What is birdnesting & could it work for you?

Birdnesting isn’t an entirely new concept. You could find this living arrangement on the fringe of mainstream property in the early 2000s. Yet with house prices (and rents, for that matter) staying at the higher end of affordability, birdnesting has ingrained itself deeper into society,

Leading the charge is one Angela Rayner. The former Deputy Prime Minister’s birdnesting arrangement was exposed when it was revealed she’d underpaid stamp duty (more on that later) earlier this year. Then in September 2025, the Evening Standard ran an article on this increasingly popular option, interviewing one parent who intends to keep birdnesting until her youngest completes their education.

So, what actually is birdnesting? It’s a style of co-parenting and co-living practiced by parents who separate. Usually the main family home is kept – the nest - with the children’s sleeping and living arrangements uninterrupted.

The parents take turns to live in the nest. While one lives in and takes on the parenting, the other stays away from the family home in another property. A schedule is set and the parents switch between two homes. Although the Evening Standard article highlighted how the practice was actually discouraged by judges preceding over separations, birdnesting is now tried, tested and workable for some families.

Birdnesting can be the best option in the first few months after a separation, usually before a divorce is finalised and especially if there is no rush to sell the family home. Birdnesting also takes the pressure off running two-family sized homes that the children split their time between.

Care needs to be taken, however, if parents want to avoid the same fate as Angela Rayner. While some parents return to their own childhood home when not in the nest and others choose to rent a smaller property, it’s not unheard of for a parent to buy a second, smaller property to live in.

The latter option is not an issue if the family nest is a rental but if the nest is co-owned, any other property bought by a parent will be considered an additional purchase. A second home would be subject to a higher rate of stamp duty – a payment Ms Rayner didn’t make at the time of purchase. If you don’t pay the current amount of stamp duty, HMRC can charge interest, issue a fine and even start a criminal prosecution for tax fraud.

Additionally, anyone whose name is on the title deeds of more than one property will also pay capital gains tax on any profit when one of them is sold. This is worth bearing in mind if formal divorce proceedings are on the cards and a property is sold as part of a settlement.

As well as sound financial advice, we also recommend you consult with a legal expert when it comes to the day-to-day running of a nest. A clear, written plan regarding how the cost of bills and house maintenance will be split usually helps nesting run more smoothly, as does setting out each person’s mortgage repayment contribution. You may also like to revisit how the family nest is held – as joint tenants or as a tenancy in common – and set rules regarding cleaning and house guests.

Anecdotal evidence suggests birdnesting naturally comes to an end once a divorce is finalised or if one parent meets a new partner and wants to set up home elsewhere. We are on hand to help you find a property that suits your individual family dynamics now, and sensitively help when the time may come to sell your family home. Please get in touch when you need property advice.