Renters in two of the capital's build-to-rent apartment blocks can rent out household appliances, games and other essentials in a novel gadget-sharing initiative.

Developer Get Living has partnered with TULU to install its smart rental units which residents at Victory Plaza and Portlands Place in East Village, Stratford, can access via a mobile app. Available items include Bosch cordless vacuum cleaners and robot mops, game consoles, VR headsets, projectors and air mattresses. They can also buy snacks and food staples.

Inspected regularly

TULU believes it's a good way of promoting responsible consumption and taps into the growing demand for the '�usage economy', in which people access products only for the time they are needed rather than owning them, supporting sustainable living. The products on offer are tailored to the needs of the residents and inspected regularly by TULU to make sure they are clean and in good condition.

Growing demand

Ailish Christian-West, chief operating officer at Get Living, says: "We regularly speak to our residents to understand how we can enhance their living experience with us and initiatives such as TULU are a direct response to those conversations. We know that there is growing demand for subscriptions and rentals rather than purchases, whether it's music, films, or household items, allowing people to live more flexibly, consume less and reduce their outgoing expenditure."

Get Living has 4,000 homes for rent in London and Manchester and plans to grow its portfolio to 12,500 homes within the next five years.