Multi-generational living is hardly new to South Africa. In fact, in 2023, Stats SA found that 38% of South African children lived in households headed by their grandparents. In the UK, that jumps even higher – with one in three adults aged 20-34 still living with their parents in 2025. A practical conversion should improve how the home functions, not saddle the family with renovation costs they may never recover. To avoid this, follow the golden rule: family trust is important, but it is not a substitute for a legal agreement.