions based on different factors.

Be proud of yourselves that the house is yours. You’ve done really well given this market.

We're a married couple - 45 and 50 - with a young child. Both work in professional jobs but have never owned a house together and been privately renting for over a decade now.
If people assume (wrongly) that we own our own home then that's up to them - we've never been asked. But we are by no means embarrassed about it.
Just in the same way if they wrongly assume that we are Mr and Mrs.

Presumably most people just answer “no particular reasonI was just making conversation”

I certainly wouldn’t “squirm” but I would make a mental note to avoid standing near that person at subsequent events or activities. Small talk can be struggle enough without weird hostility

You’ve interpreted OPs post as the w being asked by “casual acquaintances” I interpreted as friends (because why would casual acquaintances know you’d moved) but either way why the need to shut down a question?

I would just say that the Landlord was selling at a good price so we decided to buy. They could look online to see when it was bought anyway. Enjoy your new home 😁

I’d be a smug bastard and tell them you’ve bought it for cash 😂😂😂😂

If your real friends havent asked then why are you getting so worked up about random people?

It's just small talk. I'm at a stage where some of peers are beginning to buy and the other half are renting with no plans to buy. So if someone tells me they're looking, I'll naturally ask if it's to buy or to rent. When I was growing up, my parents went from renting, to owning, back to renting, to owning again (forever home). It happens too and it's not a big deal.

The only people I've googled on Right Move is someone I'm dating.

I am not interested in what my friends are up to house-wise, beyond envying their lovely tidy houses!

"I'd prefer not to say."

People are fascinated by house prices, areas, mortgages, getting a bargain, moving from renting (where you usually can't decorate) to buying, back again.

If these are friends, I wouldn't tell lies like we are still renting!

If they are not friends, it's up to you.

In my close friendship circles, everyone is talking about their pensions, early retirement and paying off their mortgage. it's hard if you aren't able to do those things, I know, I've been there, I don't think they are trying to be superior though, most people aren't that interested in your specific circumstances and won't be mentioning it to others, it's more they are nosy and love thinking about houses in the UK! As someone says, it adds to their store of knowledge on the topic.

Maybe they think you won the lottery to go from renting a small flat to owning a decent sized house?

You're being a bit weird about it. People are just making conversation.

People in the uk are obsessed with housing. They may think you‘re smart and want to know if you’ve invested so they can add it to their information about the local market. If you do tell them they will then want to know the price. Next time somebody asks say- oh that’s interesting, are you wanting to know as you’re thinking of putting your house on the market and want to ask if I’m interested in buying?

I've eventually started telling them we are still renting

Having lied to some people, and presumably other people in your life know the truth, you are heading for one hell of a tangled mess.
Life is so much more complicated when you have to maintain lies.

Best to tell those people, if the subject ever crops up again, that the landlord has sold it to you, and be very vague about exactly when. They will assume you bought it after renting it first.

I’m a bit triggered by this bc when I was suddenly widowed, I found it unbelievable how nosey people were about my financial situation.

I was obviously emotionally vulnerable at the time so my communication skills doubtless regressed, but I found it hard to strategise how to answer the straight question “So is your mortgage paid off then?” without seeming hostile (though actually I considered the question a boundary-breaching intrusion.)

I was in a couple large social circles. and I think that the information just spread by gossipy women.

I am very reserved in that old-fashioned British way and would never have dreamt of asking anyone that question. You don’t ask a married couple (unwidowed) “So is your mortgage paid off then?” so why is it ok to ask someone blinded by grief.

Once financial info is out there, you can’t recall it, or control who has it (and this can leave you vulnerable to scammers as a widow), or control how people feel about it (envy, resentment etc) so if I could go back in time I’d give myself free permission to lie as much as I liked (or just mildly commented, “that’s a very personal question”.

I’ve historically had self-esteem boundary issues. But when I was grieving the love of my life, questions such as this from people who weren’t asking out of unalloyed compassion did upset me.

Rant over. But feel completely unapologetic about applying strict GDPR over your own data! Organisations are obliged to by law, so you are definitely entitled to!

Have you ever directly asked them why they need to know ?

Turn it back on them: “why do you ask?” With a polite smile. Then change the subject in the inevitable squirming that follows.

Sounds like they are just making conversation. I mean I wouldn’t ask but everyone I know has bought their house so I would probably just assume you had too.

I think you just need to get over yourself, tbh.

Most would assume you have a mortgage on it. Just say you bought it no further explanation is required.