Co-living has gained traction across Europe, but probably nowhere more so than in London. It is also in London where the provision of co-living is more diverse than anywhere else in the world. This diversity has seen co-living grow in popularity amongst renters, ranging from students looking for shared accommodation, to young professionals looking for hassle-free urban living, to couples looking for somewhere great to live while still being part of a community. 

Demand for co-living accommodation in London seems unlikely to abate anytime soon. Between June 2019 and June 2020, there was a 136% increase in couples, as one example, looking for co-living flats. If anything, demand for co-living in the UK, and London specifically, is on the rise and not just amongst those traditionally attracted to this way of life. The average age of those living in co-living developments is also on the rise. 

Why is co-living so popular in the UK?

Where it all began

There are many reasons for this - not least because for many London is where the first co-living developments came to life. The concept of co-living, as in housing based around connection and community, is not new and its roots can be traced back to any number of community-based social and living experiments from the 1960’s and 1970’s, many of which were popular across Europe and were not always an urban phenomena, as co-living quite definitely is. But the modern concept of co-living seems to have taken root most successfully in London and the reason for this is probably a result of all of the many things that make London such a popular place to live and work. 

A unique housing dilemma

Rising property prices, and a shortage of housing in London, is definitely one driving force behind the growing popularity of new approaches to living like co-living. In 2021 house prices in the UK grew at their fastest rate since 2004, with the average home cost rising 13.4%. Rising sale prices are creating a generation of renters, left renting well beyond their twenties and into their thirties, and older. Not necessarily interested in buying, or committing to one home so young, they are looking for flexible, creative and quality places to call home for both the short and longer term. 

Flexibility

Couples choosing to marry and start families later, is also driving demand for flexible approaches to housing, like co-living. Couples need smaller apartments for longer, but they want with them quality communal spaces to enjoy life at the same time. They are more likely to want to be in central city locations, or popular neighbourhoods and to enjoy many of the benefits and amenities that co-living brings, from gyms to rooftop terraces, to co-working spaces. 

A better way to live

Rising social isolation rates in urban centres, and London is no exception, are driving many urban residents to seek out housing that prioritizes community and connection, as co-living certainly does. Urban centres continue to offer many benefits - economic and career opportunities, cultural, art and educational opportunities - but that doesn’t mean their residents aren’t demanding a better way to live within them at the same time. Co-living meets a need for connection and community that no other housing concept has yet to satisfy. 

Evolution

Perhaps also co-living is so popular in the UK, because of the way it has evolved in its major cities, and especially in London. Co-living has at its core community and connection, but that doesn’t mean it can’t look different from complex to complex. Co-living, in its evolved form, can mean really great apartments and flats where nothing is shared in terms of essential facilities, like kitchens and bathrooms - but where residents still have plenty of opportunities and spaces to come together and connect. The more variety there is in what co-living looks like (while still staying true to its core values) the more popular it seems to become. 

London has often proved itself at the forefront of innovation in a wide range of ways. In much the same way it embraced co-working spaces, so it has opened its arms to co-living as well. 

And maybe just maybe its growing popularity lies in its ability to not only provide a different approach to living, a better approach to living but in its ability to respond to the housing needs of the now, and by extension the housing needs of cities well into the future as well. 

Vonder has 9 co-living complexes in London, and as pioneers of an evolved approach to co-living we are committed to co-living London and beyond.