Is co-living on the rise in the UK?

Is co-living on the rise in the UK?

Living spaces, habits and attitudes have all changed drastically across the UK in the past year or so.

As we start to make our way out of the restrictions that have marred our lives recently, we’re not only looking forward to summer but also getting to grips with what our new world will look like once the smoke has cleared and we’re able to see the picture a little more clearly.

A few things have already become clear to us, for example, with the way that our working lives have changed and are likely to remain for the foreseeable future. Most office based roles are now already adjusted to accommodate home working and there’s little reason to imagine a huge or immediate shift back towards full time office working.

Similarly, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and other research bodies are reporting on the new ‘race for space’ where tenants and homeowners are all looking to move to different accommodation almost all at the same time due to changing personal needs.

Most older buyers or renters are now moving out of the city and into more suburban or rural areas whilst most younger people are now moving into the city more quickly than they were previously in what is seen as an acceleration of expected trends.

In fact, many are now reporting that the process has sped up so much that home owners looking to move our actually renting properties whilst they sell theirs because there’s no need to be near their workplace and, as such, it’s working out better for them to rent a property whilst they wait for the sales process to complete.

Co-Living

One of the aspects of modern living that seems to have also changed recently is that many more people are now co-living or house sharing, in comparison to before the pandemic.

Co-living would be where at least three tenants in a shared property aren’t family or in a relationship, and it appears to be soaring in popularity.

In research released by Barclays, it was shown that most people enjoy co-living due to its social nature and the fact that they’re an affordable option in town and city centres that would be out of their price range if they were to live alone. Most people cited the fact that it reduces their living cost as the main benefit.

More and more people also appear to be moving out into rented accommodation during the pandemic, especially young people, as they get tired of living with family or people they’ve lived with for a long time.

Luckily, there has never been a better supply of quality rented accommodation, but it also means that demand is increasing quickly too.

That now means that most are speeding up the process of moving and applying for rented accommodation as there are more people than ever applying for limited stock.

As the pandemic starts to move towards our rear view mirror it appears that it has changed people’s attitudes hugely and many more are now considering moving out, and also enjoying living in rental accommodation due to the freedom it gives them. If you’re looking at the perfect rented house, now may well be the time to make your move.

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