As a lettings agent, renting is a poor alternative to buying your own home. It is common in Italy for example, to rent for life but here it is not the case. The rental market is riddled with substandard properties rented out at ridiculous prices. Landlords are, as a rule, greedy and not willing to maintain properties adequately. On the other hand, because tenants do not think of thier rental homes as 'forever' homes. they are unwilling to spend any of their own money on maintenance, in case the Landlord should sell the property....which often happens. Many of our rental properties are for rent or to buy. This combination of Landlords not wanting to spend money on a house that they don't live in, combined with a tenant who does not want to spend money on a house that is not 'theirs' has lead to poorly maintained, second rate accommodation. I am lucky to own my own home ( bought in 2000 for £133500 - now worth £310000) but I cannot see either of my sons, who are teens being able to buy, unless they either have amazingly well paid jobs, or we die and they inherit.