Renting for life

[Wonnacott35]

Just read this on another thread and it struck a cord. What do people in countries that have high renting statistics do we then get old? Do they have huge pensions that'll allow them to continue renting for life?

They’ll claim housing benefit just like the low paid working population do

Some places have rent control (USA being one), if you remember the last episode of Friends; Chandler says “Thanks to rent control it was a fricking steal”. It’s possible (though I haven’t a clue) that there are fewer private LLs and more socially rented housing in other countries, so longer leases and no sudden, massive hikes in rent.

My GP lived in a country where renting is common and rented all their lives. They didn’t need “huge” pensions as rental costs are way lower than here. They had a beautiful 3 bed apartment in a nice town for £350 a month, and that was only about 10 years ago. So their standard work pensions were ample to cover it. I don’t know all the ins and outs but they also had some kind of comprehensive retirement plan which paid for my grandfathers care home for the last year of his life. There is no “housing benefit” where they lived. I personally think it’s much better than what we have in the UK.

My MIL (94) still lives in the same flat her parents moved into when it was newly built. She and her sisters grew up there, she raised her son und when she dies DH and I will step into the contract.
A simple flat with a balcony, cellar for bikes and potatoes and a loft for drying your clothes. The rent is OK as the company that owns this building is a 'Genossenschaft' so 'non profit'.

We currently rent and have been in this flat for 16 years. It's privately owned and the owner tries to sell. If he does and the new owner wants to move in we have 9 months to find a different place. He's been trying to sell for the last 3 years with no luck.