Oh, for the simple life!

How things have changed! People still want relationships - but permanence often seems to be a thing of the past. Fine if that's what people want or expect, but it makes planning increasingly difficult.

A friend of my sister's has just finished paying off the loan for her daughter's wedding - a year after the couple divorced. The couple had seemed ideally suited and the two families had been delighted to spend a lot on the wedding and help with a deposit. Money down the drain, some folk would say. But at least the money came from both sides.

A mate of mine has a different problem. Her daughter has a good job - as secure as anyone can be these days - but can't afford the deposit on a house. So the daughter is looking to the Bank of Mum and Dad, which is happy to help out. But there's a but . . .

They love their daughter. It's the boyfriend who's the problem. They feel they can't trust him and worry that he's going to leave her high-and-dry. Hopefully, they're just being over-protective. Perhaps he's a great guy. But, plain and simple, they don't like him!

So what? You ask. But if they lend daughter the deposit on the house she wants to buy with boyfriend, then the couple fall out, where does that leave the parents' cash?

Property lawyers are on the case now, working out ways to ring-fence the deposit - while trying hard not to upset the daughter or offend the boyfriend.

Oh, the joys of family life!