The property guardian landscape across the UK is changing. Young creatives used to flock to the region, lured by a low cost of living. Now, it’s older people with stable, fulltime jobs who are moving in, wanting to cut their cost of living. The increasing cost of living and skyrocketing rent has caused an accelerated change in the landscape of housing. Property guardianship quickly became an attractive option for many seeking affordable answers.
Luke Williams, 30, is someone who has felt this trend in his own life. Since 2022, he has resided in four different locations, or guardianships, ranging from an old classroom to a Masonic lodge. Now, he lives with his family in an open-plan, Manhattan-sized loft apartment in a hipster east London hood. What he loves most are the high ceilings, which he says give him room to cartwheel three times across the floor.
I like the weird and the offbeat: the hand sanitiser, the whiteboard … the fact that a lot of these places you would walk past and not know they’re there,” Williams said.
This change in the demographics of integrated living arrangements is underscored by the increasing age of people who want them. Arthur Duke, founder and managing director of Live-in Guardians, has been observing an increasing trend. An unprecedented number of people in their 40s and 50s are enrolling. This shift is representative of a larger trend within the property guardian industry. It’s no longer just the young creatives—now, professionals of all stripes are flocking to the ranks as well.
Statistics from the Property Guardian Providers Association (PGPA) paint an unusual picture. Today’s typical property guardian is one in five working as a lawyer, accountant or doctor. Growing demand Property guardianships have experienced a stunning surge in demand in recent years. Applications have jumped by 60% from 2022-2024, exceeding 50,000 annually. Graham Sievers, chair of the PGPA, attributes this increase to the cost of living crisis and rising private rental sector prices.
“Charging rents which take 40% plus of someone’s income is unsustainable, it’s uneconomic and it’s pushing people away from the private rental sector,” Sievers stated. “The opportunity for property guardianships is huge … it offers more affordable accommodation on a widespread basis.”
Ian Horton, 61, sold his house in Dunstable last year. He made this choice due to Covid-19-related uncertainty and increased energy expenses, and now he finds himself one of those who have sought the solution of property guardianship. He has found that his current property feels most like home after living there for one and a half years. His experience is a reminder that property guardianships provide more to their occupants than shelter alone. They give a crucial sense of permanence.
Looking for a new home, this time online, I was intrigued when the Fox and Hounds popped up as an option. I knew I had to follow up on it, even though I’d never heard of guardians until that moment. I can’t tell you how happy I am that I made that move! Horton shared. The large property is perfect since I own two cars. The spacious rooms do a good job holding my junk, and the downstairs bar area has been wonderful for storage.
Horton and Williams are not the only ones making this shift. Younger guardians—inmates like Daisy Mangan and Rebecca Ludden—have anecdotally reported welcoming this new, unusual living arrangement with open arms. The two women live together in a converted pub on the outskirts of north-west London. Mangan said living closer to her work was an important reason for her becoming a property guardian.
“I was previously living in zone 4. It was a bit of a commute to work, and I just wanted to be somewhere a bit more central,” she explained. Mangan stressed the flexibility that property guardianship allows. “There are cons, but there are pros … flexibility is actually quite useful in London.”
That said, there are a number of issues with property guardianship. Guardians are often served with just 28 days’ notice to leave a property, leading to insecurity for the people who live there. Williams further explained that Live-in Guardians has tenants’ backs and rides with them through the transition.
“Live-in Guardians are good at working with you to find a new place … they’re not just like, get out, you’re on the street,” he stated.
The creative/artist co-op and live-work spaces appeal to original tenants drawn to the creative spirit that defines these properties. Duke proudly shared that they have welcomed an incredible resident diversity. Notable residents include former professional footballers and the documentary producer who boasted a Bafta and a Cannes film festival award—who once lived in a converted church!
Increasingly, communities are turning to guardianship as an affordable housing alternative. This unique wave of alternative lifestyle spaces holds great potential for what’s to come.