for a year to go to university but has been living with her parents ever since. She works as a medical receptionist nearby so she wants to stay in the area. But renting a one-bedroom flat would cost more than £420 a month before bills, which would take up a lot of her earnings. “I don’t want to rent – I don’t want to spend all that money and have nothing at the end,” she said. “I’ve looked at buying and seen mortgage advisers but I just can’t borrow enough to get on the property ladder.” Gavin is trying to save but is struggling to amass the necessary funds. “You don’t really see it building up as much as you need – even a 5% deposit is such a lot of money and I would like to put down more,” she said. Her parents are happy not to charge her rent. “They want me to try to save up and I contribute in other ways – I bring food in and I do things around the house.” Gavin gets on with her parents and has her own space in a room that she moved into when she was 14 but she said she had always imagined she would have her own place by the time she was 30. “I don’t see that happening as it’s next year. But, hopefully, in a couple of years, I’ll have moved out.”