Sadly, many people rent purely because they don't want to be bothered to look after a home. In most cases (yours is different, clearly) the monthly rent is pretty close to what you'd pay as a monthly mortgage instalment. Sometimes it's higher because the landlord is still paying the mortgage on the place and also wants to make a profit. But to some folk, the attraction of not having to do your own repairs and pay for fixtures and fittings is very great. Let the kids run riot - the landlord can fix it!

Boot can be on the other foot, though. My daughter is in social housing, and there are things she'd like to do with the house and the garden, but has to be careful as to what the landlords will allow.

Ah! The joys of capitalism!