Substack diary no.166: Thursday, 23rd. April 2026

I have not ventured out for 7 days but the good weather has enabled me to spend a bit of time – not as much as I would like – in my garden. I bought everything I thought I would need whilst I was still in work, knowing that I would not have the income to do so in retirement. However, the one thing I forgot was suitable garden furniture. I have a small ‘bistro’ set but that is of no use other than sitting upright for about half an hour with a coffee or a beer, depending upon the time of day. If I just want to sit back and relax or read a book I must remain indoors.

I find myself wondering how long I will have a garden to enjoy, as being a retired private tenant means downsizing when the rent goes up. I will also have to give up space, downsizing from 4 habitable rooms to 3. The definition of a ‘habitable room’ will be well-known to an energy or building surveyor and is essentially any room that you can live in, so kitchens, bathrooms and hallways are out, bedrooms and ‘reception’ rooms are in.

None of this would bother me were it not for the sheer brute ignorance and greed of most estate agents and the lazy, ill-informed and unimaginative advice they give landlords. For example, rents seem to be determined in large part by the number of bedrooms and not the more sensible measure of habitable rooms. Why? My home has two bedrooms and two reception rooms. The advice of the estate agent was to call one of the reception rooms a bedroom and voila! – you can increase the rent!!

We are often reminded that pensioners are becoming an increasing proportion of the population, but estate agents seem blissfully unaware of that. Why else would they advise landlords that they must provide a bath? Common sense tells me that as I get older I will need a wet-room or decent-sized shower in order to avoid accidents. But these are very rare, in a part of the country with a higher than average retired population.

I will be 70 soon so I am looking for an ‘end of life’ property. With any luck I will live to be 90 and so must assume I will be living in my next home for about 20 years. My needs are simple. I want a 1-bed property with 2 reception rooms, a modern shower room and a modern kitchen. The short-sightedness of estate agents requires me to search for a 2-bed property. A small patio would be fine. An efficient heating system that doesn’t cost the earth to run is essential. No car so must be in a town or on a bus route to get to the doctor, dentist, shops and pub. 

Try finding a place like that anywhere in Devon for less than £1,000. I have tried and failed, which I must admit gets me down whenever I think about it. But not for long. For the time being I can enjoy the home I have, despite not knowing when I will have to move out.