{"id":80,"date":"2018-06-08T08:32:19","date_gmt":"2018-06-08T08:32:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.idealflatmate.co.uk\/landlord-HQ\/?p=80"},"modified":"2018-10-08T09:48:19","modified_gmt":"2018-10-08T09:48:19","slug":"is-the-sharing-economy-here-to-stay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/landlord-HQ\/is-the-sharing-economy-here-to-stay\/","title":{"rendered":"Is the Sharing Economy here to stay?"},"content":{"rendered":"

When we think of the term \u2018Sharing economy\u2019 (also referred to as Collaborative consumption, Mesh and Gig economy) we generally have companies such as <\/span>Airbnb<\/span><\/a> (short-term room rentals, founded in 2008) and <\/span>BlaBlacar<\/span><\/a> (long trips car-sharing platform, founded in 2006) in mind. In fact, the Sharing Economy is a concept that has existed for longer than we think, with companies such as <\/span>Wikipedia<\/span><\/a> (information-sharing website, founded in 2001) for example.<\/span><\/p>\n

Travis Kalanick who created <\/span>Uber<\/span><\/a> explained in his <\/span>TedTalk<\/span><\/a> that there actually was an \u2018Uber\u2019 already invented 100 years ago called the \u2018Jitney\u2019, which was the first car-sharing initiative in 1914. It saw tremendous growth, as within 1 year, in 1915, there were 150 thousand rides per day in Los Angeles.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately the Jitney had been regulated out of existence due to demands from the existing transportation institutions and so, quoting Kalanick, \u2018if you can\u2019t share a car, you have to own one\u2019, which followed with car sales growing exponentially and by 2007, there was \u2018a car for every man, woman and child in the United States\u2019.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In other words, the sharing economy has been around for longer than we think. Some critics today call it a \u2018nightmarish form of neo-capitalism\u2019, whereas advocates believe it is an opportunity for a more sustainable economy.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The only downside I see to the \u2018gig\u2019 economy is the disappearance of specialization. What I mean by that is we will all be jack of all trades and master of none. We will all be taxi drivers (eg <\/span>Lyft<\/span><\/a>), travel guides (eg <\/span>Fromigo<\/span><\/a>), or even teachers (eg <\/span>Skillshare<\/span><\/a>). However, the star-rating review system is one good remedy to make up for the lack of specialization and to maintain a high quality supply.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Here is an interesting infographic by <\/span>Justpark<\/span><\/a> that shows how many sharing economy companies there are for each sector:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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So what is the \u2018Mesh\u2019 really about?<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Well, the sharing economy is now more than just a business model: It\u2019s a philosophy, a way of life, and an opportunity for financial independence. That is precisely why companies such as <\/span>Zipcar<\/span><\/a>, amongst many others, have been so successful.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Zipcar doesn\u2019t brand itself as a car company, but rather as an information company. Indeed, sharing economy companies today are merely platforms powered almost entirely by people as users (peer-to-peer), exchanging goods and services between themselves, without the need of a third party (well, apart from the mesh companies providing the platform\u2026).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Access VS ownership<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

It\u2019s all about access: What\u2019s the point of having a car and driving it only twice a week? We all know how expensive car maintenance costs are. So if you do not own a car today, it may be more cost effective to rent someone else\u2019s car (especially if you are not going to drive it everyday).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

At <\/span>Ideal Flatmate<\/span><\/a>, we\u2019ve created a platform for flat-sharers to match and find compatible people to live with. We\u2019ve found that more and more people are sharing a place to live in the UK, and the average age of a flat-sharer is now 32.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Flatsharing in London<\/a><\/span> has been a growing trend, and is likely to continue due to the fact that rent prices have reached all time highs. We believe that flatsharing, and the sharing economy in general, is a great phenomenon as it brings people together to share things and experiences, creating a stronger sense of community, and at the same time helps people afford to live in London. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Joe Gebbia, one of the co-founders of Airbnb says it best: \u2018The sharing economy is commerce with the promise of human connection\u2019.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Financial Independence<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

The sharing economy however, does not mean that there is no need for ownership, au contraire. The average price of a room in London is \u00a3743 per month, so if you own a flat or a house you can make around \u00a39,000 per annum (tax free), if you rent 1 room out to someone for 12 months at that price. You can list a room with us <\/span>here<\/span><\/a> if you would like to find a flatmate that matches with your lifestyle preferences.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Of course we don\u2019t all own a house in London, unfortunately, but there are hundreds of different ways to make a passive income with your assets, thanks to the sharing economy! Here are a couple more examples:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n