From party animals to perfect tenants: why students’ reputation has changed

From 'party animals' to 'perfect' tenants: why students no longer have a bad reputation

Freepik

10 September 2025, 9:00

For years, landlords avoided renting to young people, fearing parties, noise and damage. Today, the situation has changed completely: students are now the most sought-after tenants in university cities. They pay on time, stay only temporarily, and are often financially supported by their parents. According to LIVE4LIFE, a real estate agency specialising in rentals for young people, 90% of room renters are aged 18–25. The average monthly rent for a room in Spain in 2025 is expected to be €420, rising to €550 in Madrid, around €400 in Valencia, and €350 in Seville.

“Their bad reputation is a thing of the past. Students are now the preferred tenants: they pay reliably, on time, and rarely stay for long,” says Alberto Añaños, CEO of LIVE4LIFE, which manages over 40,000 accommodations across Spain. “The student tenant is, by far, the safest on the market today.”

The key to this reliability is family support. “They usually have support from their parents, which removes the risk of default,” Añaños explains. Many landlords also choose full-service management: “They don’t want the hassle of renting rooms themselves. They hand everything over to us, and we handle the management while ensuring they receive the expected monthly payment.”

The alignment between tenant and owner needs is another key factor behind this boom. Students seek centrally located or well-connected flats that are functional, affordable and flexible enough to vacate at the end of the academic year. Owners, in turn, look for reliable tenants who maintain the property and present no risk of squatting. “Young people have long been linked to parties and noise, but that is now a myth. Many landlords prefer a bit of noise if it means avoiding defaults or squatters,” the company notes.

Profitability also drives room-by-room rentals, which can boost an owner’s income by up to 20%. The market is even expanding among tenants aged 26–35, who now account for 6% of rentals, amid rising difficulties in securing entire homes.

In cities such as Granada (€290/month), Alicante (€340/month), and Valencia (€400/month), demand continues to grow, fuelled by young, university-educated tenants. This cements this group as the new “perfect tenant.”