Room rents hit record highs as supply drops
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HMO tenants would pay more for compatible housemates
12:06 AM, 14th October 2026, 3 weeks ago
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Four in 10 HMO tenants say they would pay more in rent to live with housemates they knew would be a good fit.
Some would also stay longer if they had a say in who gets the room next door.
The findings come from shared living platform COHO’s State of Shared Living Report, based on responses from 5,145 UK HMO tenants.
It found that 16% would rent their home for longer if they were consulted about who moved in.
Choosing HMO housemates
COHO’s chief executive and founder, Vann Vogstad, said: “Our research exposes a major gap in the way shared living works today.
“We ask people to share their homes with complete strangers, yet in many cases they are given little or no information about who they are going to live with.”
He added: “Tenants are telling us clearly that they want more transparency, more choice and greater compatibility with the people they live with.
“Shared living should not mean accepting whoever happens to be allocated the room next door.”
Housemate information and safety
More than half of respondents wanted greater input into who joined their household, while 42% moved in with little or no information about their prospective housemates.
Mr Vogstad said: “Tenants feeling unsafe in their own home, even once, is not something the sector can ignore.”
The research found that 21% had felt unsafe at some point during their tenancy because of a housemate.
Among tenants aged 45 and over, that figure rose to 27%.
Shared living beyond students
Meanwhile, more than 40% of respondents were aged 30 or over, with 89% of that group in paid work.
Mr Vogstad said: “There is also an outdated view that HMOs are simply student housing or a last resort for people who cannot afford to live alone.”
The research found that 55% regarded shared living as a lifestyle choice rather than a last resort.
Tags:
COHO, hmo housemate, HMO landlords, HMO tenants, housemate compatibility, shared living, tenant retention
5 comments on this article
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A different perspective could help you spot an issue, avoid a mistake or find a better way forward. Read the comments and add your own views if you wish.
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Member Since August 2023 - Comments: 6
12:20 PM, 14th October 2026, About 3 weeks ago
The problem for that, with landlords, is that it is hard enough to find tenants that pass the referencing, and seem to be a good fit for the household, without having the existing tenants putting in their 2 pence worth on prospective tenants. I consistantly have voids from unoccupied rooms because of suitability of prospects, in my eyes. I do inform prospects who they will be sharing with, but unless the existing tenants want to find other tenants for the house, then I decide.
Member Since June 2019 - Comments: 982
1:47 PM, 14th October 2026, About 3 weeks ago
I think the days of new tenants being found by existing tenants are now over. The end of Section 21 and discrimination laws makes tenant selection a legal minefield with the landlord always responsible.
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 2093 - Articles: 21
2:02 PM, 14th October 2026, About 3 weeks ago
Well they would say that, wouldn’t they? We have never had any tenant (out of several hundred over the years) offer to pay more in exchange for rights to be involved in approving new housemates. There are numerous factors that the survey does not consider including:
1. Sensible landlords already try to ensure new housemates will fit in;
2. This is very difficult. Landlords don’t necessarily know the likes, dislikes and habits of existing tenants. Still less are they aware of a prospective new tenant who will be on his/her best behaviour when meeting us;
3. Giving an effective veto to tenants is risky. A house with 6 rooms should have 6 tenants. However, the remaining five (or 4 if 2 people leave) may be quite happy to have fewer housemates. We cannot risk lengthy voids.
4. Tenants’ behaviours may change over time for a variety of reasons, e.g. unemployment through redundancy, relationship breakdown, illness, bereavement or mental health issues. It is impossible to tell in advance if a particular tenant will experience life-changing events or how they will react. I know of a tenant who started out fine but became an alcoholic after losing his job and caused no end of problems.
5. Tenants absolutely cannot commit to stay longer than two months because of the Renters Rights Act, so any promise to do so is worthless;
6. Landlords cannot easily get rid of a troublesome tenant following the abolition of s21. Those who feel unsafe will have to give evidence against the troublemaker if the landlord is to take action.
7. Even if tenants agree to a higher rent in exchange for a say in who joins the house, they can still challenge the rent. I suppose you could draft a clause that says that if anyone in the house challenges a rent, the right to be consulted about new housemates comes to an end. However, that is messy and there is no guarantee it will work.
Member Since September 2026 - Comments: 3
6:19 PM, 14th October 2026, About 3 weeks ago
Reply to the comment left by Charles Baldwin at 14/10/2026 – 12:20
I think that’s a fair point. Many HMO tenants would be willing to pay a little more to live with compatible housemates, especially if it means a quieter, cleaner and more comfortable living environment. Good tenant matching can improve satisfaction, reduce disputes and help with long-term retention.
Member Since October 2024 - Comments: 240
5:35 PM, 15th October 2026, About 3 weeks ago
All my HMO’s had been under one tenancy as they come as friends. Only once I had tenants coming separately for 6 bedroom property, that was well over 10 years ago. They all got on. But yes, they stayed one year. It was a mixture of students and workers. HMO tenants pay more per room.
Now with RRA, I have moved away from HMO to students as there is a risk of them leaving in 6 to 8 months with 2 months notice. It is not viable for me with double council tax payments.
In one of the properties, I have a family of 7, with 5 children from age 5 to 12, just flown from abroad with courtesy of the UK government.
The neighbours are complaining about them. Next door has put the property for sale. It is an expensive area of the borough so it is not surprising that their uncouth behaviour and rattling about how lovely and larger their house is abroad to put the neighbours off.
I am motivated to sell that property so I shall give them notice after they have been there 6 months, which is within the next 3 months.
I may have to go to court to get them out. There are not many cases after RRA, so we will see what happens.