What is Shared Living?

As property prices continue to rise as well as day to day living costs from utilities to food, we have to take a serious look at spend – For sure things do not look like they are going to cool down anytime soon. So with such financial demand on us relentlessly we tend to look at alternatives that will help to reduce our weekly spend and especially for those looking to get on to the property market.

Average house prices in the UK have increased over £100,0000 in just over ten years.

What is shared living? Simply put, it means a larger shared living (also known as purpose build shared living) area that not only includes apartments with all amenities provided, but also social spaces from kitchens to gyms or even cinemas and working spaces that residents can take advantage of as part of their tenancy. Rental contracts can be as short as three months to twelve months and beyond. The shared spaces allow for you to network and socialise with other people in the building such as by enjoying cooking as a group or having a wine tasting evening which is just some of the benefits of shared living – All your bills are compacted in to one from rental to electricity. There will be security and maintenance along with added options of room cleaning.

The concept which is popular in some countries abroad such as Denmark, is slowly entering the UK scene. It gives consumers an economical and social living accommodation option. Ideal for all ages. Key benefits include:

  • Convenience
  • Economical
  • Modern
  • Social

What is Build to Rent? Build to Rent are new build developments designed specifically for renting. They come with a range of perks from longer tenancies to a dedicated on-site manager and purpose built communal spaces, as well as a premium price tag. source hoa.org.uk

Build to rent schemes are what provide the shared living accommodation which is highlighted in the video below:

 

You will own nothing and be happy is the concern for many especially when they hear the likes of Klaus Schwab telling the world where it will be by 2030, so is shared living gearing us up exactly for that? Home ownership seems to be for the select few these days especially with property price hikes, so is shared living / build to rent the new way forward where selected property owners control the lives, via well designed and functioning internal communities, of the many?

Watching the video above I can certainly see the allure for such living options, tempting indeed and for certain people highly recommended, but will this lead to much lower home ownership?

Here is our interview with Tom Janson from Jansons Property Investors & Developers on the subject of Build to Rent:

 

I personally see shared living as a great way to live your life, invaluable for those with busy lifestyles or even those wanting a better social life and it seems they have catered for all our day to day living needs. What money you haven’t tied up in a property purchase can be spent on the quality of your lifestyle or invested elsewhere, but are we really ready yet to ditch the owning of those four brick walls?

Unlike the Germans, who are a nation of renters, the desire to be a homeowner is firmly rooted in the British psyche. In 2003, the proportion of UK households owning their own home reached a peak of almost 71%.” source theconversation

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Prime London buyer demand strengthens in Q2

aThe latest Prime London Demand Index by London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, reveals that buyer demand across London’s prime property market strengthened during the second quarter of 2026, with overall demand reaching 14.5%. The capital’s family-focused prime neighbourhoods continued to lead the way, with Clapham, Wandsworth, and Chiswick among the strongest performing…
Read More
Breaking News

Mortgage rates fall at fastest pace in almost two years

Moneyfacts UK Mortgage Trends Treasury Report data reveals fixed mortgage rates have recorded their biggest monthly reductions since October 2024. Product choice rose and the churn of mortgage deals was stable. Fixed mortgage rates dropped for a consecutive month, citing the biggest monthly reductions since October 2024, with the average two- and five-year fixed rates…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 13/7/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   How Prevou created the world’s most enthusiastic salesperson for estate agents   A fly on the wall analysis of how and why successful technology companies solve big problems for small estate agencies in the UK Every successful business starts with a problem. For Prevou, that…
Read More
Letting Agent Talk

Landlords and tenants advised to work together to get through extreme heatwaves

With some areas set to be hotter than Portugal this week, lettings and estate agents across the UK are issuing advice to protect properties ahead of extreme weather Prolonged periods of hot weather across the UK are placing additional pressure on homes, from overheating and poor ventilation to damage caused by extreme temperatures. Today, lettings…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Nearly half of UK home listings fail to sell

A London estate agent has warned that thousands of homeowners across the UK are pricing themselves out of the market by setting asking prices that no longer reflect what buyers are willing to pay. The warning comes after new analysis by Zoopla, covering more than two million property listings between 2023 and 2026, found that…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Lowest number of new build developments coming to market since 2017

New analysis from the UK’s largest property platform Rightmove reveals that the number of new build housing developments coming to market is at its lowest level since January 2017 The figures are despite the government’s target to build 1.5 million homes over the course of this parliament Higher mortgage rates continue to set a challenging…
Read More