Ageism

More thorny housing dilemmas today...

Our property management company in New Zealand is currently renegotiating the lease on our Thorndon rental property. So far, so ordinary.

The problem is that the two lads who wish to rent it are, respectively, 23 and 24 years old. Apparently they have impeccable references and a blemish-free credit record. And are willing to pay top whack for a limited rental period, something that shouldn't be sniffed at in this stagnant rental market, my agent emails with much abuse of the exclamation mark.

And yet, and yet, it doesn't still my beating heart. I have recently had dealings with a number of teenagers and 20-somethings, many of whom have ages that exceed their total number of brain cells. There are any number of polls that show how irresponsible and, well, stupid Generation Y is. One recent survey revealed that while very few could identify Elvis or Jesus in a lineup of photos, almost 95% were offay with Beavis & Butthead. As one UK newspaper put it, 'Generation Y: why can't we give them a good slap?'

Hence, my reluctance to let my property to mere slips of boys who will, in all likelihood, throw wild parties and ruin my nice furniture.

The Animator isn't fazed; they're willing to pay top dollar, we have insurance and a reputable management company that does frequent property checks, he reminds me. True, but I'm afraid my recent brushes with 20-somethings have done little to convince me that they're not all self-obsessed, feckless, lazy shits. Just saying, is all...