The Closing Session LIVE from UKREiiF 2026; What Have We Learnt? Sponsored by Payr

The final live podcast recording from UKREiiF.

Sarah Canning, Dan Smith and Deenie Lee are closing out the Housed Shared Living Summit with a candid, tired, and upbeat debrief on what we heard across three days of shared living conversations.

We connect the dots between building safety, regulation, resident experience, marketing change, and the practical steps the sector can take next year. 

If you've attended our House Summit we would love to hear your feedback - please comment below or message the hosts or hello@housedpodcast.com 

This episode is sponsored by Payr, the rent payment platform built for PBSA. Payr lets your international students pay rent from anywhere in the world, on any card scheme, digital wallet, or local payment method, including UnionPay, WeChat Pay and Alipay. And here's the part operators love: no card fees to the operator or landlord, no chargeback risk, and lower opex across your finance team. One platform, one checkout, rent settled instantly. 

Dan Smith is Founder of RESI Consultancy and Co-Founder of Verbaflo.AI.

Sarah Canning and Deenie Lee are Directors and Co-Founders of The Property Marketing Strategists - Elevating the role of Marketing in Property.

Who this episode is for:

• PBSA and student accommodation professionals
• BTR, co-living and rental operators
• Property developers and investors
• University and higher education leaders
• Anyone working in or around housing policy and shared living

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers, organisations, clients, or partners. This podcast is for general discussion and informational purposes only. Nothing said should be taken as professional, legal, financial, or investment advice. While we aim to be accurate, we make no guarantees and accept no liability for decisions made based on the content of this podcast. 

Transcript

Live Setup And Welcome

SPEAKER_01 0:01

Right, are we all good?

SPEAKER_00 0:04

Hello. Alex, are we good? Can you hear me? Goodbye.

SPEAKER_01 0:07

Do I need to do this? But it's been a big three days with lots to think about. Do we have something here? No, no, no. Jenny and Tim will be here.

SPEAKER_00 0:14

It's literally Tim is the audience. Sorry.

SPEAKER_01 0:21

No, we do have someone joining us, I think. So um Hello. Anyway, thank you. Welcome. This is our final summing up, our final live podcast of UK Reef. We've been here three days. I'll be honest, we're all very, very tired.

SPEAKER_00 0:35

It's time to go.

SPEAKER_01 0:35

So we will do our best to keep um our words coming out of our mouth in some way.

SPEAKER_00 0:39

Oh, is this being recorded, Alex? Yeah? Yeah, we're good. All right.

SPEAKER_01 0:42

Um, so yeah, we're going to do a live podcast recording. So if you're joining us, thank you very much. And we're going to talk about everything that we've heard and learnt over the course of the summit. Um, it's the final live podcast of this event, and this episode is sponsored by Payer, the rent payment platform built for PBSA. We're very grateful to them um for sponsorship of this episode. So thank you. Um there's a lot to talk about, so I'm just gonna go into the recording now. So thank you very much. Um in five, four, three, two, one. Hello everyone, and welcome to House, the Shared Living Podcast, the final installment live from UK Reef. I'm Deanny Lee from the Property Marketing Strategists.

SPEAKER_00 1:22

I'm Dan Smith from Resi Consultancy and Verbaflow AI.

SPEAKER_02 1:25

And I'm Sarah Canning from the Property Marketing Strategists.

SPEAKER_01 1:28

Um we are recording live from UK Reef. Um we do have some people in the audience, but I think a lot of people are on the train home. Um, and I think we will be joining them very soon. Um but before we do anything, I think we do have to thank um our sponsors, Paya, for this live episode. Um Paya is a rent payment platform built for PBSA. Payer lets your international students pay rent from anywhere in the world on any card scheme, digital wallet, or local payment methods, including Union Pay, WeChat Pay, and Alipay. And here's the part operators love no card fees to the operator or landlord, no chargeback risk, and low OPEX across your finance team. One platform, one checkout, rent settled instantly. Find them at mypayer.co.uk. Um,

Gateway 2 And Building Safety Mood

SPEAKER_01 2:14

how are you doing, guys? How are you feeling?

SPEAKER_02 2:17

I was flagging, and then the last session that we did, um I um interviewed the um the MP of Building Safety and um Charlie, the building safety regulator, and actually it re-energized me. I think um I was a bit apprehensive um uh about interviewing them, but actually during the course of the summit, there was actually quite a lot of positivity about Gateway 2 and that they're seeing improvements. So actually, it kind of warmed me up a little bit to the the theme, and then when I got in the flow of it, um I felt a bit re re-energized. So it has been a long three days. Um, we've been incredibly busy at the the summit. Um, you know, we've run out of headphones on more than one occasion. So um, but I think I will have a nap on the train, basically, on the way back.

SPEAKER_00 3:04

I wish I could. I'm I'm driving back, but yeah, it was good that George Dyer, George Dyer yesterday, um uh from Watkin Jones was really positive about the the changes that they're seeing in Gateway 2. Um, and and yeah, I mean I know you were ever so slightly nervous. Like it's very rare to see you nervous, and and you did a brilliant job on that because admittedly a lot of the questions were sent in beforehand, so we knew exactly what was going to be uh said for the most part, but pulling it all together, I think, yeah, well done, because that was uh that was the big one that I think we were all kind of gearing up to. But but yeah, I think we're all I wouldn't say jaded because we were very sensible in the evenings, and that is absolutely the key to surviving UK Reef.

SPEAKER_01 3:46

I think um so so you know some people weren't very sensible last night from the few people that I saw around today.

SPEAKER_00 3:52

Yes, I I completely agree, but but no, I think it's been um it's been great fun though. I I've I've I've really enjoyed it. I hope you guys have too.

SPEAKER_01 4:00

It's been fantastic, and I think you know we put this a seed of this idea together a year ago, and actually, really, all we were gonna do was do a fringe event one night and done and dusted, and we've ended up organising this whole thing uh for three days. So um all credit to us, and I think you organise the thing with event planning, you can organise as much as you can, but when you get here, you're kind of left to just see how it rolls and what happens, and I think we've all been um amazed, not amazed maybe that's the wrong word, but I think we've just really appreciated that actually all that hard work has paid off, and every single session has been pretty much packed. I don't think we've had any sessions that haven't been full, and I think it because of the where we set up so our listeners that listen back that weren't here, uh we're in a um a uh co-working space. It's normally used for co-working, and there's a bar next to us, but actually because we've got headphones, it's not even just the people in front of you that are listening, there's people sitting in the coffee bar over on other stairs, so it's been brilliant and well attended.

SPEAKER_00 5:01

I think the space has really helped, and and we uh we lucked out because we were supposed to have the yoga studio next door, which actually would have been, I just think quite limiting and and a bit enclosed, and we could have had a tent, and that would have been potentially a little hot at times, and and I think we we just yeah, we've we've absolutely nailed it. So we've we've just secured next year already, just to just to let people know um uh that you know we will be doing How's the Shared Living Summit next year at UK Reef.

SPEAKER_01 5:30

And this is why such a good team we are. We haven't actually had that comment. And we did a bat and eyelid. Okay. Um I think individually we've all had conversations, we haven't really had time to have many conversations over the last three days, but I think we all knew that we wanted to do it again and we had to do it again, and I think we will be back.

SPEAKER_02 5:45

I think all the audience was talking as as next year, it was just an assumption, really, that that that we are doing this. I think the thing um I guess that has spurred us on to probably do it is a the audience, because clearly there is a demand for a conjoined a joined shared living summit that has brought all the different shared living sectors together. Um and we didn't know, I'd say probably most of the people in most of the audiences, genuinely. Um, you know, and that's not us, you know. I sometimes we go to a lot of the same events and we see a lot of the same same people, which is which is lovely, but actually we didn't want that. You know, it was a very, very conscious decision, and and our good friends at the ARL helped us pull some of the panellists together that we didn't know so well. So actually, a lot of the panellists we were watching almost in like basically in real time, we were watching it like the audience because we didn't know them, we didn't know what they were going to say, um, and that complemented um the balance really of what we were trying to do.

SPEAKER_01 6:47

I think that's mission accomplished. I think like this

Why The Summit Worked

SPEAKER_01 6:50

this was about bringing the shared living sector get together so that PBSA and BTR and co-living aren't being in silos and trying to deal with what we know is a challenging landscape on their own. And actually, I think that was proven, I think that was mentioned on day one by a couple of people that are used to coming to these events and speaking to an audience of people they know and just looking at the audience go, oh, actually, I don't know all of you, and that's quite refreshing and quite different. So I think that is definitely a tip for us.

SPEAKER_02 7:15

I think the other thing that we consciously decided not to do was to silo the sectors in the panels. Um, we had a session about not creating silos, so we thought, well, therefore, we can't create silos. So every single panel had representatives from different parts of the shared living sectors, which gave it real balance, some debate sometimes, um, and challenge. And you know, as everybody knows that is a regular listener to house, that is what we're all about. Um we, you know, we we talk about the elephants in the room, it's challenging conversations, and I think having you know the different people from the different sectors meant there were lots of different there were lots of learning opportunities. Um I think everybody would have come away from every single panel having learnt something that they didn't already know.

SPEAKER_00 7:55

I I completely agree, and the thing that the thing that I took most heart from was the fact that we were learning things. Like it wasn't just the same old people on stage saying the same things where you can predict exactly what's going to be said. It was uh yeah, and that wasn't just because we put Joss on the last panel. It was it every single panel had something to learn from it, and I think whether you were in BTR, co-living, single-family housing, student housing in some way, shape, or form, or or even later living, um, we we could all learn something from the panelists, but also then the networking that was going on as well. Like I I loved that we created this base and this hub for the shared living sectors, and and that, you know, we we saw that work really well for our sponsors, firstly, because they could hold court and say, Hey, look, we're we're a part of this, but also the networking drinks, and yeah, it's just um I think that worked really well.

SPEAKER_02 8:47

I just have to tell you something really funny. Um just before a gentleman came up to me and said, Well, what is this? What is How's the Shared Living Podcast? And I explained it, and he said, Oh, I'm a planner, I've never heard of co-living.

unknown 8:59

Oh gosh.

SPEAKER_01 9:00

There's a lot more. Oh gosh.

SPEAKER_02 9:01

So, if nothing else, we have educated that gentleman about co-living um because he learnt a lot from being here.

SPEAKER_01 9:08

That's good. So I thought what would be quite good is we just go back over if we can remember Tuesday. I know it's been a long three days, but it might be good to just go back over the panels we had on Tuesday. What were your favourites? We started with the question time of the sector experts, which I was busy in the first session, but it was a good session.

SPEAKER_00 9:26

That's when I knew it had worked, you know, when people really turned up because we we, you know, we had a full house for the for the podcast, and that was great. And then the sector experts came in and it was completely full, like you couldn't get any more people in, and that was that was I was actually a little worried we were gonna get told off because people were spilling out into the bar area and things like that. But we had some really Were you really worried you were gonna get told off? I I was not worried we were going to get told off. Uh, but but no, I I think we had so many good people on uh on that panel that it started really strong. My worry then was how do you follow that? Like how it have we peaked?

SPEAKER_01 10:05

Is that as good as we'll get the ability um to just hand it over to the audience, I think, was was was what was really nice. Actually, there wasn't there wasn't really a preamble, there's an introduction, and then it's the audience got to ask questions, and I think that was a really nice format.

SPEAKER_02 10:18

I think what struck me in the first day as well is as well as obviously the audience taking over with those question time um sections, is we deliberately handed most of the sessions over to moderators so that that we didn't have to host all of them so that we could enjoy it, and also we didn't want people to get completely sick of us. And um, oh my word, the moderators were fantastic. Like they bought their A game, they were so prepared. I then got really intimidated about the I had to moderate because I thought, how can I follow that? Um, so and I you know, I but not just the moderators, the the panelists as well. So I think I think it set the bar really high on Tuesday. I think the the the topics that we had, we had question time with the sector experts, we had can the shared living rented sectors solve the housing crisis, beyond labels, the end of residential silos, and then the AI panel, and it felt like a very important day. It kind of almost set the the the tone. I think I don't think, if I remember rightly, when we put it

Ending Residential Silos On Purpose

SPEAKER_02 11:15

together, we tried to balance the days out, but until you do it, you don't really know if it's the right balance. But I I think it was.

SPEAKER_01 11:23

No, and I think they were great sessions, and I think that that's setting that question about um how the shared rented living sectors can solve the housing crisis. And I think, if I remember rightly, that that session was quite positive, and about yes, we've got a role to play, and yes, there's things that we can do, and there's lots of challenges, but overall, yes, I think there was also a discussion around actually that toying between actually people still want to buy and actually co-living BTR is providing that stopgap for people as they build up their deposit to enable them to buy.

SPEAKER_02 11:54

That's what I actually really took from that. And you know, that it was it wasn't just a unanimous yes, there was an acknowledgement that uh we you know that there is still an ambition for people to own their own homes, and and renting in some ways can help pave the way on the way to to that. It wasn't just a complete you know whitewash of renting is the way forward. I think it was balanced.

SPEAKER_01 12:20

Well, and I think we also sorry Dan, I think we also had Chris Lee from Own Homes, which I think showed that diversity that actually there's a product that is rental and then moves you into home ownership.

SPEAKER_00 12:30

I think the mood across uh Tuesday especially, but across the all of the days was was positive. It was realistic, but uh, you know, uh we're we're looking for positive realism here. We've kind of coined that phrase. And and I think part of that is probably because they felt like this was the that you know everyone knows if they've listened to Howes that we'll we'll focus on the challenges, but we are very action-based as well. We want to make sure that we're really helping the sector. And I and I felt like all of the conversations we had, there was a real understanding of the the challenges that we've got, but also of the opportunities. And so it was it was nice to be acknowledging of you know the challenges and and you know whether that be the Building Safety Act and Gateway 2, or whether that be you know what's happening with potential um uh with the renters' rights bill or student numbers or whatever it might be, but actually that people are taking action, they're acknowledging that this is you know this is where we're at and that there are opportunities out there. So I think it I think that really set the tone, you know, that that Tuesday really set the tone for for how everyone sort of used their platform, as it were, on stage to um yeah, to to be optimistic but also acknowledge the challenges as well.

SPEAKER_01 13:42

I think just uh just before we go on to Wednesday, I just want to say that Kellyanne from the Class Foundation did did show her anger about the PBSA.

SPEAKER_02 13:50

I think she also swore on stage, which is like typical for House and what we wanted really, that actually this isn't just I think that her reaction to it was uh I think some of the other panelists were were being uh maybe a bit too polite, and and Kelly Ann said no, that is not right, and and she was pissed off about it, and she told everyone, and we love that. Her mission and her job to do that.

SPEAKER_00 14:11

Yeah, that's also what she's there for as well, and we know how successful she's been in Europe with impacting policy. You know, you can you can pinpoint some of the policies that Kellyanne and the Class Foundation have had a serious impact on now. What we need is that to happen in the UK, and so yeah, we're we're all looking to her, but we're we're we're looking to the ARL, we're looking to Brendan and Grayman and the team there, and we're looking to REUK and and the team there to you know the the previously the BPF to really start you know driving policy and driving change and and talking about those challenges within government as well.

SPEAKER_02 14:45

But don't you think like the the session that we had on Tuesday, questions time with the sector experts, and then the session that we just had earlier um about viability and affordability and flexibility, we had the right people on the stage next to each other. And especially in that last session that you moderated, Deanny, um, you know, you kind of suggested. No, but you kind of suggested that that maybe this is the the the start really of kind of everybody working to together. Um and actually, you know, I uh you know Deanny's

Day One Highlights On Housing

SPEAKER_02 15:15

favourite subject is why can't we just build homes for people to live in? We have covered a lot of the silos, um, you know, planning restraints, um, and everybody's on the same page. So I think if everybody's on the same page, there are those you know, supportive bodies that can can push forward. And I don't think anybody is a you know is is not in favour of coming together, really. It doesn't feel competitive, you know, BTR, PBSA kind of thing. It doesn't feel competitive.

SPEAKER_00 15:40

Well, I think that's where again you look at some of our key sponsors there. We've got collegiate and we've got a BODUS, and and that, you know, we've had we had Fresh or obviously doing the podcast. And I think what was really heartening to see was that they were all chatting together, and not in a cartel mentality in any way, shape, or form, just to be very clear on that, but just in a okay, right, how do we better the sector? Let's have these honest conversations about making sure that we're sharing best practice, and and again, that's something that I've I think we've we've always tried to advocate for. You know, share your learnings, mistakes, all of the benefits that uh of some of the things that you've done, and and that choosing those panelists, we were very careful because the last thing you want when you're setting up an event is to shoehorn a sponsor on stage, and uh and so we were really careful with who we chose, and even when people pulled out, which that has surprised us, quite how many people did you know pull out, we made sure that we filled that with with the right person ultimately, and that's very difficult to do. But I think again, we're very grateful to those sponsors for for enabling us to do that and not kind of saying, huh, uh, can you put so and so on this panel and so and so on this panel? And and I and we do see the other events where you know you'll have investor, investor, investor, investor, property management system, uh, and then it's like, well, what are they going to talk about there? And and why is that, you know, why are we creating the odd one out? There wasn't agreement on all of the panels, as we saw from Kelly Ann, but ultimately I think that the focus for us was create balanced panels and make sure that we are having those honest conversations. So, yeah, I think it it was a labour of love.

SPEAKER_02 17:17

I think we've all seen our sponsors as as partners, they've all contributed something. We're we're totally really not up for sponsors that just want to stick a logo on it. We actually want to get value from from it and then from us as well, and that definitely has happened to help us put this on. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:33

So day two was Wednesday, and we started with probably our most provocative title of In a Trump World Does Does the Greater Good of Sustainability, DEI and Social Impact Still Matter? And I actually think that session was actually really positive. Yeah. Actually, of saying, actually, in the UK, I think people recognise that this is still a good thing to do, it's the right thing to do, it's the right way to do business, and actually, whatever the rhetoric that comes out of Trump and America doesn't really matter.

SPEAKER_02 18:02

No, they would like we're we're just ignoring it. Yeah. Not influencing the UK at all.

SPEAKER_00 18:06

And Europe as well. I think that was the really interesting thing that people are acknowledging that Europe has probably got this right in terms of sustainability and and social impact and DENI, and and that was really heartening to see because, yes, of course, some of the American capital and maybe some of the American operators are taking a bit more of a lax view and saying, hey, look, okay, we don't need to do all of this stuff, but it felt like all of the operators that we spoke to, especially those that are, you know, uh in student housing, but also across BTR and co-living, they are very focused on what's the right thing to do? How do we do some good? So I I loved that panel, I thought it was excellent, and uh yeah, I think more of that, please.

SPEAKER_01 18:47

Yeah, I think there was lots of positivities actually over bearing in mind the challenging environment we're in. Actually, I think Sarah and I were just having a conversation, I think, over all the theme was that yes, it's challenging, yes, it's difficult, but this is where we are, this is the situation we're we're working in. So let's find the opportunities, let's innovate, let's be creative, let's and people might not have all the answers right now, but they're certainly searching for them, I think.

SPEAKER_00 19:09

The um the next panel though, this is this is we all love this idea. But but for me, this is by far the standout, and I know that this is what the property marketing strategist stands for, effectively making sure that we're talking to the residents. And actually, I I had a sidebar with them uh with Joss and the team saying how much you guys have really championed that, and and you know, other operators are starting to realize that ah yeah, we really need to listen to the residents more and not just pay lip service to it. And I I put that on a post on LinkedIn and quite a few of the universities have commented on it and said, We're already doing that. We honestly we're not paying lip service. Some of it is that we just don't have the money to really nail it when it comes to that um, you know, bringing them out of their rooms and doing the events and things like that, and and really showing that pastoral care. So it is finding that balance, but but yeah, I I think kudos to to both of you for pulling that together because it was that the help the headphones went very, very quickly, and the entire room was full, and the takeouts that we got for there were incredible, and it was all operators, like it it was there were some very big operators in the room across all of the sectors really genuinely listening to to what they were what they were saying. So, yeah, really good.

SPEAKER_01 20:18

And just for our listeners that weren't here, uh what we had at question time with the residents, we had a resident from co-living, a resident from Btr, resident from PBSA, and a resident from HMO. So we were able to cover the whole um the whole spectrum of shared living, apart from later living, which we did try and get, so that would be great.

SPEAKER_00 20:34

Which was a nightmare to pull together, like it, you know, that that isn't that easy to get those residents there, but um very grateful for all the help that we had along the way.

SPEAKER_02 20:42

Yeah, and and just a shout out to Regeneration Brainery because um they nominated Noah, one of their ambassadors, who is a BTR resident, um who was co-living, sorry, and he he was so articulate and um such a great ambassador for Regeneration Brainery and what they do. So we absolutely loved supporting them, and we had so many of the Regeneration Brainery um members here in the audience as well that were learning um and also asking some really brilliant questions. Brilliant questions, yeah. So that that you know, I I think no disrespect to any of our other panels, but I think we probably all have a soft spot for for that one.

SPEAKER_01 21:19

I think we need to make it longer. Yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_02 21:21

And I think as far as we know, it's never been done at UK Reef before. And you know, in four years of UK Reef, never having a panel that is residents at a real estate festival, um, you know, is is shocking. It's hard, like you said, Dan, to put pull together, and maybe that's why people haven't done it, but it will become a firm fixture on any of our events. However, as Deany pointed out when moderating, you don't have to wait for a half an hour panel once a year to ask residents. You know, if you are an operator, you have a building's full of them, and you know, Deanny and I um uh are uh very experienced at putting together qualitative and quantitative data. Um on on that matter as well. So yeah, it you know it was clearly needed and wanted to do it.

SPEAKER_00 22:04

And it wasn't just Noah, that the entire panel was amazing and um they will no doubt have plenty of job offers. I literally had people coming up to me saying wow like that panel was incredibly articulate. Can I get their details so that we can actually you know get them uh get them working with us. But yeah really really really good one.

SPEAKER_01 22:22

Yeah so then we did Regulation Nation um the growing weight of policy and politics on rental living and again you know regulation nation it was probably meant to be quite meaty quite like there is regulation weighing us

Sustainability DEI And Social Impact

SPEAKER_01 22:35

down but again I think the panelists we got were absolute experts in what they're talking about and the real positive of saying yes it's it's challenging but it's getting better and actually once you get the right resource and the right expertise um both from a government perspective and from a private consultant um or perspective then we can get through this and we can get better and it is ultimately there for the greater good and I think that came across really strongly in that panel.

SPEAKER_00 23:00

Again I think the mood music has changed from just sitting there moaning about it and and you know shouting into an echo chamber. I I really saw that there was some people walking away from that that that were thinking right okay there's a bit of positivity here but these are the actions like this is what we need to be doing. Now some of it is that we need better lobbying across the board we we absolutely need that and I still don't think we have that sort of fully shared living body that can represent us in government but ultimately we know that there's quite a few policies coming down the line what's the impact of renters' rights bill going to be obviously anything building safety etc and planning of course I think planning's the next thing where we really have to get involved and what that's going to look like and who's going to actually lead that I don't know but will the government listen well I do feel like there are changes being made there's some you know small improvements and light at the end of the tunnel that um that doesn't necessarily have to be a train coming straight towards you.

SPEAKER_02 23:59

I think it was Sam from Fresh that uh that suggested another good panel um would would be about refurbs repurposing as well totally agree um which we have have added to the notes for our apparently agreed session next year.

SPEAKER_00 24:12

It was funny sat yeah Sam mentioned that to me as well and then a few other people came up to me and said you know that's actually something that we're looking at now so I think yeah really that's a really good good choice for next year too.

SPEAKER_02 24:23

I think the session on education mobility and the future of rental living is what we wanted to achieve from that really was kind of to lay out the foundations of if there are no young people if there are no students living in a city there are no graduates and what does that city look like then and I think the panel did a really really great job moderated by our our honorary team member Jenny and I think that there's a few things that really stuck out for me one um one was with with Wynne Evans who was talking about the attitudes of the public in consultation being so different from when you mention the word student to when you mention the word co-living and we've got to do something as a sector to change the perspective of what people think a student to be. Universities need to do better as we've discussed on the podcast before

Residents Speak And Operators Listen

SPEAKER_02 25:30

providing good PR about why people should go to university but once they're there you know we need much better PR about you know how what an amazing contribution young people bring to a city and if you don't have young people you don't have vibrancy you don't have you know dynamism you don't have workforce and that's what I you know really took from that panel.

SPEAKER_01 25:50

And then today um we started with the marketing session or panel which I think was brilliant and it is all what we're all about Sarah I think and I think you know everyone Marielle uh Sam and Sean were brilliant in kind of talking about how marketing is changing how strategy is important and how actually I think as I said at the end of it that really marketing has to hit every single bit of a business and I think that really came across in that session.

SPEAKER_00 26:18

I I I loved that session I really did and I thought it was again people being really honest and I think maybe a year or two ago it would have been a little bit more cloak and dagger with maybe Sharm wouldn't have shared a few of the things that she's doing or you know potentially Sam either and and and I think there's just this real acknowledgement that it's all to play for there is it's all change like marketing is transforming at light speed and it's not just AI that's doing that it's it's resident uh resident engagement what they're actually looking for what they're engaging with and I think the the real takeaway and it's it's I'm I'm pleased because it's in some of the work that that I've done with Resi Consultancy it you know we're saying do a day in the life video or or whatever it might be keep it really simple.

SPEAKER_01 27:04

Or go and work with the property marketing strategy.

SPEAKER_00 27:06

Well of course go and work with the property marketing strategist but yeah I've I've had too many people come to me and say oh we're just going to do this fly through in this sexy CGI video and and actually students want to see and residents want to see how they will actually live and how they'll use these spaces I think that's that's absolutely key.

SPEAKER_02 27:22

I think what I was trying to get across and that the panel were really great at responding to it is um a people in your budget line I think people don't expect to see that kind of content cost money. I think people it's very difficult to get budget for that because it looks like it's effortless and you just walk around with a mobile phone and and that's you know use generated content kind of thing but also it's time and consistency and that takes resource as well so um yeah it was it was I know I guess the theme of the whole conference really for us has been change really and you know marketing um is is no stranger to to that really um I think we were conscious with Thursday a lot of people leave quite early from from UK Reef so we made sure that we put really really strong panels on the last day because we wanted to keep people here and that was evident in the marketing panel but also the rethinking viability with affordability and flexibility in rental living that was you know that was standing room only then we had a great panel Dina you did an amazing job moderating some very big characters no names mentioned no names mentioned just um but um and I think that well that's what we were talking about earlier in the podcast was actually they they all had different views they all had different experiences they were all coming from a different background but all seemed to have agreement on things need to change maybe we can all work together.

SPEAKER_01 28:41

Yeah it was a great session it it I can't tell whether it was easy to moderate or hard to moderate but it was definitely um it was a great chat and I think again I think there was honesty and transparency and I think partly because it was day three and everyone was a bit bit probably more tired they were like actually I'm just gonna go and talk how I feel and I think that came across in the session.

SPEAKER_02 28:58

Do you know what was really refreshing is they kind of all um both you know Damien and Michael and Josh they kind of all shared some regrets of things that they put into buildings in the past that maybe they wouldn't do now they all got a bit carried away with the amenities arms race um and I've never heard anybody say that you know out loud on a panel before you know it was almost one of those stand-up applaud moments. And we wouldn't have judged anyone if they had done done that because it was you know it was almost my drop moment. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:26

I I think and you know we give jos short shrift because he he he does talk a lot but equally he's so passionate about it and and that affordability focus is is key and and so yeah we're really really interested to hear what Abodas had to say but yeah you're right also you know Khleija and Michael and and and that I I think that entire panel was just very focused on we've made a few mistakes here and there but we see the direction of travel yes there's going to be a real focus on affordability and flexibility moving forward there always will be but that that viability piece I think that's you know that's one of the challenges that we're gonna be talking about year after year I think there's there's no real change to either of those uh or or any of those topics.

SPEAKER_01 30:04

I think all

Regulation Planning And Better Lobbying

SPEAKER_01 30:05

those organizations um Damien's hub um ODRS and collegiate are actually making progress in this area they're not they're not just saying they're gonna try and do it they are actually doing it. I think that was great to have them on that panel and talk through actually yeah it's still challenging but it's still important and we're still going to make this happen somehow creatively innovatively in the way that we can I think Natalia added to the conversation as well as an architect is in a slightly different balance on on on stage but kind of saying actually their role is really changing.

SPEAKER_02 30:31

They're having to kind of forward think as architects and think operationally as well it's you know they're not just creating buildings and handing them over they're having to think about longevity in a building and sustainability.

SPEAKER_01 30:41

I think they all talked about the importance of actually the design and doing it early and doing it right and doing it in detail early is the way that you are going to get that affordability so you're not leaving things open and I think that came across that actually there was that respect for we've got to design buildings right and that starts on day dot. That's what creates efficiency yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:59

And then Sarah we had you with the minister which was I know we started our conversation with that but it was a brilliant discussion and great to have them on the House summit stage really yeah I think it humanized it if I'm honest for for me and I and I hope that's what the audience felt as well you know having the minister for for building safety and having the building safety regulator on stage they're real people um you know they've been dealing with Grenfell they've been dealing with humans and I I don't envy them. It's a very very difficult job and I think they they kind of opened up a little bit about kind of you know how difficult their job is and how busy they they are I must say they were a pleasure to to deal with them and their their teams um as well and like I said actually it kind of reaffirmed what we'd been hearing anyway that yes it is still a challenge but you know that certainly the developers that we've had on stage are saying it's getting shorter it's getting better getting through Gateway 2 and I think having Sam and Charlie on stage just reminded everybody why you know why that is in place and why it's important. So I'm very grateful to UK Reef for um suggesting that they chose our stage to to be on to have that conversation.

SPEAKER_00 32:11

Yeah I I when we heard that we had the building safety minister I was I was kind of like well how much are we going to actually be able to ask them and and you know actually I think even though it was all scripted and in in the sense of you know we knew the questions and don't deviate from the questions and it was actually a really good it was a really good opportunity to you right show that there was a real human side behind this and uh Charlie the building regulator being you know the the previous London Fire Brigade Commissioner that that obviously he was there at Grenfell at that time and again we do have to bring ourselves back round and I actually think we do quite a good job on the podcast of this is of always saying look Grenfell like let's start from there we know that there is the that there's a big reason that we need to build safely and that that that is why BTR in particular and and student housing anything reasonably high struggles with you know viability at the moment it's not just that and I think that humanizing it made a big difference to quite a few people in the audience today to show that this isn't just you know the the the government just putting barriers in the way for the sake of it there is a very real reason there are very real people behind it and you know they they're making difficult decisions on a daily basis so I think we got a lot more out of that than than I ever thought we would so yeah very grateful to um to Matt and the team at UK Reef for uh for for putting that session on for us and I think that is probably a wrap just very quickly when we come back next year what do we expect to change my brain can't work a year a year ahead ahead I I think things will will have have moved on um I think there's been um

Marketing Is Changing Fast

SPEAKER_00 33:55

well obviously a lot of ministers use UK Reef as a platform to talk about changes as well so uh you know like we said I think the uh the appetite is there I think the um enthusiasm is is there we're not hearing no anymore you know that really has changed from the last year it's now like you said at the beginning Deanny we are where we are we can't just sit around and do do nothing we have to work things out so maybe some of the themes next year might be adaptability you know and and progress and you know finding those routes to success because you know we're at a real estate conference everybody is here to develop to build to construct and that's not going to change in a year's time I think it'd be that the shared learnings will will be I think there will be a lot more collaboration and and you can do that without giving away your USP or your secret source or whatever else it might be but you know that everyone talking amongst each uh amongst themselves and and trying to find solutions to some very real problems that we're all dealing with I think that is that is going to come to the fore and I've been you know pleasantly surprised that we've been a vehicle for that here at UK Reef. I'm not sure what the vehicle is you know back in back in the UK oh I say back in the UK we're only in Leeds but when we when we get back to the day jobs uh gosh I'm tired um but but yeah I I think what I would like to see that's changed is a bit more action a few more case studies in terms of how to actually build affordable and what flexibility really looks like as well because it's not just as simple as putting in a short term uh you know a short term booking solution

Viability Affordability And Next Year

SPEAKER_00 35:30

for the summer or whatever it might be it's it's what does that look like from the foundational level and and then the viability piece that's not going to change as far as I'm concerned I can't really see any you know any of those headwinds dissipating uh so yeah what challenges are we are we still moaning about but what solutions have we found to kind of mitigate some of that as well so yeah I think a bit of change hopefully I think the positive do will continue and I think that will lead into change and I think we will see that some of that action has started to happen by next year.

SPEAKER_01 36:03

So but we we will see watch this space um so that just leaves us to say a big thank you um to this episode sponsor Paya and all of our partners for the House Shared Living Podcast Summit. We couldn't have done it without you so thank you to our platinum partner Collegiate UK our gold partners Aboda Student Living and Utopia our silver partners Howard Kennedy the eWord and evolution sustainability group and Alaska our bronze partners TLG Access Control and Verbflow AI strategic partners the Association for Rental Living and our valued partners This is Fresh Payer Housing Hand Escape Mirror Visuals Sendly Signs Jake Jennings and Love UK and of course a big thank you to Matt Christie and the entire UK Reef team for all their support and also to all our team and all the support from Julie and Alex who have made it possible to make this work here. So a big thank you

Thanks Sponsors Subscribe And Feedback

SPEAKER_01 36:55

and it looks like we'll see you next year. And oh I've got another page I didn't know if you have enjoyed either watching our live podcast at UK Reef or listening to them please like and subscribe to House the Shared Living podcast so you get every single new episode as soon as it is launched. And if you've attended our House Summit we would love to hear your feedback we'd love to be back next year. We will be back next year and I found this focus on rented share living informative and engaging. We'll be taking a week off recording next week hallelujah in half term um so we can recover in half term I'm not sure about that and digest everything and then we'll be back at the beginning of June for a series of very special episodes covering the key themes and topics our audience have asked for. So we will see you then