A place of our own rarely comes cheap these days.

It is not just that the prices can be extortionate, but also the hidden costs that landlords and agencies seem to slip under the radar. That is before you take into account that the most popular areas have prospective tenants or buyers competing with each other for the most average of homes. You need a strong constitution to take on the property market, even when you come to it from a place of privilege.

Naturally, this makes it much harder for those who want their own place but are starting from nothing. It takes a lot of work to get to a point where you are finally signing a lease. In these scenarios, most rely on the generosity of family or friends, but this is often a finite resource that comes with its own terms and conditions. If they cannot fulfil them, they are going to be put in a desperate situation. That requires a level of resourcefulness that not everyone is going to agree with, and may have even more significant downsides than simply living with a relative who they can’t get along with. The options become increasingly limited.