Inflation coupled with local greed-as-rules-out-wages, rental prices are skyrocketing. In reaction to this, many of the properties that have gone to market since are being developed without real communal spaces—especially without living rooms. 26-year-old renter Hannah Carney is a prime example of this change. Since Camila turned 18, not a single home she’s rented has had a living room. She and her roommate have made the best of their circumstances. They operate out of their small box room, which they use as a laundry space—and often hold dynamic movie nights in this very room.
Unsurprisingly, the lack of lounges is not a standalone occurrence. Ella Murray, 22, lives in a four bedroom property in south London which she shares with three other friends. In her home, socializing often occurs at the kitchen table. This change is the manifestation of how renters are setting a new precedent for the future of communal living. Data compiled by flat-sharing website SpareRoom shows just how lopsided that trend is. This year, in the first half of the year, almost one in three homes listed for sale didn’t have a single living room.
Rental prices are through the roof, averaging £1,354 a month across the UK in September. In reality, renters are sacrificing in big ways just to stay afloat. The lack of a lounge, Carney explains, means that she and her flatmate can pay less rent. But none of this is without trade-offs as it relates to fewer social spaces, narrowing community interactions and risking a growing sense of alienation. Over time the environment has become more hostile. Today that’s reversed with, on average, ten would-be tenants chasing each available rental property, recent figures from Rightmove show.
Matt Hutchinson, director of SpareRoom, stresses the need for shared living areas. It’s no surprise, then, that countless people have made lifelong friends — and in many cases, romantic partners — in flatshares. Otherwise, he warns, these valuable connections could quickly become endangered. That’s particularly true if we fail to protect shared spaces in multi-family buildings.
“We’ve had so many messages from people who met their best friends and partners in flatshares, who’ve raised families or started businesses together,” – Matt Hutchinson
For renters like Carney and Murray, a lack of a living room affects their social lives. It upsets their day-to-day lives. Carney says he wishes more rental properties had these communal spaces, but knows that’s the reality of the market.
“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,” – Hannah Carney
Murray echoes that enthusiasm but is more realistic about her own housing future. “At this stage in my life I’m not willing to sacrifice money for more space,” she states, indicating that financial considerations often take precedence over comfort.
Chris Norris is chief policy officer for the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA). He says that this increase is a result of a strong imbalance between supply and demand in the rental market. Whatever happily housing corresponds to him that happy hour at the basement bar aggregate the apartment block is on him for the time being. Consequently, they may decide that efficiency trumps comfort in their tenants.
“With rising costs and the expectation of smaller margins to contend with, some landlords will certainly be looking at how to use their investments most efficiently and meet demand effectively whilst delivering high-quality private rented homes,” – Mr. Norris
The lack of shared amenities may increase a sense of isolation for tenants. Too many of them find themselves only able to afford to spend most of their time in one bedroom. This situation begs consideration of the potential long term impacts of these types of living situations on mental wellbeing and community development.
Murray’s experience is a testament to this nationwide increase in the concern about the loneliness crisis hitting renters. She enjoys the convivial aspect of her kitchen table roundtables. Others warn that leaning on these need-based outings for community engagement will turn it into a “false economy” and inflate their costs.
“Those kinds of stories will become rarer if communal, sociable spaces within homes are not protected. Sadly, loneliness is alarmingly common,” – Matt Hutchinson