Can you make a long term home out of a rented property?

penthouse89

Just out of curiosity, I'd like some opinions...

Can you make a comfortable long term home in a rental property?

I've moved three times in the last two years - my initial property was a gorgeous top floor penthouse dockside apartment, in a modern development, which was burgled twice in three months (one time also ended up in my car being stolen! :mad: ), my second a townhouse/maisonette in a semi rural town. My current flat is a lovely ground floor conversion in a beautiful original Georgian town house, and this is the first property I've felt "at home" in.

Buying, for me, is something that's a distant pipe dream (don't even know if I want to buy). I'd like to stay in this flat for the long term, it's in a good, upmarket part of town, the property itself has recently been modernised, has 12' ceilings with original picture rail and coving, two bay sash windows (some working, some not), but has a new central heating system and boiler, brand new kitchen with integrated appliances and an en suite shower room which is also brand new and up to date.

Has anyone here made a real home from a rental property? One of my upstairs neighbours has lived here for four years, and the other people who live here have been here for some time. They've taken ownership of the communal areas and keep them clean and smart. Something I'll also do.

I'm 24 years old and single at the moment. Would I be mad to want to stay in a rental property for the very long term?

Opinions appreciated.

jackomdj

Coming at it from the other side of it tge people who rent our house want to be in long term. They have painted walls and recently replaced carpets. We are more than happy for them to stay as long as possible as they look after the property, get on with the neighbours and pay their rent on time.

GwylimT

I think you can, my wife owns a home that she has rented out for a very long time, she inherited when her parents passed away. Her tenants have been living there since before I even met her, so that is at least 8 years.

lessonlearned

There's no reason why not - it's up to you how much of a home you make.

The only real drawback is that if you rent in the private sector there is no real security of tenure.

Other than that. yes you can make a temporary residence into a very comfortable home.

penthouse89

The security of tenure is one thing that would actually concern me with this property, because it's the only one I wouldn't like to be served notice on!

Until I moved in, this flat had been empty and on the rental market for over a year - partly due to being ground floor and unconventional layout. This leads me to believe the landlord will keep a hold of the flat, but there could be many reasons for him not offloading it.

Callie22

No, I don't think you can. Maybe OH and I have been unlucky with landlords, but we've never been able to make anywhere our 'home' because there have always been problems. We seem to have always ended up having landlords who won't do maintenance and repairs, or who are quick to threaten eviction if any issue arises. You just can't settle anywhere when you're treated like that. The reality is that the current rental regulations favour short-term tenancies and when that's combined with market filled with amateur landlords and no real regulation for letting agencies, tenants aren't treated as people who need a home, they're just a cash cow. And there are always 'more' tenants so being a good tenant isn't valued, agencies especially encourage churn so that they can make more from fees, whether that's good for their landlords or not.

Psychologically it's impossible to feel that you have a long term home in a rental. A home is something you build around youself, is a place that reflects your needs and your taste, is somewhere you can control what happens and who comes in. That can't happen in a rental. In our current place, we can't paint, have a pet, can't put a smoke alarm up, and I have been told that if I leave any plants in the garden when we go I'll be charged for their removal. How can you feel comfortable with that? How can you make a long term home in that environment?

pinkshoes

I never really felt at home in rental properties to be honest, so chose to rent as cheaply as possible (shared houses) so I could save up a deposit to buy my own home.

I would never rent again.

Werdnal

Probably not, unless you have a Council or Housing Association as your landlord, where you may potentially gain a house for life unless you do something to force your eviction.

Renting is totally at the control of economics, market forces and the financial stability of the LL.

penthouse89

On the flip side, I know we have some landlords on here.

Do you want your tenants to feel at home in your property, and would you be happy for them to make it their home?

Turnbull2000

It's never your 'home', so no. Absolutely not. You're living in and funding your landlords investment. Always will be.

I suppose it's beneficial to landlords when tenants believe it's their home though. Means you have more leverage in raising rents, as a tenant will be terrified of leaving. Also means you might get some tenant funded improvements.

Gers

penthouse89 wrote: »

Just out of curiosity, I'd like some opinions...

Can you make a comfortable long term home in a rental property?

I've moved three times in the last two years - my initial property was a gorgeous top floor penthouse dockside apartment, in a modern development, which was burgled twice in three months (one time also ended up in my car being stolen! :mad: ), my second a townhouse/maisonette in a semi rural town. My current flat is a lovely ground floor conversion in a beautiful original Georgian town house, and this is the first property I've felt "at home" in.

Buying, for me, is something that's a distant pipe dream (don't even know if I want to buy). I'd like to stay in this flat for the long term, it's in a good, upmarket part of town, the property itself has recently been modernised, has 12' ceilings with original picture rail and coving, two bay sash windows (some working, some not), but has a new central heating system and boiler, brand new kitchen with integrated appliances and an en suite shower room which is also brand new and up to date.

Has anyone here made a real home from a rental property? One of my upstairs neighbours has lived here for four years, and the other people who live here have been here for some time. They've taken ownership of the communal areas and keep them clean and smart. Something I'll also do.

I'm 24 years old and single at the moment. Would I be mad to want to stay in a rental property for the very long term?

Opinions appreciated.

Edit - got the first part wrong!

If I am right then the place and area is lovely - I've lived here for 24 years and only moving next year to head back to my Scottish roots.

Love the place you live in, rented or not. I don't understand the idea that renting is always a bad idea. I do understand the concept of paying out and not getting anything back years later but to be honest there are plenty of people who buy and end up in negative equity (worse off). It's only really since Maggie Thatcher allowed the sell off of social housing that the notion of ownership has risen in the nation's mind. On the continental mainland renting is still seen largely as the norm.

Personal choice, if you are happy there then there is nothing wrong with staying put.