Generation Rent: ignored, insecure – and on the rise | Barbara Ellen | Comment is free | The Guardian

Generation Rent: ignored, insecure – and on the rise | Barbara Ellen | Comment is free | The Guardian: "Interesting to see the predicted figures from campaign group Generation Rent, saying that renters could outnumber homeowners in 104 out of the 650 UK constituencies by the year 2021. Forty-nine of the predicted renter-heavy constituencies would be in London – northern cities are already more likely to be renter dominated. This trend is already established: the number of constituencies where those who rent are in the majority has grown from 38 in 2001 to 65 in 2011.

Through pure dumb luck, I have never consistently rented. In the years when I first moved to London, I went from a series of squats, to housing co-ops, to a mortgage. These days, I reserve the right to roll my eyes at younger people, who seem to expect to be homeowners, or at least living in salubrious abodes, basically achieving the lifestyles of their parents, by their early 20s.

Once again, nation’s yoof, be reasonable! “Generation rent” or not, most people have to rough it for a bit. When I squatted, it may have been free, but usually it was in rough areas, with vermin and frightening gas smells aplenty and, at one low point, only a couple of bin-liners taped over a gaping hole separated what I laughingly called “my bedroom” from the street. Is this what you mean by people like myself screwing your generation over?"



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