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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that renting at the age of 40 is abit tragic?

157 replies

katkitya · 06/07/2011 23:49

It's not how I imagined things would pan out but, here I am. It's not very grown up, is it? I just can't seem to save enough for a deposit in London on my own. My friends that have done it have done so in couples or with family money. It sucks. Am I the only one that still rents?

OP posts:
tyler80 · 07/07/2011 17:19

You never hear people say the Spanish are obsessed with buying houses, or the Norwegians...

List of countries by home ownership rate

I might be happy to rent forever if I lived in Germany, my desire to buy has nothing to do with British obsession and everything to do with practicality

Brits buy Germans Rent

I think something has to change, whether that be house prices or security of tenure.

tyler80 · 07/07/2011 17:22

In the comments section from the linked article

"Once you signed your contract, you pretty much own the place, you can change pretty much everything, from the colour of the walls to sanding the floors and it's very hard for landlords to just kick you out whenever they want. If anything doesn't work properly (water, electricity, heating, even when the pipes tick too loudly in winter), you have the right to cut the rent, sometimes by 50%, if the landlord doesn't fix it fast enough.
I've lived in rented accommodation in London for two years, and you get treated like shit here by the landlords - and it's all legal. Hell, just a few years ago, if the landlord somehow lost your deposit, he didn't even have to pay it back!"

I often wonder what proportion of those who say that buying proper is a British obsession like it's the cause of all the country's woes are owners themselves and how much experience they have of rental accommodation

MoreBeta · 07/07/2011 17:23

katkitya - 25 years happily in private rented. Move when we like, paying far far less than the cost of buying, insuring and repairing a property of our own. No wories about rising interest rates of falling house prices. I have never decorated a house, never hung wallpaper, never painted a wall even.

Its not at all bad being a renter. I am 48. Grin

SpottyFrock · 07/07/2011 17:41

It's not at all tragic to be putting a roof over your head and sensibly paying your bills every month. It is very often less secure but it does afford you a certain freedom and means you don't have to worry about repairs etc.

'mauricetinkler', you can't possibly refer to the North as one area with similar house prices and economic situations. We live in a lovely area of the South now but until last year we lived just south of Manchester. It was about 3 times as expensive as where we are now. Our friends paid 450k for a lovely but small 3 bed terraced with no garden at all. There is no such thing as 'the North'!

Op, not sure renting is the only thing you're worrying about. Sounds more as if you're at a bit of a crossroads and feel you should 'grow up' trouble is that just happens when it happens. If you're happy with your life as it is then carry on and font sorry that yours not conforming to a stereotype of who you should be!

lachesis · 07/07/2011 18:01

Shelter is an essential. You can't survive without some form of it. Same as food. Yet no one considers buying food as dead money.

It's because people here see property as a financial vehicle, not as a home.

And people who think they're not going to have to sell up to fund their care when they are elderly are fooling themselves, especially if they're around 40 or so.

Bandwithering · 07/07/2011 18:44

It's not about that though. I want to be able to paint walls, and maybe knock a wall down. Replace front doors, bathrooms, kitchens etc.....

There's just no POINT in a rented house.

Bandwithering · 07/07/2011 18:48

83% of Irish people and 69% of british people are home owners. wow. no wonder irish people felt pressure to get on the ladder here (prior to the boom and bust). There was a lot of pressure because it's just-what-you-do.

twinklypearls · 07/07/2011 18:52

I rent a house and suspect I will be until I die. I did own my own home and it ended up loosing all my savings because of it. If I had rented rather than wasting my time buying I would have an extra £35K in savings now.

lachesis · 07/07/2011 18:52

Well, buy then, Band. But everyone needs some roof over their heads, and food in their bellies. Both cost money, so the only thing that's dead would be us if we don't pay out for either one.

Bandwithering · 07/07/2011 18:56

Well, obviously the only thing stopping me is that I can't!!!!! I have a deposit saved now but I have no job. HOPEfully, when the recession lists a bit I will be able to get a good enough job to persuade a bank to give me a mortgage. I have a good history of saving and can prove that I've been living on fresh air for years.....

And I will buy eventually. I will be so happy when I do. I can't wait.

Original poster
katkitya · 07/07/2011 21:36

Im so glad I started this thread!! Im loving the support Smile

OP posts:
mrsbiscuits · 07/07/2011 21:40

I would still be renting now if I hadn't met DH. Only reason I have a mortgage is because he did and when we moved to a larger property after getting married it became a joint one.

Original poster
katkitya · 08/07/2011 22:06

Yes, I think it must be easier if you have someone to go in with

OP posts:
scottishmummy · 08/07/2011 22:17

not at all.you have to live to means.no shame in renting

milkybarkidsgirlfriend · 08/07/2011 22:53

dh bought his first house at 23, I most definatly would of never been in a position to buy. We are 36 and mortage free, purely down to dh never over stretching, I know we are in a minority.

My aunty rents and is due to retire next year, my mum is worried sick over how she will live. DH has a very good pension, but a lot of people out there dont, my aunty has nothing at all.

BusterGut · 08/07/2011 23:12

Wish I rented. And I'm 54.
I've really never ever aspired to own my own house because there's so much baggage with it, and whatever goes wrong, I have to deal with it.
I now own bricks, mortar and worms beneath the soil.... but I would still prefer to rent!

MediumPretty · 08/07/2011 23:36

Well, see your house then and rent somewhere, Buster!

razzlebathbone · 08/07/2011 23:40

YABU I love the freedom of renting and not having to have money in reserve for when things br

I'm 36.

VforViennetta · 08/07/2011 23:48

Who gives a crap as long as you have somewhere to live. I love living in a HA house, boiler breaks on Christmas day, phone the lovely helpline, sorted within 2 hours, no double plumbers rates no stress, brilliant.

I understand it may be crappy living in short term private lets, buts thems the breaks.

BusterGut · 08/07/2011 23:53

Am trying to sell medium but no-one is interested!
(great grammar school area.... any takers??? Grin

All the advantages of renting v!

razzlebathbone · 08/07/2011 23:53

I know people who live in tiny, shitty houses in crap areas but are 'so relieved to be on the property ladder'.

I'd rather live in the present. Great house, huge garden, lovely private landlord, cracking area. We can pretty much move when we want and have no worries about breaking boilers etc. We are also free to decorate.

MediumPretty · 09/07/2011 00:09

But how often does a ruddy boiler break down???

twinklypearls · 09/07/2011 08:39

I could never afford to buy the house we rent, I could not afford to live so close to the place I work in a decent sized house. So renting gives me a good quality of life rather than hours of commuting. My daughter could probably not go to the excellent secondary that she is in catchment for unless we rented.

I worry about my old age but to be honest I am not expecting to live much beyond retirement and I suspect I would have to sell my house to fund my care anyway.

I have days when I would love to buy, but I think that is only because others can make you feel like shit when you rent.

thursday · 09/07/2011 09:24

mediumpretty - in some houses i've rented the boiler breaks down all the time! just because you have someone to come round when you call doesnt mean they do a good job. had the plumber out twice the first month we were here (for which i received a bollocking from the landlord Hmm ) and the house we had when my son was newborn we had the boiler 'fixed' about 6 times in 3 months, each time having no heating or hot water for 3/4 days in the snow.

we're in our 30s and renting and thats how it will stay. i have no passionate desire to own as such, i'd just like security. this is the 15th house i've lived in in 13 years :( and we've been here a whole 2 years now and i am waiting all the time for the demand to move on. we're so screwed financially atm that if we lose this house i dont now what we'll so. we wont get a private rent with our credit ratings, we cant afford removal vans and deposits and admin fees etc. this house is pretty rubbish but we cant move. i'd happily rent forever if i could sign a 10yr lease and feel at home. most of the time it doesnt even seem worth unpacking and then we have letting agent inspections every 3 months to prove we're worthy of being allowed to pay this woman's mortgage.

its normal though, most of my friends rent. the only ones who own were gifted the deposit by family and got in before prices went crazy.

Bandwithering · 09/07/2011 09:30

yes, and I used to have a landlord who didn't like to pay proper gas board etmployees o come out. He'd have these guys who looked like thugs in a guy ritchie film who couldn't speak english so when I asked 'have you fixed many gas boilers' it was met with a confused scowl..... It wasn't legal. I used to worry about carbon monoxide poisoning in that house.