Two weeks ago I wrote an article on the plight of the Locks Heath 20 something’s often referred to by the press as ‘Generation Rent’.  Attitudes to renting have certainly changed over the last twenty years and as my analysis suggested, this change is likely to be permanent.  In the article, whilst a minority of this Generation Rent feel trapped, the majority don’t – making renting a choice not a predicament.  The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) predicted that the private rental sector is likely to grow substantially by 1.8m households across the UK in the next 8 years, with demand for rental property unlikely to slow and newly formed households continuing to choose the rental market as opposed to buying.

However, my real concern for Locks Heath homeowners and Locks Heath landlords alike is our mature members of the population of Locks Heath.  The ‘Baby Boomers’, the 50yr to 64yr old Locks Heath people and what their properties are worth – and more importantly, how the current state of affairs could be holding back those younger Generation Renters.

In Locks Heath (SO31), there are 4,236 households whose owners are aged between 50yrs and 64yrs and about to pay their mortgage off.  That property is worth, in today’s prices, £1.48bn.  There are an additional 3,617 mortgage free Locks Heath households, owned by 50yr to 64yr olds, worth £1.26bn in today’s prices, meaning…

Locks Heath Baby Boomers and Locks Heath OAP’s are sitting on £4.77bn worth of Locks Heath Property

These Locks Heath Baby Boomers and OAP’s are sitting on 13,654 Locks Heath properties and many of them feel trapped in their homes, and hence I have dubbed them ‘Generation Trapped’.

Recently, the English Housing Survey stated 49% of these properties owned by the ‘Generation Trapped’ are ‘under-occupied’ (under-occupied classed as having at least two bedrooms more than needed).  These houses could be better utilised by younger families, but research carried out by the Prudential suggest in Britain it’s estimated that only one in ten older people downsize while in the USA for example one in five do so.

The growing numbers of older homeowners who want to downsize their home are often put off by the difficulties of moving.  The charity United for all Ages, suggested recently many are put off by the lack of housing options, 19% by the hassle and cost of moving, 14% by having to declutter their possessions and 14% by family reasons such as staying close to children and grandchildren.

Helping mature Locks Heath (and the Country) homeowners to downsize at the right time will also enable younger Locks Heath people to find the homes they need – meaning every generation wins, both young and old.  However, to ensure downsizing works, as a Country, we need more choices for these ‘last time buyers’.

Theresa May and Philip Hammond can do their part and consider stamp duty tax breaks for downsizers, our local Council in Locks Heath and the Planning Department should play their part, as should Landlords and property investors to ensure Locks Heath’s ‘Generation Trapped’ can find suitable property locally – close to friends, family and facilities.