London's co-living market has developed a pronounced seasonal rhythm, with summer now driving a disproportionate share of annual moves, according to new data from bamco, the capital's largest co-living operator.
Tenant data from 2025 shows that July was the busiest month of the year for co-living move-ins, accounting for 15% of annual totals, with August close behind at 14%. Together, the two months represented 29% of all move-ins across the year.
Extend the window to include September and the summer period generated nearly two-fifths of total annual activity. January, by contrast, accounted for just under 4%.
A market transformed since the pandemic
The shift is particularly striking when set against pre-pandemic behaviour. Before 2020, move-in activity at bamco was relatively evenly distributed across the calendar, with no pronounced peaks or troughs. That consistency has given way to a market where renters are moving in increasingly synchronised waves.
"The most striking takeaway from our 2025 data is how much more seasonal the market has become compared to the pre-pandemic era, when move-ins were relatively evenly spread across the calendar," said Alex Gibbs, co-founder and director of bamco.
"Today, nearly a third of annual activity is concentrated within July and August alone, which shows that renters are increasingly moving in sync, often aligning relocations around career transitions, academic schedules and lifestyle-driven decisions."
Gibbs points to the pandemic itself as a possible driver of this shift. Consecutive years of lockdowns lifting in spring, he suggests, may have prompted large groups of people to return to cities at similar times, unintentionally aligning rental cycles across significant portions of the renter population.
"It's also possible that this increased seasonality is partly a legacy of the pandemic itself," he 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."
What the data means for London rental pricing
The concentration of demand within such a narrow summer window is already influencing pricing. Bamco's data points to upward pressure on rents during peak months, while quieter winter periods are introducing downward pressure as supply and demand rebalance.
"One consequence of this shift is that we're seeing clearer pricing dynamics emerge," Gibbs noted. "The intense concentration of demand during the summer is creating upward pressure on rental prices during peak months, whilst quieter winter periods are introducing more downward pressure as supply and demand rebalance."
Key findings from bamco's 2025 analysis in summary:
- July accounted for approximately 15% of total annual co-living move-ins, making it the busiest month of the year
- August followed at roughly 14%, with the two months combined representing 29% of annual activity
- The broader summer period from July to September generated nearly two-fifths of yearly move-ins
- January was the quietest month, accounting for just under 4% of annual moves
What happens next for the London rental market
If seasonal concentration continues to deepen, operators and investors in the London co-living and broader build-to-rent sector may need to plan more actively around occupancy peaks and troughs. Pricing strategies, staffing, and void management will all be affected if summer demand continues to compress into an ever-narrower window.
For landlords with co-living or multi-occupancy assets in London, understanding this emerging cycle offers a practical advantage, whether that means timing lettings activity, adjusting short-term pricing, or planning maintenance and refurbishment works around the quieter winter months when tenant churn is lower.
