Our son couldn’t afford to rent, so we turned our loft into an annex – it was cheaper than buying an apartment and the views are epic

A mother has revealed how she turned her loft into an outbuilding for her son because he couldn’t afford the rent.

She explained that private renting had become too expensive for her 29-year-old son to afford, so he was forced to move back home.

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But instead of having to share the property with his parents, they decided to transform the loft so he had his own space.

“Our son came home and didn’t have money to pay the local rent,” she wrote at the top of her TikTok video.

“So we converted our loft into a studio for him and his dog.”

They got council approval before starting the conversion, and it took three months from start to finish – now just a few finishing touches are left.

Access to the annex is via stairs on the side of the main house.

There is a balcony at the front, whilst the door opens into a lounge with a small kitchen area.

There is also a bedroom and an en-suite bathroom, and the “beautiful views of the orchards make it a haven of tranquility.”

“Now he has a home for his little girl to visit,” she concluded.

Speaking to Fabulous, she revealed the conversion cost around £30,000.

But they still charge rent of £400 a month.

As an added bonus, he gets to do laundry and “an evening meal downstairs with his mom and dad, haha.”

“He never goes away!” one person commented on TikTok.

“Lovely thing to do, well done!”

“Awww, I think it’s wonderful,” added another.

“A family that enjoys each other’s company.”

“This would be a lovely Airbnb for when he moves in!” a third pointed out.

“Great investment!”

Home upgrades that add more value to a home

The best renovation to add value depends entirely on your property, the local market and your potential buyers.

Zoopla shared a list of upgrades that will instantly add value to your home.

1. Loft conversion – 15% increase
2. Off-street parking – adds £50,000 to property price
3. New kitchen – 15% increase
4. Garage conversion – 15% increase
5. Cellar or basement conversion – 10-15% increase
6. Open plan living space – 3-5% increase
7. New bathroom – 3-5% increase

To which the mother replied: “Yes, I would like to consider it, but at the moment he thinks he will never leave!”

“Beautiful, but for the cost could you just not lend him the money for a deposit to buy a house?” someone asked.

With the mother responding: “But then he would have to get a mortgage which at the moment is almost impossible for young single people.”

“We had to do the same but on a much smaller scale,” wrote another.

“This has to be done because they can’t pay anything now on a salary.”

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