Coho unveils Shared Living State Report at HMO Summit in the year 2025
In a significant gathering on July 11th, 2025, at Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, COHO hosted the HMO Summit 2025, joined by fellow lead sponsor, Octane. The main highlight of the event was the launch of COHO's State of Shared Living 2025 report, offering unprecedented insight into tenant behaviour, preferences, and the evolving future of co-living in the UK.
The report, based on data from over 6,000 shared living tenants, revealed key trends and tenant priorities in UK shared housing. The most important factors for shared living tenants are housemate compatibility, cleanliness, and high-speed internet, elements that highlight what tenants are increasingly valuing to create a comfortable and socially harmonious living environment.
The event attracted 350 attendees, including leaders, investors, and innovators in the shared living space, as well as an exceptional line-up of speakers, such as Simon Zutshi, Ben Beadle, Adam Lawrence, and a live panel from Girls in Property.
The report also shed light on the challenging rental market faced by shared living tenants in UK university cities. On average, the overall rental costs for shared housing range from £500 to £750 per month, with larger cities like London and Oxford commanding higher prices often exceeding £900. This cost pressure contributes to tenants reconsidering options like purpose-built student accommodation that can offer more predictable pricing and better facilities.
Moreover, the report highlighted that more than 1 in 10 people in shared homes are aged 40 or over, with cities like Southampton having a higher percentage. It also found that 66% of tenants consider it important to know their future housemates before moving in, and 47% of tenants are willing to pay 10% more in rent for guaranteed housemate compatibility.
The HMO Summit 2025 showcased thoughtful, well-designed properties, challenging outdated perceptions of the HMO sector. The event also emphasised that the residential real estate sector in the UK is growing steadily, driven by urban density and build-to-rent initiatives, reflecting a demand for more diverse and quality living options like shared living.
Vann Vogstad, Founder of COHO, believes shared living is a solution to the housing crisis and offers connection and community. The report sets a new benchmark for landlords, investors, and policymakers committed to shaping a more responsive and sustainable future for co-living in the UK.
The Summit and its attendees are proof that the HMO sector is filled with good, compassionate, intelligent, and forward-thinking people. High speed internet is considered more important than an en-suite bathroom by 78% of tenants, demonstrating the growing importance of connectivity in shared living arrangements.
Additionally, the report revealed that 57% of tenants cite higher cleanliness standards as a leading concern for why they'd avoid a house share. Furthermore, 85% of tenants could be driven out by a bad property manager, and 87% by slow maintenance fixes, emphasising the need for improved property management in the sector.
In conclusion, the HMO Summit 2025 offered a valuable platform for discussing the evolving priorities of shared living tenants in the UK and provided insights that will shape the future of co-living in the country. The report represents the most comprehensive study ever conducted on the UK's HMO and shared living sector, marking a significant step forward in understanding and addressing the needs of shared living tenants.
- As the HMO Summit 2025 demonstrated, the residential real-estate sector in the UK is witnessing steady growth, driven by factors such as urban density and build-to-rent initiatives, indicative of a demand for diverse and quality living options like shared living, which is seen as a solution to the housing crisis.
- Investors in the shared living space, who attended the HMO Summit 2025, would find it interesting to note that cleanliness, housemate compatibility, and high-speed internet are the most significant factors for shared living tenants in the UK, highlighting what tenants are increasingly valuing to create a comfortable and socially harmonious living environment.
