100% mortgages are back, provided there is proof of reliably paying rent. I would have thought that more than 20 years would be enough evidence, but even still the maximum amount that can be borrowed would mean moving somewhere cheaper.
Is 'at least I would own it' a good enough to live somewhere I wouldn't really choose? Living further north is fairly appealing, but I often think of going back to London. But even renting in London is prohibitively expensive. Searching for available properties within budget yielded a set of results that included a tiny plot of empty land and several garages.