Study reveals surge in number of flats being created in the UK

Steve Rooney, head of Royal Mail’s Address Management Unit, said:  “The number of multiple residency additions hasFlats are fast becoming the property of choice for consumers and make up nearly a quarter of all housing in the UK, new research has found. Unsurprisingly, the highest share of flats are found in London, which make up more than half (54%) of all the housing in the capital.

The study, by Royal Mail’s Address Management Unit (AMU), was commissioned after Royal Mail noticed the number of flats – known as multiple residencies – added to the Postcode Address File (PAF) surged by 18% from April to December last year. The report found that Scotland has the second greatest number of flats – 971,678 – equating to 38% of housing in the area, followed by the South East (824,290 and 22% share of housing). After London, the East of England has seen the fastest growth in the number of flats with an increase of 5.3% for the same period.

Steve Rooney, head of Royal Mail’s Address Management Unit, said:  “The number of multiple residency additions has increased over the last nine months and we expect this trend to continue. The rise is most likely due to high land prices limiting building semi-detached and detached houses” increased over the last nine months and we expect this trend to continue. The rise is most likely due to high land prices limiting building semi-detached and detached houses”