Taylor Scott International News
Some 64% of aspiring home owners in the UK rent a property before they pick up the keys to their very own home, new research has found. Saving a deposit is one of the biggest financial hurdles facing potential first time buyers and the survey found that renters are less likely to benefit from help from family, with only 41% receiving any financial assistance, compared to 62% of those who are living with their parents or family members. Building up the necessary deposit is also challenging for those who are paying rent as the research revealed an average monthly rent in the UK of £681.70, according to the research from Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks. Of those who live with their parents before buying their own property some 21% don’t pay rent with a third of these potential home buyers putting this money towards their deposit instead. However 52% do pay a fixed amount every month to their family landlords while 22% contribute towards food and bills and others simply pay what they can afford on a monthly basis. The research also found that those in rented accommodation find getting on the property ladder more stressful as 28% admit to putting themselves under pressure compared to just 16% of those who are still living with their parents and are in less of a rush to flee the nest. ‘Buying a first home is one of life’s most significant financial milestones and the banks can work with the individual needs and circumstances of potential first time buyers to help make their dreams of becoming a homeowner a reality,’ said Steve Fletcher, head of customer banking networks at Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks. Meanwhile, separate research commissioned by Royal London shows that almost five million renters in the UK have no plans in place to cover their rent if they became too ill to earn for three months or more, even though recent cuts to housing benefits could leave them at risk. This is despite the fact that some 27% of renters in paid employment said they knew someone who had struggled in this situation and the survey found 34% admit they don’t know how long they could survive. The research also found that 60% of those who had some idea said that they could only survive on their savings for three months or less. Some 53% said their first move would be to apply for state benefits, some 47% would reduce their household expenses and 39% start using their savings. Only 7% of renters in paid employment have ever consulted a financial adviser. The most common place people turn to for financial advice is their family and friends. ‘Renters who assume that housing benefit will be there when they need it could find the reality is very different. A series of cuts to housing benefit means that more people would not get their rent paid in full if their income fell unexpectedly,’ said… Taylor Scott International
Taylor Scott International, Taylor Scott
