Renters are ready to embrace Co-Living, with a preference towards City living, short commutes and proximity to local amenities, according to the Bidwells agency.
Its 2025 Co-Living survey, asked over 2,000 people living in London and the ‘big six’ English cities – Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester – and found that Co-Living concepts are gaining traction, with renters increasingly willing to trade property size for convenience, location, and social opportunities.
Ed Howe, Head of Operational Living Research at Bidwells, says:“Co-Living is Build-to-Rent’s (BTR) fastest growing sub-sector with around £1bn invested since 2020, however there is a real lack of data for this sector, something we sought to rectify via this study, with a large sample across age brackets and across the major cities.”
The survey highlighted growing awareness of the UK’s emerging operational living, Co-Living sector. Co-Living offers residents private, self-contained spaces alongside shared communal facilities, combining privacy with opportunities for social interaction and is a growing market in the UK with Co-Living planning applications peaking at 8,389 in 2024, over double from 2023.
He adds:“With the Co-living trend still very much focused on London and the larger regional cities, the research displayed a very similar geographical spread to where BTR multi-family was 10-15 years ago. While planning applications have slowed this year for Co-Living due to effects of the Building Safety Act, we believe that, as the industry digests the implications of this, the rise in attraction of Co-Living will fuel growth along the same trajectory as BTR multi-family.”
Key findings from the survey include a strong trend for urban living from those attracted to Co-Living space. Renters of all ages said they would have smaller homes in exchange for being in walkable areas close to work, amenities and friends. 64% said gyms or wellness facilities matter, while only 59% highlighted culture and nightlife. 84% of those surveyed said that proximity to shops and restaurants is a top priority, while 77% highlighted being near friends and social networks.
While the research found a higher preference for Co-Living in lower age groups, respondents of all ages, across all cities surveyed, said that they preferred their own space (with own en-suite) compared to cluster based living, demonstrating the trend toward studio-based Co-Living, a move which operators are now adopting. The survey also found that 88% of renters now prioritise Wi-Fi, secure building access, and laundry facilities over gyms, co-working spaces, or rooftop amenities.
