I rent out a room to a much younger person – it’s a pensioner’s duty to help

How do we fix the housing crisis? Welcome to The i Paper’s opinion series, in which our writers share their experiences of the UK’s dysfunctional housing system and examine how we can fix it.

The scandal of England’s one million empty homes
Middle class, middle aged – and secretly homeless
There’s nothing attractive about being a landlord anymore
The UK’s new rental scandal that no one is talking about
It’s raining inside my leasehold flat – I can’t fix it or sell it

Those on the right bang on and on about shirkers and scroungers draining the public purse. During the local election, a journalist friend in the Midlands heard a Tory candidate tell potential voters that those on benefits “only want to take, take, take”. Those gathered, most of whom she said were pensioners, cheered. She talked to some of them after the hustings. All praised the man for “saying it as it is”.

The vast majority of retirees believe they are the deserving ones when it comes to state support. The truth is we too take, take, take. Few older citizens believe we have obligations to society. Or that in hard times, we should do our bit.

Most seniors fiercely maintain that pensions must be eternally protected from the effects of political and economic vicissitudes. They paid National Insurance and “worked hard”, and so must get their due. That position is non-negotiable. I confess this mindset baffles and, at times, maddens me. It reinforces the stereotype of the inflexible, cross, suspicious oldie. We are better than this. Not thinking of others whilst expecting our needs to be fulfilled leads us to a lonely cul-de-sac.

Getting old is really tough. The years take their toll. I suffer from countless ailments and new ones keep on coming. What used to be easy becomes harder and harder to do. We rail against the inevitable (I swear like a sailor when my back hurts, or when steps are too high or when getting out of the bath). These frustrations are universal and understandable. But they don’t give us licence to become antisocial, cantankerous and self-centred.

I believe that unless we are infirm, we must try to be active, engaged citizens. And that the better off among us should step up and do what we can to help those younger people who are struggling to pay for basics and who feel trapped in hopeless lives. A large number of them have university debts, jobs are low paid and offer few opportunities, and in areas where good jobs are available, housing is prohibitively expensive.

We oldies can’t do much about jobs and pay and opportunities, but we can and should help ease the housing crisis. Most of them have paid off their mortgages, some by living within their means, others through wealth accumulation. A good number of the latter provide funds for their children to buy their first homes. Most of the other young people don’t stand a chance.

The statistics are staggering. Over 60s now own 55 per cent of all UK housing wealth. According to the estate agents Savills, the total value of this wealth is £3.84 trillion. If my generation was less wary and more considerate, we could do so much more for young people in desperate need of safe and secure housing.

Not only would that help those young women and men, it would bring us out of that fatalistic, grey torpor many retirees develop. And if fair rent was charged, the tenants might have a chance to save up for a deposit. Imagine how good it would feel to know you helped someone get on that first rung.

We can offer rooms to young people and charge them reasonable rent or a minimal amount if they help with shopping and cleaning. We could offer cheap accommodation to nurses and care workers who do so much for us. Those in big houses could cooperate with charities such as Crisis to provide temporary accommodation for the homeless. The possibilities are endless.

A new system could be set up, with funding from charities and the public purse. Tenants would need to have good references, DBS and other checks. Social workers and local authority lawyers would have to be co-opted to ensure the safety of the owner. And tenancies would have to be terminated if the home owner goes into a care home or dies. This would be a complicated process, but it is achievable.

We have had a female tenant in her thirties in our flat for around 16 years. Her rent has been kept low. She gave me a beautiful plant for Mother’s Day. The card accompanying it said: “From your second daughter.” That’s how my family thinks of her too. When I worry about one of us dying, the thought of her being here makes it more bearable. One day she will move on and someone else will take her place. No one loses in this game.  

المصدر: iNews