Can Shared Living Bridge the Gap to Home Ownership?
Bringing together voices from co-living, build-to-rent, single-family rental housing and innovative ownership models, the discussion highlighted both the scale of the challenge and the opportunities emerging across the living sectors.
If home ownership is becoming increasingly unattainable for many, can shared living become part of the solution?
Home Ownership Is Moving Further Away
One of the clearest themes to emerge was that home ownership is no longer simply delayed for many people — it is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve at all.
Chris Lee, of Own Homes, highlighted the growing barriers facing first-time buyers.
"The average age of a first-time buyer is now 35 to 36, and the average time it takes to save a deposit is around 13 years."
Research presented during the session suggested that many renters could comfortably afford monthly mortgage payments but are unable to accumulate the deposit needed to enter the market.
This challenge has created a growing population of what Lee described as "resentful renters" — people who aspire to own a home but feel trapped in long-term renting.
Shared Living as a Housing Pathway
For Leyth Hampshire of &Soul, co-living has an important role to play in helping people navigate this stage of life.
Rather than viewing co-living solely as an alternative to ownership, he described it as part of a broader housing journey.
"Shared rental living can be a stop gap, not only for affordability, but also for the chapter of life people are in."
Co-living communities increasingly attract residents who value flexibility, social connection and convenience while they establish careers, build savings or determine where they want to settle permanently.
The model provides more than accommodation. It creates communities and support networks that many residents would otherwise struggle to find in large cities.
Institutional Investment Is Reshaping Rental Housing
The panel also explored the growing role of institutional investment in the rental market.
Will Montague, of Leaf Living, highlighted the rapid growth of investor interest in single-family rental housing.
"The institutionalisation of the market has a big role to play in society by professionalising standards."
With only a small proportion of suburban rental housing currently institutionally owned, the sector presents significant opportunities for growth.
Operators argue that professional management can improve customer service, maintenance standards and transparency, helping to address some of the longstanding challenges associated with fragmented private rental markets.
Why Housing Delivery Is Still Stalling
Despite strong demand, delivering new homes remains increasingly difficult.
Rising build costs, planning delays, political uncertainty and funding constraints are creating significant headwinds across all residential sectors.
Will Montague pointed to a combination of factors affecting delivery.
"There is a lot of endemic risk in the system, and that's going to dampen supply."
Chris Lee added that the withdrawal of Help to Buy has removed an important source of demand for new homes, particularly among first-time buyers.
Meanwhile, developers continue to grapple with increasing planning costs and regulatory requirements.
The result is a housing market where demand remains strong but supply struggles to keep pace.
Innovation Through Reuse and Repurposing
While many discussions around housing focus on new development, Leyth Hampshire argued that part of the solution may lie in making better use of existing buildings.
&Soul’s projects often involve repurposing and revitalising older assets rather than building entirely from scratch.
"There's something beautiful about breathing life back into old buildings."
Adaptive reuse can reduce development costs, accelerate delivery and support sustainability goals, while creating unique residential environments that appeal to modern renters.
In an era of rising construction costs, these approaches are becoming increasingly attractive.
Building Communities, Not Just Homes
One of the most interesting discussions focused on how operators can help residents find compatible housemates and create stronger living experiences.
At &Soul's Shoreditch development, residents undergo a detailed matching and onboarding process designed to create harmonious households.
"Happy household’s equal happy tenants."
The approach reflects a broader trend across shared living, where operators are increasingly focused on fostering community rather than simply providing accommodation.
For many residents, the value of shared living lies as much in social connection as it does in affordability.
Raising Standards Across the Rental Sector
The conversation also highlighted wider concerns around quality and professionalism within the rental market.
An audience member shared frustrations about entering the rental market and feeling treated as a "second-class citizen" during the application process.
Montague acknowledged that the experience is common and pointed to the role professional operators can play in improving standards.
He noted that a significant proportion of private rented housing still falls below acceptable standards and argued that greater professionalisation is essential for the future of the sector.
A Housing System That Needs Every Solution
The discussion made one thing clear: no single tenure or product type will solve the UK's housing crisis.
Co-living, build-to-rent, single-family rental housing and innovative ownership models each have a role to play.
The challenge is creating a housing ecosystem that supports people throughout different stages of life, from early adulthood through to ownership and beyond.
As affordability pressures continue and housing demand grows, the sector's ability to provide flexible, high-quality and accessible living options may become increasingly important.
The future of housing is unlikely to be defined by a single solution. Instead, it will depend on how effectively the industry can create pathways that help people move between renting, shared living and ownership throughout their lives.
This discussion took place at the Housed Summit at UKREiiF on 19th May 2026.
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The topics in this conversation will be continued on the Housed Shared Living Podcast - listen each week via all major podcast plaforms.