People often ask how I got started in the property industry, and the truth is that I never set out to build a co-living franchise business.

Back in late 2011, I was looking for a business to invest in. At 42 years old, I wanted something that I could grow and develop into a successful enterprise. I had plenty of ambition and a strong desire to create something meaningful, but I was also conscious that if I was going to build a business of scale, then this was a good time to act.

Property had always appealed to me and the boom in buy-to-let had plenty to make it attractive. Earlier in my career, I owned a bespoke furniture and joinery company, supplying high-end products to some fantastic residential developments. Although I wasn't directly involved in property at the time, the experience gave me an appreciation for the nuts and bolts of how property is constructed and the details of what makes a house feel like a special home. Attention to detail is my thing and I have always appreciated things done well.

The challenge was that traditional property investing felt increasingly out of reach. Property prices were rising rapidly and building a substantial portfolio required significant capital. Whilst I had some funds available and access to finance, I needed an opportunity that wasn't heavily reliant on ownership but could still generate attractive and sustainable returns.

It was during this period of research that I discovered the concept of co-living (HMO) management and what has subsequently become known as rent-to-rent, but which was not widely known about at the time.

Initially, I wasn't looking for a property management business. Development appeared more exciting, more glamorous and, at least on the surface, more profitable. During the same period, I had started renting rooms within a property that I owned and what I observed caught my attention.

Demand was exceptional.

The rooms filled quickly. The quality of applicants was high. The property had recently been refurbished and extended, and residents were willing to pay a premium for a clean, modern and well-presented home. The numbers stacked up, but more importantly, there was a clear and consistent demand from working professionals looking for a better standard of accommodation.

That was the moment I started asking a different question.

What if this could be scaled?

Not by purchasing dozens of properties, but by creating a business that helped landlords unlock the full potential of their assets whilst providing residents with a compelling housing experience which combined cost savings, quality, service and community.

The more research I did, the more excited I became. It felt like I had struck a real need which renters had.

I spent hours and hours studying local markets, analysing rental demand and learning everything I could about property management and shared housing. What quickly became apparent was that the market was changing.

Demand for shared living was growing rapidly, but much of the available accommodation remained stuck in the past.

Too many landlords were still offering tired properties with magnolia walls, worn carpets and outdated cheap interiors. The focus was often on maximising rental income whilst investing very little in the resident experience. It felt to me as if residents were effectively being told: “you are only a renter, so this will do.”

What these “Old School” landlords hadn't noticed is that residents had changed.

Rising housing costs meant that people were spending a significant proportion of their income on accommodation and, understandably, they expected more in return. They wanted nice homes, reliable service, professional management and somewhere they could genuinely enjoy living.

The gap between what residents wanted and what the market was providing looked like an untapped opportunity and what was clear to me was that this wasn't simply a property business, it was a service business.

The vision that has become ROOMS® was built on a simple belief: if we could provide professionally managed, high-quality shared homes that people were proud to live in, everybody would benefit:

  • Landlords would enjoy higher occupancy, stronger returns and less day-to-day involvement.
  • Residents would gain access to accommodation that felt welcoming, modern and professionally managed.
  • Our business would benefit from the appeal to both residents and landlords and have less concern for the competition in the marketplace.

As the business developed, I became more convinced than ever that shared living wasn't a temporary trend, that instead, it represented a fundamental shift in how people wanted to live and work.

Looking back today, that belief has been resolutely proven and reinforced.

Turning an Opportunity into a Business

By late 2012, I had become convinced that the opportunity was real, but I also knew that recognising an opportunity and building a scalable business were two very different things. I knew enough about franchising to know that it would be an excellent model to use, but equally, one which I had very little experience with.

In December 2012, I met Gary Winter. We shared a similar outlook on business, property and the changing dynamics of the rental market. More importantly, we both recognised that the private rented sector was undergoing significant change and that residents were beginning to demand a better experience than much of the market was providing.

Typically, many people saw HMOs simply as cheap accommodation, but we saw an opportunity to raise the bar and create professionally managed co-living environments that benefited everyone involved. We also believed there was an opportunity to build a business model that could eventually be replicated by entrepreneurs across the country, and Gary had a lot of experience in property franchise business.

What followed was a close business partnership focused on developing a value-driven property management business and detailed blueprint that could be replicated by others.

Together, we spent countless hours refining systems, processes, marketing strategies, operational frameworks, service standards and all the surrounding documentation. We wanted to create a model that would deliver exceptional experiences for both landlords and residents, whilst also creating a viable route into business ownership for ambitious entrepreneurs who shared our vision.

That vision took a significant step forward on 1 July 2013, when we incorporated Rooms & Co Ltd.

Many businesses focus purely on growth, but our focus was on creating robust foundations. We understood that if we were eventually going to help others build successful businesses under the ROOMS® brand, the systems had to be proven, the processes had to be scalable and the customer experience had to be consistently excellent.

From the outset, our ambition extended beyond managing properties. We wanted to build systems, processes and expertise that could be transferred to others. Long before the first franchise launched, we were documenting best practice, refining operational procedures and developing a framework that would allow ambitious business owners to benefit from our experience whilst building successful businesses in their own territories.

Over the following years, we refined the model, tested ideas, continuously improved our service offering and established what would become the foundations of the ROOMS® franchise network.

The next major milestone came on 11 August 2016, when the first ROOMS® franchise was launched.

For us, that moment represented far more than the launch of a new territory. It was validation that everything we had built over the previous three and a half years could be successfully adopted and delivered by another business owner.

What had started as a conversation about changing resident demand and improving standards in shared living had evolved into a business capable of helping other entrepreneurs build successful companies of their own.

Looking Back 10 Years Later

When I first explored this business model, I couldn't have imagined where the journey would lead, and looking back now, the journey can be traced through three defining moments.

The first was recognising the opportunity in 2011.

The second was the formation of our partnership and the incorporation of Rooms & Co Ltd in 2013.

The third was the launch of the first ROOMS® franchise on 11 August 2016.

Each milestone built upon the last and helped shape the business that exists today.

What began as a search for a scalable property business eventually became a mission to improve standards across the co-living sector and help other entrepreneurs build successful, value-driven businesses of their own.

Since the launch of the first ROOMS® franchise, the business has supported franchise partners across multiple territories, helped landlords improve the performance of their properties and provided thousands of residents with a better shared living experience.

Of course, no business reaches a ten-year milestone alone.

The growth of ROOMS® has only been possible because of the franchise partners who have invested in the vision, embraced the systems and worked long and hard to serve landlords and residents in their local communities. Their commitment, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit have played an essential role in shaping the ROOMS® story.

Yet the opportunity that first attracted me to the sector remains largely unchanged.

People still want professionally managed homes.

Landlords still want better-performing investments.

Entrepreneurs still want a proven route into business ownership.

The market has evolved, but the principles remain the same.

Listen to customers. Raise standards. Deliver genuine value. Keep adapting.

As we begin our second decade as a franchise network, I'm more excited about the future than ever.

The demand for professionally managed co-living accommodation continues to grow. Standards across the sector continue to rise. Technology continues to create new opportunities for landlords, residents and property professionals alike.

Looking back, the fundamentals that first attracted me to the sector in 2011 remain unchanged. Listen to customers, solve real problems, raise standards and never stop improving.

That's the philosophy that shaped ROOMS® then, and it's the philosophy that will continue to shape our future.

The first chapter began with a single property. The next chapter is just getting started.

Considering Your Own ROOMS® Franchise Journey?

As we celebrate ten years since the launch of the first ROOMS® franchise, we're also looking ahead to the next decade of growth.

If you're an ambitious entrepreneur, property professional or investor who believes there is a better way to serve landlords and residents, we'd love to hear from you.

The opportunity that inspired ROOMS® more than a decade ago still exists today. Demand for professionally managed co-living accommodation continues to grow, and we're actively seeking talented individuals who want to build a successful business within a proven franchise framework.

Whether you're considering a brand-new territory or an established resale opportunity, our team can help you explore whether ROOMS® is right for your goals, experience and ambitions.

To learn more about becoming a ROOMS® franchise partner, contact our franchise development team or visit our franchise website.

The first chapter began with a single property. The next chapter could begin with you.