How to maximise occupancy before September 2025

Now’s the time to make a final push to fill remaining student rooms. Whether you’re managing HMOs or PBSA blocks, every unlet room represents lost income, and as summer wears on, competition for students' attention heats up.

But there’s still time to turn it around. By optimising your listings, creating urgency, and simplifying the booking process, you can boost visibility and lock in those final lets.

Here are six practical strategies to maximise occupancy before September.

1. Refresh Your Listings

First impressions count - and if your listing is missing key details or high-quality visuals, students will scroll past it.

• Update photos to reflect the property’s current condition
• Highlight amenities students care about: WiFi, bills included, double beds
• Include transport links and walking distances to campus or town

A fresh, detailed listing will stand out in a saturated market and attract more serious enquiries.

2. Optimise for Local Search

Most students start their search with location - especially if they’re looking last-minute. Make sure your listings:

• Reference nearby universities and student hotspots
• Use neighbourhood names and popular postcodes in the title or description
• Include proximity to transport, shops, and nightlife

You want your property to appear when students search “student room near [university name]” - not get buried beneath less relevant results.

3. Run Targeted Promotions

A well-timed incentive can tip the balance for undecided students. Consider:

• First month rent-free
• Lower deposits
• Time-limited price drops

Keep promotions clear and time-bound. It creates a sense of urgency that encourages faster decision-making, especially during the final weeks of summer.

4. Reduce Booking Friction

Don’t let clunky enquiry processes lose you leads. At this stage, students want fast answers and easy next steps.

• Use direct booking links on your website and listing pages
• Shorten enquiry forms - only collect what’s essential
• Follow up on enquiries quickly (ideally within hours)

The easier it is to book, the more likely students are to convert.

5. Use Data to Guide Your Focus

If you’ve still got rooms to fill, it’s worth asking:

• Which listings aren’t performing - and why?
• Are some locations slower than others?
• Is price a factor?
• Have certain images or headlines worked better in the past?

Use this insight to prioritise where to adjust price, refresh listings, or invest your marketing time.

6. Make it Easy for Groups

Students often search in friendship groups - but late in the cycle, group splits are common. Make it clear you:

• Accept individual and group bookings
• Can help match tenants with others
• Offer flexible room arrangements where possible

This flexibility widens your appeal and reduces the chance of missing out on partial lets.

How Concurrent helps you maximise occupancy

If you’re juggling multiple listings and trying to fill rooms before term starts, Concurrent’s tools can give you the edge.

• Channel Manager: Push listings across your website, portals, and partner platforms — no manual updates required
• Book Now: Add instant booking buttons to your listings to reduce drop-off
• Lead Tracking Dashboard: Monitor every enquiry and follow-up from one central location
• Performance Reporting: Identify underperforming listings and take action quickly

Every tool is designed to help you move faster, stay organised, and fill more beds - all from one platform.