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Stepping away from remote recording, the Housed - Shared Living Podcast team gathers in-person at a London studio to tackle pressing issues reshaping the shared accommodation landscape in Episode 63.

Following energetic feedback from their UKREiiF coverage, the hosts reveal ongoing conversations to create a dedicated hub for PBSA, BTR, and co-living sectors at future events. This grassroots initiative aims to address the significant representation gap, particularly for student accommodation, which currently receives minimal attention despite its market importance.

The conversation shifts to a groundbreaking development – the government's plan to implement Google DeepMind's Gemini model in planning departments by 2026. While this AI innovation promises to slash processing times by scanning hundreds of files in seconds, the team debates whether automation might inadvertently encourage cookie-cutter designs or even marginalize architectural input. Despite these concerns, they recognize AI's potential to free planning officers from administrative burdens and allow more focus on creative assessments.

Perhaps most revealing is their deep dive into HomeViews' latest Build to Rent report. Against conventional wisdom, residents overwhelmingly prioritise practical considerations – transport links, flexible tenancies, and responsive maintenance – far above luxury amenities like cinema rooms or games spaces. The data exposes a fundamental disconnect between what developers market and what genuinely drives satisfaction.

Most striking is the revelation about security perception. When 78% of young adults cite "stability and security" as their primary motivation for homeownership, it suggests BTR and PBSA sectors face a messaging challenge rather than a product problem. Residents simply aren't aware these accommodation types can provide the tenure security they crave.

The conversation concludes with a call for greater tenancy flexibility, noting universities already beginning to offer two-year agreements with frozen rents. As the podcast team heads off to continue their strategy session over lunch, they leave listeners with a challenge to reconsider what truly matters in shared living spaces: not bowling alleys and rooftop terraces, but the fundamental human needs for security, flexibility, and community.

What housing innovations would you like us to explore next? Share your thoughts and help shape future episodes.

Thank you to our season four sponsors:
MyStudentHalls - Find your ideal student accommodation across the UK.
Utopi - The smart building platform helping real estate owners protect the value of their assets.
Washstation - Leading provider of laundry solutions for Communal and Campus living throughout the UK and Ireland.