TRACEY HANBURY EDITOR & SHOW FOUNDER
OLI
REID FOUNDER, LIVING REDEFINED
Q&A: WHO IS LIVING REDEFINED AND HOW DO THEY ASSIST LANDLORDS?
Our director, Tracey Hanbury of the National Landlord Investment Show, had the pleasure of interviewing Oli Reid, Founder of Living Redefined, for a Q&A session. During the conversation, they explored the origins of Living Redefined, its core mission and purpose, and the innovative ways the organisation works alongside landlords and communities to address and prevent homelessness.
Who is Living Redefined, and how do we assist landlords?
Living Redefined is all about connecting landlords to Social Housing Providers. Think of us like mortgage brokers, but instead of lending, it’s leases. We noticed a gap some years ago, we found that Providers were quite uncommercial, lacked the skills to attract and negotiate with landlords, and equally, landlords found it difficult to find providers.
Living Redefined handles the entire process for both parties from onboarding and negotiation to compliance and posthandover support. We make the entire process simple and structured.
What is Social & Supported Housing, and why is it the way to go?
It’s all about providing accommodation to those who can’t procure it or maintain it on their own. Instead of renting directly to a tenant, you rent to a Charity or a Council, which in turn rents it to occupiers who likely need support.
For landlords, it’s a practical alternative to the increasingly regulated private rental market. With social housing, you get longer leases, reliable rent (often backed by public funding), and fewer voids - all without the hassle of managing tenants yourself.
Why is there a growing demand for supported housing?
I think it’s two-fold, firstly there’s a super high demand for Social & Supported Housing right now, Prisons are full, 6.3 million people on NHS Waiting Lists, 38k Asylum Seekers in Hotels, etc – it’s sort of the perfect storm.
The supply side, you’ve got increasing and largely overbearing regulation in the Renters' Rights Bill, really causing havoc with landlords. So I think you’ve got landlords seeing and hearing more about demand, but are equally running away from the Private Rented Sector (PRS), as it’s just not attractive anymore. So, as an alternative to selling, understandably, landlords are looking at different rental models.
What’s the biggest misconception landlords have about social housing?
Most landlords think social housing is risky - that tenants won’t look after the property or the rent won’t be paid. This is the big difference in the PRS, your occupier is your tenant. In the Social space, your tenant, who pays the rent, is entirely different to the occupier. Don’t get stuck on the occupier; focus on the tenant.
The problem isn’t the model - it’s a lack of education. Sometimes landlords can pre-judge the arrangement before getting into the details.
What services does Living Redefined offer?
We help landlords source suitable properties, match them with vetted housing providers, support lease negotiations, and ensure compliance with safety and regulatory standards. We also offer ongoing education, investment guidance, and access to our online landlord community, where landlords can learn from others and get expert support.
Why do you do this?
Homelessness is something personal to me, not because I’ve been there, but I find it fascinating that it’s 2025, and, at the last count, nearly 5000 people were found rough sleeping in England alone.
I’m a big believer in the market; the market can solve this problem if it wants, and that’s the reason I do it. I believe that with a correctly structured and regulated market, we can end homelessness.
We help landlords source suitable properties, match them with vetted housing providers, support lease negotiations, and ensure compliance with safety and regulatory standards.
How does working with a supported housing provider benefit landlords?
As a landlord, in this arrangement, you’ll likely get long-term leases (3, 5 or sometimes 10-year leases), guaranteed rent and no need to manage tenants or deal with voids. The provider handles day-to-day operations, and the rent is often backed by public funds. It’s a hands-off, stable income model that also happens to have a huge social impact.
How do I assess a supported housing provider?
Look at their track record, funding sources, and who refers tenants to them - councils, the NHS, or the Ministry of Justice, for example. Make sure they
provide proper support services and have policies in place for safeguarding, fire safety, and property upkeep. Every provider that we work with at Living Redefined is vetted, so you know you’ve got confidence when letting them.
What’s the process for renting to a provider?
We try and make it as simple as possible.
You submit your property to us, providing details, pictures, the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, full address, and other relevant information. Our team then works to match it with a provider looking for homes like yours, and we help you agree on the lease terms.
If the property needs any work to meet standards, we support that process. Once everything’s in place, contracts are signed and tenants are placed. You keep ownership, receive rent, and leave the day-to-day to the provider.
How can people find out more about Living Redefined?
Well, the best place for people to look is our new, totally free community. It’s packed with resources, Q&As, and live support – you can join at https://community.livingredefined co.uk. Follow us on social media, or book a call with our team to talk through your options.
