Gravesend’s £10 Million a Year ‘Rentirement’ Time Bomb

You’ve heard of retirement.

But what about ‘rentirement’?

It’s not a typo.

It's a ticking time bomb.

There are 706 households in Gravesend, aged between their early 50s and mid-60s, renting privately, not owning the Gravesend homes they live in. They're heading towards retirement age with no bricks and mortar, and the implications for them, their families, and Gravesend'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 Gravesend average rent at £1,236 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 Gravesend 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:

£1,236 monthly rent over 20 years = £296,640 per household.

Multiply that by 706 50-to-64-year Gravesend renters, and we’re looking at a combined cost of £10,471,392 a year or £209 million 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 Gravesend 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 329 households in Gravesend, aged 65 and over, are still privately renting and spend £4.9 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 Gravesend issue?

No. It's a national one. Gravesend'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, Gravesend'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 Gravesend landlords?

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

This group of older Gravesend 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 Gravesend are in a strong position.

‘Rentirement’: Freedom or Fragility?

There’s another side to the ‘rentirement’ coin that deserves mentioning. For some Gravesend 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 Gravesend'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 Gravesend 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. Gravesend 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 buzz word. It is the reality for hundreds in Gravesend and thousands across the UK.

Unless we address it now, that £209 million over the next 20 years isn’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 Gravesend cannot afford to ignore it.