Millions of renters are stuck in shared homes without living rooms as a creeping trend begins to take hold of the housing market, new research has found.
Fewer and fewer tenants now find themselves with a place to socialise in their homes as landlords convert these shared spaces into extra bedrooms in a bid to boost the number of paying occupants.
The research from SpareRoom finds that almost half of the UK’s flatsharers are now living in a property without a living room. This amounts to over 400,000 households, according the latest data.
And with the average flatshare now occupied by 3.9 people, SpareRoom data shows, this could mean as many as 1.5 million people are affected.
At the same time, rental prices continue to spiral, with many renters making compromises on what they want from their homes to be able to afford the asking price. Since April 2020, rental prices have gone up 29 per cent, sitting at an average £1,326 in March.
Hannah Carney, 26, lives in North London with two flatmates who all share a small kitchen, but no living room. Together, the three of them pay £2,400 of them in rent, sometimes managing to socialise in the kitchen.
Hannah told The Independent: “It would definitely benefit us all to have a living room. When my friends come to stay it would be nice if I could chat with them on a sofa, and it would also encourage me and my flatmates to socialise more. Ideally I’d like my bedroom to be a place for just switching off and sleeping.
“I think communal spaces are important for mental health and that rents should reflect the amount of space you have. I’d love to say that all properties should have a communal area. I wish that was the norm, but I know it’s not realistic. I’d say I live in a decent location so that’s reflective of the rent I pay.”
In its survey of over 2,000 flatsharers, SpareRoom found that nearly half of all flatsharers were swayed towards a property with no living room to secure more affordable rent. However, the flatshare site also found that 43 per cent of them felt their rent wasn’t any cheaper than it would be if they had a living room.
Additionally, over half thought that not having a living room has negatively affected their relationship with their housemates, while 44 per cent feel the set up has affected their mental health.
Matt Hutchinson, director of SpareRoom, said: “One of the top benefits of shared living is how sociable it is. People meet their friends and partners and make life-changing connections through flatsharing. But take away the communal spaces, and those moments may never happen.
“As for the savings, sacrificing a living room for lower rent may end up being a false economy. Some sharers told us that, by having to go out to socialise with their housemates instead of doing it at home, they were in fact spending more money each month.
“And then there’s the impact on mental health. Not being able to invite guests over for a meal can leave people feeling isolated and lonely. In shared homes where living rooms are now bedrooms, there isn’t always dining space in the kitchen, which means people end up eating their meals in their bedrooms, often alone. People also told us they can struggle to switch off, because they don’t have a separate space in which to wind down. No one wants to feel as though they live in a bedroom instead of a home.”
A spokesperson for the National Residential Landlords Association said: “In our experience, the majority of genuine shared houses incorporate shared space and communal facilities.
“Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) are subject to strict management and standards regulations, including minimum space and amenity standards.
“In cases where tenants have limited access to other parts of a property, it is likely that they are renting from a householder as a lodger, which does not necessarily afford the same rights or obligations.”
The findings come at a time when the UK rental market is faced with a ‘mass exodus’ of landlords in response to Labour’s Renters’ Rights bill, with over two-thirds saying they will likely leave the sector or reduce their portfolios in 2025.
Industry figures have criticised some of the measures in the bill, such as the abolition of Section 21 eviction notices and higher risk in the sector.
Chris Norris, policy director of the National Residential Landlords’ Association, told The Independent in January that many property owners preparing to “price in” additional costs to the monthly rents they charge. This will likely see many introduce “a fairly significant increase above [headline inflation]”, he said.
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