Rentirement in Reading: The £59M Housing Time Bomb

The Hidden Crisis Facing the Area’s 50- and 60-Something Renters

You’ve heard of retirement.

But what about ‘rentirement’?

It’s not a typo.

It's a ticking time bomb.

There are 3,216 households in Reading, aged between their early 50s and mid-60s, renting privately, not owning the Reading homes they live in. They're heading towards retirement age with no bricks and mortar, and the implications for them, their families, and Reading's social and economic infrastructure are vast.

Let’s call this what it is: a slow-moving crisis wrapped in letting agent “to let” boards and fuelled by decades of housing policy that prioritised homeownership above all else, leaving some behind.

What is ‘Rentirement’?

“Rentirement” is a blend of the words “rent” and “retirement,” referring to those entering their mature years still renting their homes rather than owning them. It’s not a lifestyle choice for most. It’s a result of economic reality.

Unlike traditional retirees who may have cleared their mortgages and can rely on relatively low housing costs, ‘rentirees’ are staring down the barrel of paying rent every single month for the rest of their lives. And with the Reading average rent at £1,527 per month, that’s no small chunk of their limited retirement income.

The numbers behind the problem

The average 50- to mid-60-something single person retiring in Reading is likely to rely on a monthly income of around £1,208. That includes the state pension of £756 per month, perhaps a modest private pension topping it up. This leaves very little breathing space once rent is paid.

Let us do the maths:

£1,527 monthly rent over 20 years = £366,480 per household.

Multiply that by 3,216 Reading renters aged 50-65 years, and we’re looking at a combined cost of £58,929,984 a year or £1.17 billion over the next 20 years.

That money comes either from these tenants' monthly income or savings or is subsidised by the taxpayer through housing support.

It’s not sustainable. And it’s not talked about enough.

Why are so many older Reading residents still renting?

Before I answer that, let’s be clear: this isn't just a 50-something problem.

Would it surprise you to know that 977 households in Reading, aged 65 and over, are still privately renting and spend £17.9 million a year on rent?

For many, it started decades ago.

Some never managed to pull together a deposit when house prices were rising. Others didn't earn enough to qualify for a mortgage. Some may have experienced divorce or life events that pulled the financial rug from under them. The dream of social housing faded when council homes were sold off in the 1980s, and waiting lists now stretch for years.

Owning never happened.

And now it's almost certainly too late.

Is this just a Reading issue?

No. It's a national one. Reading's demographics with its ageing population, and reliance on private rentals without large scale local authority housing don’t help matters.

Renting is common in countries like Germany and the Netherlands, but retirement looks different there. Families often cascade wealth down through generations, and many renters in their 50s and 60s use their inheritance to eventually buy. That's not the norm here—not yet.

A fork in the road for younger generations?

Ironically, Reading's younger residents, those in their 30s and 40s, may find themselves in a stronger long-term position. Many are likely to inherit equity from their older OAP homeowner parents. When that wealth is passed down in the coming decades, some will invest in property, giving them the security their parents never had.

But for now, the current crop of ‘rentirees’ are heading into their later years with no safety net, and very little political attention.

What does this mean for Reading landlords?

If you are a buy-to-let landlord in Reading, this is not a doom story. It’s a demographic opportunity.

This group of older Reading renters isn’t going anywhere. They are long-term tenants. They want stability. They take care of their homes. And if treated fairly, they are more likely to stay for years.

But they also have limited means. As a landlord, it's also worth thinking long-term, offering fair rents, supporting stability, and recognising that older tenants are not high-risk. They are the backbone of many portfolios.

At the same time, demand for certain types of homes, particularly bungalows, will continue to rise. Yet builders aren’t constructing them. Why? Because bungalows require more land, and land equals higher costs. A three-bedroom house can be stacked upwards. A bungalow cannot.

This imbalance between demand and supply will only further drive prices (and rents). So, landlords holding bungalows in Reading are in a strong position.

‘Rentirement’: Freedom or Fragility?

There’s another side to the ‘rentirement’ coin that deserves mentioning. For some Reading retirees, renting offers flexibility. No home repairs, no responsibility for roof leaks or boilers breaking. The option to move closer to family or try a new area.

Some retirees choose to rent, sell their property, and unlock capital to enjoy retirement. But they are the exception, not the rule. The majority of Reading's ‘rentirees’ didn’t plan it. They fell into it.

And there are things they must consider:

• Rental inflation: Rents are unlikely to go down.
• Security: A landlord may decide to sell. That’s stress no retiree should face.
• Personalisation: Renting means limits on making the space your own.

The question Reading needs to ask

What happens when more than 1 in 10 local retirees can't afford a roof over their heads without financial aid?

It’s time for councillors, housing associations, and local developers to face this head on. Reading needs a strategy for housing an ageing population who rent. Not just token gestures, but real planning:

• Incentives to build accessible single-storey homes
• Better long-term tenancy protections
• Encouragement of inheritance funded homeownership transitions
• Support schemes for older tenants

Final thoughts…

“Rentirement” isn’t a buzzword. It's the reality for hundreds in Reading and thousands across the UK.

Unless we address it now, that £1.17 billion over the next 20 yearsisn’t just a statistic. It’s a warning to the policymakers, to the landlords and to society.

Renting in your 20’s is a phase. Renting in your 40’s might be your future. But renting in your 70’s and 80’s … with no plan in place? That could be a problem.

And Reading cannot afford to ignore it.