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A third of empty-nesters leave their kids’ bedrooms untouched

Antonia Di Lorenzo
Written By:
Antonia Di Lorenzo
Posted:
Updated:
06/02/2019

Almost a third of over 55s never reclaim their kids’ rooms after they’ve moved out of the family home, while 62% would never downsize, research has found.

Around 75% of over 55s never redecorate their kids’ old rooms or wait at least a year, but one in 59 wait less than 24 hours, according to the latest research from SunLife.

The survey also found that of those over 55s whose children had flown the nest, 30% said they will never reclaim their children’s bedrooms, even though they have moved out.

Of those that redecorate their kid’s rooms, around 46% wait at least a year, with one in 14 waiting at least six years before doing anything new with their children’s old bedrooms.

The most common uses for a child’s old room once they have moved out is turning it into a guest room.

One in 10 use their children’s old room for grandchildren.

Simon Stanney, equity release service director at SunLife, said that it is common for parents to want their grownup children to be able to come back to the family home.

He added: “Most of our respondents have been in their homes for at least two decades, and it is understandable that they want to stay there, because there is no place like home.

“On average, people over 55 have seen their homes increase in value by around £135,000, so for people over 55 who own their own home and are looking for a cash lump sum but do not want to leave the family home, unlocking some of the value in their homes via equity release rather than by moving, could offer a solution.”