High rents drive rise in older flatsharers

Older flatsharers are becoming more prominent in the flatshare market, as younger renters are priced out by high rents, according to new research.

Data from SpareRoom reveals under-25s account for just over a quarter (26%) of the flatshare market, down from almost a third (32%) a decade ago.

Meanwhile, renters aged 45 and over now represent 16% of the market, up from 10% in 2015.

Rise in older flatsharers

The findings show that while 25 to 34-year-olds still dominate the flatshare market at 42%, older flatsharers have recorded the biggest increase. The data reveals that although over-65s account for just 2.4% of all flatsharers, this figure has tripled over the past decade from 0.8%.

Meanwhile, the proportion of 55 to 64-year-olds has more than doubled from 2.6% to 5.3%, and renters aged 45 and over now make up 16% of the market.

SpareRoom says high rents have played a role in the demographic shift, with younger renters increasingly likely to remain living at home, as average rents have risen 29% to £749 per month, hitting a record high of £753 per month in Q3 2025.

Unaffordably high rents are changing geography of flatsharing

Matt Hutchinson, director of flatshare site SpareRoom, said: “It used to be the case that multi-generational households were a rarity in flatsharing. The market was dominated by groups of twenty and thirty-somethings chasing jobs and opportunities in cities and major towns.

“Today, unaffordably high rents are shifting household dynamics as well as changing the geography of flatsharing too. The youngest are being priced out of the rental market altogether, as older renters are priced out of home ownership or renting solo. Meanwhile, those priced out of cities are migrating to more affordable suburban towns.

“The market adapts but the long-term picture is concerning, as the UK is not a country that’s geared towards renting for life. Those who haven’t built equity in property could be much worse off in their retirement years unless something changes dramatically.”

According to SpareRoom, the number of over-65s sharing their homes with lodgers has increased by 38% over the past two years.