Can't cook, can't use the boiler: A third of Londoners leave home unable to roast a chicken

With average rents reaching a staggering £1,130 per month for a one-bedroom flat, young Londoners are understandably staying at home for longer. The average age young adults fly the nest is now 23. But can rising rents really be to blame for not being able to roast a chicken by your twenties?

Almost one in three Londoners admitted they left home unable to prepare a roast dinner, while one in 10 couldn't even boil an egg, according to a survey of 1,000 people for Weroom flatsharing website, which illustrates the top 10 skills that Londoners lack when they first move out of home.

A further third confessed they didn't know how to operate a boiler, and even the washing machine was a struggle for a fifth of people, who also couldn't change a fuse or use a dishwasher.

And 17 per cent said they were baffled at what it takes to change a vacuum cleaner bag or clean the oven.

Registering for a TV licence was a mystery to 22 per cent, registering to vote for 14 per cent and even turning radiators on and off was a problem for 15 per cent.

Once they did leave home, three quarters said they learned skills, such as using household appliances, from flatmates, with almost as many renters admitting the people they shared with taught them most of their life skills.

Thomas Villeneuve, CEO of Weroom.com, said: “Living with housemates is a great way to enhance your skill set. Flatsharing provides an opportunity to live with like-minded people and gives an opportunity to share ideas, insights and skills.”

However, 15 per cent turned to Google, with 10 per cent watching YouTube videos to tell them about the basics.