New data has revealed that Yorkshire and the Humber tops the list of Britain’s most sociable housing markets, with more than one in five rental properties in the region offered as house shares – the highest proportion in the country.
The findings, released by COHO, a platform for managing Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), highlight significant regional variation in the availability of shared living options across Great Britain.
With nearly half of British adults reporting feelings of loneliness, and 27% saying they experience it often or some of the time, the role of co-living in promoting social connection is gaining new attention.
Shared living arrangements – including HMOs and house shares – are commonly sought by individuals relocating to new cities or undergoing major life changes, offering a built-in support network and a social environment. However, despite their social benefits, such arrangements remain a minority offering across much of the UK rental market.
SHARED LIVING SPACES
Of the estimated 125,677 properties currently listed to rent in Britain, just 14,926 are shared living spaces, accounting for 10.8% of the total market.
Yorkshire and the Humber leads by a significant margin, with 21.3% of rental listings offered as house shares, followed by the East Midlands at 19.7% and Wales at 14%.
Other regions where HMOs account for more than the national average include the South West (13.6%), West Midlands (13.4%), North West (12.7%), East of England (12.3%), and North East (11%).
In contrast, Scotland and London – where demand for rental property is consistently high – rank among the least sociable markets. Only 2.3% of Scotland’s rental stock is made up of shared homes, while in the capital, shared living comprises just 3.4% of available listings, despite high housing costs often driving demand for co-living.
PLATFORM FOR LIKEMINDED PEOPLE
Vann Vogstad, COHO Founder and Chief Executive, says: “We believe that shared living should be a genuinely enriching experience where lasting friendships are formed and people have others around to help shape the inevitable ups and downs of life.
“This is a particularly powerful concept when you consider how prevalent feelings of loneliness and isolation have become in our society, not least among young people.
“COHO is not here to diagnose the state of the nation nor place blame at anyone’s door; only to provide a platform on which renters can find likeminded people to share their home and life with for a brief or long period of time.
“If you’re moving to a new city, or find your life circumstances suddenly and unexpectedly changed, a shared house can be a lifeline and, I genuinely believe, a transformational experience.”
COMMUNITY CONNECTION
And he adds: “The more we can do as a society to promote community and connection – big or small – the better chance we have of reducing the levels of loneliness that are currently affecting too many people.
“That’s why we urge the government and local councils to do more to support and promote shared living within their communities.
“In particular, we urge councils to stop seeing all HMOs as ‘problem houses’ and instead embrace shared living when it is being delivered by honest, caring professional investors and expert agencies.
“It’s far too common for councils to use Article 4 to block new HMOs at the planning stage without properly considering the benefits of well-managed shared living.”
