The positives of renting a property have been expounded by an industry source, who suggested people might benefit from not owning their home.
Paul Holmes, chief executive of first-time buyer specialist Firstrung, accepted that it is easy to sell a house in a bull market, but when the sector goes bad it can leave individuals stuck.
He pointed out that people that use letting agents to switch between properties have additional mobility and can often end up paying less each month.
Mr Holmes noted that this is especially important if a house is depreciating in value, adding that some sellers have had to reduce their asking price for homes by up to a quarter and are still struggling to find a buyer.
"If you look abroad at Scandinavian countries or Germany and the surrounding countries, they are not as obsessed about homeownership as we are," he remarked.
According to Halifax research, nearly half of 20 to 45-year-olds believe the UK market is becoming more like Europe, where renting is the norm.