Pensioners like me have a moral responsibility to downsize for young people |
A psychotherapist once told me that opinions formed and firmed up in the human mind are deep-rooted in family experiences and later influenced by education, cultural milieus, work and social circles. I remembered him while thinking about the problem of older owners rattling around in big homes while housing for young people and families is becoming a national emergency.
Some fellow oldies may see me as an age traitor for my views on this topic. But we are, all of us, the products of our upbringing. My views are influenced by my formidable and conscientious mother Jena, who died in 2006.
Back in Uganda, my first home was a one-bedroom rented flat. My older siblings slept in the sitting room, and I, between my parents, who barely spoke. My brother, now passed, started working young and eventually bought a big flat where we all lived. We were a burden on him.
In 1972, we resettled in London and Jena moved into a small housing association flat. She finally had her own place. This welfare state gave her dignity and independence. I extended our flat and had a granny flat built. Jena wouldn’t move. She told me to “give it to someone young – don’t charge too much”. So we did. Our current tenant has been here for almost 14 years. We have never put the rent up.
My husband and I are making future plans. If we have to give up the three-bedroom place, plus the bedsit flat, so be it. It will be hard. Our kids........