WHAT MAKES A HOME? FAMILY COMES FIRST

• British Gas has partnered with Shelter to look at what “home” means to people in Wales
• A three-bedroom, modern family home is Wales’ favourite
• Almost twice as many people want off-road parking than want a balcony or terrace

Forget mansions and stately homes – a modern, three-bedroom family house is Wales’ preferred home, according to research released today.

The survey by British Gas revealed that most people would choose a three-bedroom, detached home with a garden over a larger, more a lavish property as their ideal home. Only a quarter of Welsh residents (26 per cent) want a swimming pool, while 64 per cent said off-street parking was what mattered most. More than three quarters (78 per cent) said they would choose a house with a garden.

Households would choose a games room over a granny flat, with a fifth (22 per cent) of people wanting somewhere to play games compared to only eight per cent who said they would rather have a separate flat.  A home office was also a popular choice, with 42 per cent saying they would choose to have one in their ideal home, while 60 per cent would like a utility room.

When asked what word they think of first when describing their home, almost one in four said ‘family’. The other most popular answers were ‘safe’, ‘security’ and ‘comfort’.

The research was carried out as part of the Great Home Debate. As part of a national conversation about home, Shelter, Shelter Cymru and British Gas have joined forces to shape new standards for homes in the 21^st Century.

Bryan Halliday, Head of Corporate Citizenship at British Gas, said: “Working with Shelter, the Great Home Debate will enable us to understand how we can help more people across the country to have a safe, warm and comfortable place to call home, and will help to shape the housing standards of the future.”

The survey also asked what moment a house becomes a home; a quarter (25 per cent) of respondents said it was when they got the keys, while 13 per cent said it took a little longer, only feeling at home once all the boxes were unpacked.

On average, people in Wales have lived in their current home for almost 11 years, and more than one in five has lived in their current home for more than 20 years. Around a fifth (22 per cent) of those surveyed hoped never to move from their current property; only one person in ten (11 per cent) claimed to love moving home.

John Puzey , Shelter  Cymru’s Director, said: “Everyone deserves the chance to have a place to call home, where they can build a life for themselves and their families. But our ever-growing need for more homes means more and more people are seeing this simple dream spiral out of reach.

“Shelter Cymru has been the champion for homes for 35 years and together with the public, we want to create change for future generations. So take part in the Great Home Debate and tell us what home really means to you, and we will fight to make this the reality for every home in Britain.”

Anyone can join the Great Home Debate by visiting www.greathomedebate.org.uk and sharing their thoughts on the meaning of “home” in Britain today.