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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that, yes, people who rent like nice things too...

134 replies

Everythingnotsavedwillbelost · 15/09/2019 11:07

I rent, I have done for years and at the moment it’s likely to continue. I have lovely furniture, my kids have lovely bedrooms & our life is normal and like everyone else’s.

Parent at the school last week ‘what, you own your own furniture when you rent?’

Aibu to think what the actual fuck? She clearly was amazed that as someone who rents a house, I might own furniture and shock horror, buy nice things?!

I just missed the boat housing wise because I don’t have a deposit & despite trying to save, can’t get a big enough mortgage.

Aibu to also think that this country’s perception of renters is so warped and out of date and actually just bloody rude Hmm

OP posts:
DDIJ · 15/09/2019 13:22

This reply has been withdrawn

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sheshootssheimplores · 15/09/2019 13:23

I genuinely have never thought about renters versus owners in any conversations I’ve had with fellow parents at school. I’ve rented, me and my partner then rented and now we own. In the future we might break up and I might rent again. In my old age I might be forced to rent. I literally have no thoughts about either situation and those who use it as a barometer of class or social standing are twats.

LittleSweet · 15/09/2019 13:24

I thought she said it because some rental properties come with furniture. When I was in my 20s I rented fully furnished places.
I think the stigma of renting started in the 80s when Thatcher started the right to buy your council house. It gave people the impression that renting was inferior to buying your home.
I don't think that. I never think about it. I would judge someone on the things that they do or say, not where they live.

Vulpine · 15/09/2019 13:28

I'm not sure being slim makes it any easier to sleep on the floor

Tomorrowisanewday · 15/09/2019 13:29

I have a flat rented out in Edinburgh (because I had to move out of area for work), which I intended to leave my furniture in. Letting agents said to give prospective tenants the choice of whether they wanted it furnished or not. Tenants wanted to bring their own furniture, which made sense to me, as it's their home for now

LittleSweet · 15/09/2019 13:30

I agree. I would have thought your own padding would make it more comfortable. 😁

DDIJ · 15/09/2019 13:30

This reply has been withdrawn

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PleaseNoFortnite · 15/09/2019 13:33

over here you're supposed to be living in a really boring suburban house with a garden by the time you're 30 even if you're single

Where I live, house prices more than doubled in 5 years - the average price of a house is now around the £750K mark, having dropped recently. A 10% deposit of £75K is an awful lot of lattes/avocados, especially for a 30 year old.

BolloxtoGender · 15/09/2019 13:33

Yabvu in sounding so so outraged and offended.

PleaseNoFortnite · 15/09/2019 13:34

Worse for a couple with growing children to pay for!

SquidgeyMidgey · 15/09/2019 13:34

Depends very much on her tone and the general nature of the conversation but from the OP I would have taken it as she thought rented properties were furnished. Obviously not all of them are, but maybe it was what popped into her head, and it's not a sensitive issue in her world that her brain enforced a pause for thought.

I think the whole 'renters are slackers' / 'mortgage-payers are dumb' thing is a bit of a non-starter, what a thing to pick at someone for.

Lardlizard · 15/09/2019 13:40

I do honk on the whole
People that rent don’t tend to look after the houses and gardens as well as people that are owners
Only talking in general terms though of course there are exceptions

Silvercatowner · 15/09/2019 13:48

How did she even know you are renting though? Why share that? I'm old and don't get this tendency for youngsters to share all aspects of their lives. It's no-one's business but yours, OP.

Hester54 · 15/09/2019 14:02

Serious question, how will you be able to pay your rent when you've retired ?

Bbang · 15/09/2019 14:03

I actually find the other way around. Everyone I know who rents has lovely furniture and homes, as whilst they can't afford to buy a house due to deposits, they can afford nice things and their rent is cheaper than the mortgages around here.

All the people I know who own have awful houses (fixer uppers) and tatty furniture as the houses need so much work that we can't afford to do!

This is what puts me off buying a house @Fluffsmum I’m about halfway there savings wise for a decent mortgage but I’m not sure whether I’d just be better off renting? It’s not too pricey and I have nice things and nice holidays etc, any work the landlord does ASAP he’s just put a brand new boiler and radiators in etc do I really want to start paying for my own boilers?

I just don’t even know 😬

Bbang · 15/09/2019 14:04

@Hester54 my grandparents are 91 and 92 they’ve rented their whole lives and pay it out of their pensions and a very small amount of housing benefit.

Hellofromtheotterslide · 15/09/2019 14:06

Serious question, how will you be able to pay your rent when you've retired (HOW do you get it bold??) I presume housing benefit would top up pension credit?

MerryDeath · 15/09/2019 14:07

of course you have your own furniture. i have only been in an owned house since this year and had an entire houseful of furniture! i think some people are just arseholes with low self esteem so like to lord it over whoever they can.

DeeCeeCherry · 15/09/2019 14:11

When you rent people fully want and expect you to be on the breadline, not to have nice things, and think yourself lucky if you do have nice things. & If you do have nice things how dare you, you can clearly afford to buy just move out so another deserving family (that working class snobs would also scorn anyway) can have a chance.

It's a race to the bottom, instead of improvement for all they'd rather envy. Which is pointless. However that's my view of Social Housing posts/threads on MN. Maybe she's a MNetter. In line with much on here, I've never heard anyone say that kind of thing in the real world. These threads tend to descend into a stealth boast of who has what, and a slight dig at the have-nots.

PutyourtoponTrevor · 15/09/2019 14:12

Bugs me when people think you're poor because you rent, we probably pay triple what some of our friend's mortgages are and we have quite a bit of money saved too.

Ofalltheginjoints · 15/09/2019 15:15

We have really nice furniture and we’re currently in a rented flat until the middle of next month as we’re in the process of buying a house (thanks to family help and we’re both early 30’s, couldn’t do it without it)

Furnished properties are more common in our area however you can find unfurnished options.

I think people do think that those who rent are poor which is utterly ridiculous our mortgage payment is going to be £289 per month cheaper then our rent is, it’s no wonder people can’t afford to save deposits (if they want to) or saving in general when rents are so high

Original poster
Everythingnotsavedwillbelost · 15/09/2019 15:29

The other thing that seems to happen when you rent is that people seem to think it’s ok to ask how much your rent is whereas I would never dream of asking how much someone’s mortgage is! Am sure it’s just to add to the pity party

OP posts:
FrauHaribo · 15/09/2019 15:39

You might not ask, but if you want to know the COST of a house, just pop on rightmove or zoopla and you'll see how much they spent.
How much is already paid or left to pay is another issue.

I wouldn't ask, but as most people don't go for the most expensive rent they could afford, it's not a judgment on their finance.

FrauHaribo · 15/09/2019 15:42

All the people I know who own have awful houses (fixer uppers) and tatty furniture as the houses need so much work that we can't afford to do!

That's just a twattish judgment as one about renters, why would one be acceptable but not the other?

I don't know anyone with awful houses, and whilst many places can be a mess when they are being bought, give it a year or 2, and they become quite decent if people can't afford to have they done in the first couple of months!

I seem to be on a different planet as some posters, most people who rent around here are the most wealthy families!

sheshootssheimplores · 15/09/2019 16:20

Hester just that question makes you sound so fucking privileged. How the hell do you think any of the people who will never get on the housing ladder will afford to rent once they age older? I guess you will have to either work until you drop, hope that they’ll be some element of social housing left that will have a small enough rent that you could pay out of your old age pension.
That the workhouse makes a reappearance and you'll get a roof over your head while they flog you. Or maybe a trip to Dignitas around the age of 77.

Personally I’m hedging my bets on civilisation having broken down by the time I’m 65 and me worrying about rent will be the least of my problems.