- Published date:
- 03 September 2026
Build-to-Rent (BTR) has become an increasingly established part of London's housing market, offering professionally managed rental homes alongside shared amenities, community spaces and, in some developments, affordable rental options.
But who actually lives in these homes?
The latest London edition of Who Lives in Build-to-Rent? Developed by RE:UK and produced in partnership with BusinessLDN, the Association for Rental Living and PriceHubble, provides a detailed look at the people living in BTR across the capital.
The research covers 21,094 residents living in 12,897 homes across 40 London schemes, examining everything from age and household type to employment, income and affordability.
For the PropTech sector, these insights provide a useful picture of the residents that BTR operators, investors and technology providers are ultimately designing buildings, services and experiences around.
So, who lives in Build-to-Rent in London?
One of the key findings from the research is the breadth of people calling BTR home.
The 25-34 age group remains the most common among both BTR and wider private rented sector (PRS) residents, but BTR accommodates residents across a range of ages and household types.
Whilst nationally BTR closely matches the wider PRS in demographics, in London BTR tends to have a higher proportion of couples and sharers, while also providing homes for families and single households. This is likely due to demographic differences within London itself, rather than the BTR market.
The findings challenge the idea of a single 'typical' BTR resident and instead point towards increasingly varied rental communities across London.
Where do BTR residents work?
There are similarities between BTR and the wider private rented sector when it comes to employment.
Finance and professional services are the most common sectors for both groups, accounting for 28% of BTR residents and 27% of PRS residents. Public sector workers are also well represented, making up 10% of BTR residents.
The research also highlights a higher proportion of students within BTR than the wider PRS, particularly international students. The report suggests this could reflect both the shortage of purpose-built student accommodation in London and the appeal of the amenities offered by BTR developments.
What does the data tell us about affordability?
The perception that BTR is primarily a premium product remains an important question for the sector, and the London data presents a more nuanced picture.
Whilst higher income bands more prevalent within the BTR sample compared to the wider PRS the report notes that this may partly reflect the number of amenity-rich developments represented in this year's dataset.
Looking at affordability more broadly, the ratio of earnings to rent is marginally lower across BTR households than the wider PRS, although single households in both tenures spend a higher proportion of their gross household income on rent.
The research also explores the role of Discounted Market Rent (DMR), an affordable housing model within BTR designed to provide professionally managed rental homes for middle-income workers.
Almost a third of the schemes included in the research offer DMR homes, with residents in these homes benefiting from rents discounted against local market levels. Importantly, these homes are 'tenure blind', meaning they are integrated within the wider development, and residents have access to the same services and amenities as those paying open market rent.
The full report explores DMR and London Living Rent in greater detail, including the proportion of homes available, average discounts and affordability for residents.
More than just a home?
One of the characteristics associated with BTR is the range of services and shared amenities offered alongside the home itself.
The London research reinforces this, with shared gardens and roof terraces the most commonly available amenity, alongside social events, parcel storage, co-working and meeting spaces, residents' lounges, security, concierge services and wellbeing facilities.
Pet-friendly living is also becoming increasingly common. 78% of BTR schemes analysed now allow pets in all homes, up significantly from 53% in 2022. This shows that BTR has already been championing measures introduced in the Renter’s Rights Act, prior to its implementation.
These elements are important when considering rental costs too. While the report finds that BTR rents are higher than those in the wider PRS, BTR developments can include services such as broadband, social events and community spaces within the overall offer.
What does this mean for PropTech?
For PropTech businesses working with the BTR sector, the findings reinforce the importance of understanding the resident behind the technology.
BTR communities are made up of residents with different ages, household structures, incomes and expectations. Technology therefore has a role to play in helping operators deliver experiences that work across these different groups.
The prevalence of shared spaces and amenities creates opportunities for resident experience platforms, amenity booking, community engagement and communication tools, while the focus on affordability and changing resident demographics strengthens the case for better data and analytics to help operators understand how their buildings are being used and by whom.
There is also an opportunity to connect the resident experience more closely with building operations, using technology to make services easier to access while helping operators manage increasingly complex, amenity-rich developments efficiently.
How can PropTech companies use these insights?
For PropTech companies working with BTR operators, understanding who lives in these developments can help shape both product development and positioning.
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Design around different resident needs: BTR is home to a mix of couples, sharers, families and single households, reinforcing the need for flexible, user-focused solutions.
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Support the wider resident experience: Shared spaces, events, co-working and other amenities create opportunities for technology that improves communication, community engagement and day-to-day living.
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Strengthen your proposition with data: Insights into resident demographics, affordability and behaviours can help businesses demonstrate how their solution responds to the needs of BTR operators and their residents.
Looking ahead
The latest research shows how BTR continues to grow in it's role as a vital part of London's rental market, serving a broad range of residents with different needs and expectations.
For PropTech companies, understanding these residents can help inform more relevant products and services and strengthen conversations with BTR operators.
The latest Who Lives in Build-to-Rent? London Edition provides a much deeper look at the data, including detailed comparisons between BTR and the wider private rented sector across resident demographics, income, affordability, rents, household types and affordable rental models.
Want to explore the findings in more detail?
Download the full Who Lives in Build-to-Rent? London Edition report to explore the data and analysis behind London's BTR resident population.
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