Case Study: A London Co‑Housing Project Cut Turnover by 18% with Simple Systems (2026)

Case Study: A London Co‑Housing Project Cut Turnover by 18% with Simple Systems (2026)

Hook: Real results matter. This case study breaks down a London co‑housing project's roadmap to reduce churn: governance, clear documentation, local supply chains, and modest tech investments.

Situation

The operator managed a 48‑unit co‑housing project with a mixture of short and long stays. High turnover stemmed from unclear rules, variable check‑in experiences, and poor local provisioning.

Interventions

1. One‑page policies: Rewrote rules and check‑in guides using concise documentation templates to reduce disputes (concise documentation workshop).
2. Local partners: Contracted a nearby microfactory for replacement items and bespoke welcome packs, shortening fulfilment time (microfactories case).
3. Event program: Launched microcations and weekend maker nights to increase resident bonding (micro‑drops pricing for ticketed events).
4. Delivery improvements: Installed a modest smart locker to reduce failed deliveries and used scheduled windows aligned with resident calendars (Calendar.live booking integrations).

Outcomes

• Turnover reduced by 18% within six months.
• NPS rose by 14 points.
• Operational calls for missing items dropped 38%.

“Small, well‑documented changes beat large, aspirational projects every time.”

Lessons for operators

• Invest in documentation and clarity first.
• Local partners are faster and often cheaper than national suppliers for small runs.
• Make event programming part of the onboarding experience.

Suggested next steps

Run a 90‑day pilot for each intervention, measure a small set of KPIs and iterate. Use the microfactory and pricing resources to model costs and supply chains (microfactories; pricing playbook).

Conclusion: The most replicable gains for shared housing operators in 2026 will come from clarity, local partners, and modest tech that supports defined workflows — not from chasing every new gadget.