actually UK and Germany are different in terms of property landscape..

UK citizen have no choice but to rent because the government fuel the realestate bubble by encouraging home ownership and opening up the market to international..and that drives up the housing bubble

Germans on the other hand felt there is no such a need to own a house and get tied with debts. They are pretty rational and pay cash to own something. No realestate capitalism, no bubble.. They are very hardworking and that is why the whole EuroZone is depending on Germany.

British and Germans rent, but fundamentally they are different.. British do have a lot of shitty debts and mismanagement..