Study reveals the most in-demand UK locations for spare rooms

The demand for spare rooms has soared amid the cost of living crisis, with more people opting to rent a room in a house or apartment to split the rent and bills. But where in the UK is currently experiencing the most competition for spare rooms?

To find out, property management company AddLiving has delved into room and flatmate data from SpareRoom to reveal the most in-demand locations in the UK for those currently looking for shared living arrangements. 

Nottingham is the best location for those seeking house shares, with high supply vs. low demand

In the East Midlands, Nottingham is the best location in the country for those looking to rent a room. The city has 1,556 rooms available in house shares and only 381 people looking to rent a room there, making it the optimal city for choice with little competition.

Birmingham, the second biggest city in the country, follows in second with nearly 2,000 rooms available and 792 people looking to rent a room in a house share. Leeds rounds off the top three with 1,549 rooms available and only 524 people looking. 

Manchester is the worst location for house share hunters, with over 1.7K people looking and only 1.2K rooms available

Dubbed a “second London” but without the price tag, Manchester is the worst location (outside of the capital) for those looking to rent a room. The city has 1,743 people looking for shared accommodation and only 1,216 rooms available – a shortfall of 547 in total. 

Rank	Town/City	Total number of rooms available in house shares	Total number of people looking for a house share	Overall Score
1	Manchester	1,216	1,743	3.70
2	Dartford	109	496	4.32
3	Bolton	106	246	4.98
4	Edinburgh	738	810	5.02
5	Bath	148	242	5.09
6	Brighton	504	555	5.13
7	Chelmsford	109	166	5.20
8	Wolverhampton	137	178	5.24
9	York	236	258	5.26
10	Guildford	204	198	5.34

Located in the South East, Dartford is the second worst location for those looking to rent a room in a house share. The commuter town has only 109 rooms available to cater for a demand of 496 people. Bolton rounds off the top three with 106 rooms available and over two times the demand, with 246 people looking. 

Outside of England, Edinburgh ranks fourth place with 738 rooms available for the 810 people looking for shared housing. 

In London, demand for house shares outweighs supply across all regions

It comes as no surprise that London is the worst place in the UK for those looking to rent a room in shared accommodation. The capital has a total of 25,171 rooms available, and 54,487 people looking. 

Olly Roberts, Graduate Surveyor from AddLiving, says: “The state of house-sharing in the UK reflects a broader trend of increasing demand for affordable accommodation, particularly in key cities like London and Manchester.

“With rising costs and stagnant wages, many individuals, especially young professionals, are turning to shared living arrangements as a more cost-effective living option where rent and bills can be split between two or more people.

“This is coupled with the rising trend of homeowners letting a room in their house to help with the rising mortgage costs. 

“When entering a house share, it’s important that you carefully review the terms of the tenancy agreement before signing anything. Pay attention to rent payment schedules, notice periods, and any clauses related to house rules, guests, or shared expenses.”