sell up

This sometimes results in a windfall for the owners who were so reluctant to sell up in the first place.

Fears among some landlords about stricter tax rules in the Budget, as well as greater protection for renters, have led some to sell up, according to Rics.

However, a joint mortgage can cause economic devastation if someone refuses to pay their agreed share, agree to new terms, or sell up.

For those who don't sell up, Ms Emerson asks: “Should these pensioners be subsidised by younger taxpayers to stay in a valuable home? It seems to us to be intergenerationally unfair.”

Jason Phillips had been living in his flat in Crouch End, north London, for 10 years when his landlady decided to sell up.