Simply over half of flatsharers (51%) are counting on some type of mortgage, credit score, advance or a second earnings stream to assist them pay their lease, Spareroom analysis exhibits.

In an August 2025 survey of three,775 flatsharers, 19% had used their overdrafts, 18% had wanted a mortgage, 14% had taken on a second job and 13% had used bank cards to pay their lease up to now 12 months.

Below 30s have been extra prone to have taken on second jobs to assist pay their lease (17%), and extra prone to be utilizing their overdrafts to pay their lease (22%).

Matt Hutchinson, director of flatshare website SpareRoom, mentioned: “Rents have been stabilising over the previous yr which is masking the large issues individuals are going through round affordability. Flatsharers’ budgets merely aren’t assembly asking costs set by brokers and landlords in lots of elements of the UK.

“Which means individuals are having to lean on dad and mom and family, tackle second jobs and discover varied methods of borrowing to have the ability to pay their lease every month.

“The truth that over 1 / 4 of underneath 30s now flatsharing have relied on their dad and mom to have the ability to begin renting within the first place – i.e. with a deposit mortgage – exhibits simply how onerous it’s to go away residence in any respect.”

Londonderry, Edinburgh and York which have the largest gaps between common budgets and rents.

At £823 per 30 days, Edinburgh is now the second costliest metropolis by which to lease, after London, however the common flatsharer solely has £716 per 30 days to spend.