This month’s article for The Chester Association of Property Professionals is written by member, Steve Kelsey of Crown Rentals.
The well documented “housing crisis” in Britain is not a new thing. In fact, house building has not kept pace with demand for most of this century.
In many cultures around the world, muti-generation families still live under the same roof, but is increasingly rare in Britain, with many households now consisting of just one or two people, adding to the pressures on housing demand.
At the same time, our cities (including Chester) have seen steady, continuous growth in the number of HMOs (Houses of Multiple Occupancy) being created. Traditionally favoured by University students, house sharing has become more common amongst working professionals – particularly those who are single where affordability is a big issue.
Left unmanaged however, growth in the number of HMOs in an area can put unsustainable pressures on waste collection, parking, and even noise levels in a community. For this reason, HMO “hot spots” now have planning restrictions in place enforced by local authorities.
The concept of “co-living” is gaining appeal amongst property developers and renters alike in our major cities. A step beyond HMOs, these developments promise to be the future of shared accommodation.
Typically, these larger developments offer spacious private rooms and bathrooms with shared kitchens and living facilities. It’s a style of living that allows for sufficient individual space and opportunities to socialise with your community. Like HMOs, rent usually includes all bills, making it affordable for more people.
With a number of co-living developments up and running in Manchester, and projects in the pipeline for Liverpool, could HMOs and purpose built co-living spaces be part of the solution to housing requirements in Chester?
Steve Kelsey
Crown Rentals
HMO & Co-Living Management Specialists