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Thursday, January 30, 2020

The ‘downsizing’ trend is an insult to young and poor renters

Moving somewhere smaller and more design-efficient is sold as a lifestyle choice. Try telling that to those trapped in shoebox-sized accommodation

Sheri Koones, author of Downsize: Living Large in a Small House, recently suggested renaming the downsizing trend “right-sizing”. Koones draws on her experience of relocating from a 6,800 sq ft house to a 1,400 sq ft one, and suggests that “the key is to have a home that is efficiently designed, both in terms of energy use and space”.

Of all the annoying lifestyle trends, downsizing is the biggest smack in the face for anyone in the private-renting trap. Shoebox-sized, sub-par rental accommodation is the norm in London, while nationwide studies show that homes are getting smaller. Younger adults who have managed to get on the housing ladder know all about the shortage of affordable, spacious accommodation.

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* This article was originally published here

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