"Shared living is about so much more than saving money. In a society where feelings of isolation and loneliness are so rife, shared living brings the promise of community and friendship, especially for those who are moving to a new city and are hungry for human connection"
- Vann Vogstad - COHO
New research from HMO management platform COHO has identified Cardiff as the most in-demand city for shared living across Great Britain.
The analysis looked at live rental market data to assess where tenant interest in shared accommodation is strongest. Nationally, 10.4% of all shared living listings currently available have already been let, signalling a competitive market for co-living spaces.
Cardiff leads the rankings with 16.9% of listings already let, placing the Welsh capital ahead of all other cities in Britain. London comes in second, with 13.1% of shared homes taken, followed by Brighton at 12.2%.
Bristol follows closely behind with a demand rate of 12%. Bradford and Liverpool also exceed the national average, with figures of 11.4% and 11%, respectively. Other cities in the top 10 include Newcastle (7.6%), Manchester (7.2%), Edinburgh (6.9%), and Birmingham (6.1%).
“It’s no surprise that shared living demand is at its highest in the likes of London, Brighton, and Bristol," comments Vann Vogstad, founder and CEO of COHO. "These cities are home to some of Britain’s most expensive rental markets which means lots of tenants are searching for a more cost effective way of finding a great home in a prime location.
“But shared living is about so much more than saving money. In a society where feelings of isolation and loneliness are so rife, shared living brings the promise of community and friendship, especially for those who are moving to a new city and are hungry for human connection.
“This is particularly true given the rapid rise of remote working. While it used to be a given that you could, for example, arrive in a new city to start a new job and rely on the office for forming new friendships, many people now find themselves working from home for much, if not all of the week. Suddenly, one of our most direct and trustworthy routes to connection and kinship has been taken away from us, making it all the more important to find those things at home.”
