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

More than a third of homes undergo price reduction

The latest research from GetAgent.co.uk has revealed that more than a third (34.4%) of homes sold subject to contract (SSTC) across Britain’s major cities have undergone an asking price reduction, with this figure climbing to more than half in Bournemouth, raising questions over whether sellers, and their agents, are pricing their properties realistically when first…
Read More →
Breaking News

‘Explosion’ in e-signature use at Land Registry spells progress for homebuying reform

The number of e-signatures used at Land Registry has exploded in the latest quarter — jumping more than ten times in just three months to 643, Novus Strategy can reveal. Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES) are a central plank of the revolution unfolding in homebuying because they reduce friction and save time. It’s a combination of…
Read More →
Letting Agent Talk

The Flats Above the Shop Problem

Why residential property hidden inside commercial ownership keeps causing trouble By Adam Hills, Client Services Director, LRG Living Markets Somewhere in many commercial property portfolios sits a small collection of front doors that was never really part of the plan. Many large and small retailers inherit residential property portfolios by default as part of mixed-use…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 2/11/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   April 2027: The date Landlords become data companies   From 6 April 2027 some landlords pay 4% more tax – but a bigger burden is the extra governmental red tape Thought leadership by Olivier Jauniaux Founder of NestLink There was a moment in the 2026 Budget speech…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Buying Alone? What Solo Buyers Need to Know Before Making an Offer on a House

Figures show that solo buyers accounted for 36.9% of Barclays’ mortgage completions in June 2026, as more people chose to step onto the property ladder without a partner beside them. Choosing independence over waiting for a joint purchase has doubled over the last 50+ years, with solo first-time buyers doubling from 15% before 1980 to…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

How to Make a New-Build Living Room Feel Less Like a Show Home

An empty new-build living room can be surprisingly difficult to furnish. The walls are freshly painted, the sockets are in place, and there is nothing to remove before decorating begins. Yet once the sofa arrives, the room can still feel unsettled: too bare in some places, awkwardly crowded in others. The answer rarely involves buying…
Read More →