advise for elderly parent thinking of selling and moving to renting (and us for reacting)

MikeJXE

MobileSaver said:

MikeJXE said:

I moved away (30 miles) 2 bed flat, ... after a year at the start of lockdown  I moved nearer to them, ... After a year I move again across the road ... I moved again  in February to a I bed

Were all of those moves your choice or were some forced upon you by the landlord?

It's great that it worked for you at your age but for a lot of people (especially those in their 70s) moving so often would be more than they could bear.

All my choice, the first I was too lonely, the second electric heating was too expensive, the third I was very happy on the first floor gas central heating but was using my car to get into town, the last move was to ground floor almost in the same town centre and this is it, the only possibility of me moving again would be the landlord wanting me out, rent increase unaffordable or ill health 

lookstraightahead

MobileSaver said:

GDB2222 said:

MobileSaver said:

MikeJXE said:

I moved away (30 miles) 2 bed flat, ... after a year at the start of lockdown  I moved nearer to them, ... After a year I move again across the road ... I moved again  in February to a I bed

Were all of those moves your choice or were some forced upon you by the landlord?

It's great that it worked for you at your age but for a lot of people (especially those in their 70s) moving so often would be more than they could bear.

It would depend on how minimalist your lifestyle is. Some people manage with comparatively little ‘stuff', which obviously makes moving easier.  

Agreed regarding the physical stuff although moving your entire worldly possessions from even a small 2 bed flat is not something most people would relish having to do too often in their lives.

Before all that though you have all the hassle, time and effort of finding a new place to live and once you've found somewhere you then have to sort out new phone, internet and utilities and contact countless organisations with your new address.

Maybe it's just me but I'm only in my 50s and can think of 101 things I'd rather be doing than all the tedious admin involved in moving home; I'd be particularly disheartened if this was all because of a landlord's decision rather than my own and that's the main negative of renting - in most cases security of tenure is minimal, more so now due to the government's misguided policies towards landlords.

Of course a key change which is much more of an issue the older you get is moving away from your neighbours, family and circle of friends. As your mobility decreases, even moving a few streets away could mean the difference between keeping in touch or not with people you've known for years. As the years pass after 70 you are less likely to continue driving so will rely more and more on others coming to you for social contact.

My mum is 83 and has stayed put, but others move away from around her. Personally I think it's much better to have the option of moving in older age than to 'think' everyone else will stay put.

I don't disagree with your sentiment, I'm in my fifties also and the 'sandwich' years make you think about the future, but if you're mobile property-wise, you can move to suit, make new friends and not rely on other people to come to you.

70 is really young nowadays as well, it's a good time to move I think.

Sarahspangles

lookstraightahead said:

My mum is 83 and has stayed put, but others move away from around her. Personally I think it's much better to have the option of moving in older age than to 'think' everyone else will stay put.

I don't disagree with your sentiment, I'm in my fifties also and the 'sandwich' years make you think about the future, but if you're mobile property-wise, you can move to suit, make new friends and not rely on other people to come to you.

70 is really young nowadays as well, it's a good time to move I think.

This was my in-laws.  Family moved away, FIL wasn't up to driving long distances, friends pre-deceased them.  A bungalow on a nice quiet cul de sac in a suburb with no cafe or pub in walking distance can be a pretty lonely place.

GDB2222

MikeJXE said:

MobileSaver said:

MikeJXE said:

I moved away (30 miles) 2 bed flat, ... after a year at the start of lockdown  I moved nearer to them, ... After a year I move again across the road ... I moved again  in February to a I bed

Were all of those moves your choice or were some forced upon you by the landlord?

It's great that it worked for you at your age but for a lot of people (especially those in their 70s) moving so often would be more than they could bear.

All my choice, the first I was too lonely, the second electric heating was too expensive, the third I was very happy on the first floor gas central heating but was using my car to get into town, the last move was to ground floor almost in the same town centre and this is it, the only possibility of me moving again would be the landlord wanting me out, rent increase unaffordable or ill health 

I don’t want to be too critical, but couldn’t you have made the right choice first, or at least second, time?

MikeJXE

GDB2222 said:

MikeJXE said:

MobileSaver said:

MikeJXE said:

I moved away (30 miles) 2 bed flat, ... after a year at the start of lockdown  I moved nearer to them, ... After a year I move again across the road ... I moved again  in February to a I bed

Were all of those moves your choice or were some forced upon you by the landlord?

It's great that it worked for you at your age but for a lot of people (especially those in their 70s) moving so often would be more than they could bear.

All my choice, the first I was too lonely, the second electric heating was too expensive, the third I was very happy on the first floor gas central heating but was using my car to get into town, the last move was to ground floor almost in the same town centre and this is it, the only possibility of me moving again would be the landlord wanting me out, rent increase unaffordable or ill health 

I don’t want to be too critical, but couldn’t you have made the right choice first, or at least second, time?

No, I lost my wife 5 years before and needed to get away (I thought). Somewhere new with new things to see and do. 

When you are in your 80s in the back of your mind is will you always be able to do the stairs so my ultimate aim was ground floor because my legs weren't great.  Thats not easy. 

Problem with ground floor flat is either others parking under your window or people walking by.

The flat I have now doesn't have that problem so it's perfect for me.