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UK: New data from coliving operator bamco shows a sharp distinction in seasonal coliving demand, with summer months accounting for an outsized move-in share.
Bamco’s 2025 tenant data saw significant seasonal fluctuations in monthly tenant move-ins. July accounted for 15 per cent of total move-ins, with August just behind at 14 per cent. The period from July to September accounted for almost two-fifths of total activity.
Meanwhile, January only saw four per cent of total move-ins. This represents a marked shift from pre-pandemic behaviour.
Before 2020, move-ins were spread evenly over the calendar year. That even landscape has now found itself with seasonal peaks and valleys.
Bamco director Alex Gibbs said possible reasons for the shift include academic calendars, career changes and lifestyle-driven decisions as well as lockdown timing.
“It’s also possible that this increased seasonality is partly a legacy of the pandemic itself,” Gibbs said. “Coming out of lockdown in the spring for consecutive years prompted many people to return to cities at similar times, particularly during the summer months. That may have unintentionally aligned rental cycles across large groups of residents, creating a ripple effect that continues to shape market behaviour today.”
Demand concentration has led to seasonal differences in rent prices. High rent pressure during peak months and weak pressure during winter months mean supply and demand are forced to find a new equilibrium.
Coliving owners and operators will need to adjust their plans to maximise returns through an unbalanced calendar. Maintenance operations and refurbishment could shift to winter months, and short-term pricing may become more valuable. If demand continues to compress, effects could become even stronger.
Highlights:
- New data from coliving operator bamco shows summer months now account for a disproportionate share of move-ins, with July at 15 per cent and August at 14 per cent of 2025’s total tenant activity.
- The July-to-September period represented nearly two-fifths of all move-ins, while January recorded only 4 per cent, marking a significant shift from pre-pandemic patterns when move-ins were spread evenly throughout the year.
- Bamco director Alex Gibbs suggested possible drivers include academic calendars, career changes, lifestyle decisions and a potential legacy effect from post-lockdown urban returns that aligned rental cycles across large resident groups.
- Seasonal demand concentration has created price differentials, with higher rent pressure during peak summer months and weaker pressure in winter, forcing supply and demand toward a new equilibrium.
- Operators may need to adjust strategies by shifting maintenance and refurbishment to winter months and adopting more dynamic short-term pricing to maximise returns through an unbalanced calendar.
