Bristol Uni student launches site to match flatmates using AI

With rising rents, limited options, and a race to sign contracts before Christmas, Bristol’s student housing market can feel really overwhelming. This issue is especially pressing for first year students still finding their feet having the pressure of deciding who to live with after just weeks of knowing them. But, one University of Bristol student is hoping to change that.

Daniel Virin, a 22-year-old Computer Science student, has launched Cribster, a website that uses artificial intelligence to help students find flatmates who are a good match based on factors such as lifestyle, values, habits, budget, and location preferences.

He first came up with the idea in 2022 after struggling to find a place himself.

Cribster aims to make the student housing process easier and more thoughtful. Rather than relying on social media groups or luck, students fill out a short profile and are matched with others who are compatible — not just in terms of budget and location, but personality and lifestyle too.

The housing situation in Bristol has been particularly challenging in recent years, with demand often outpacing supply. Many students report feeling they need to organise accommodation just weeks into their first term.

Third year student Shriya Pillay recalled the pressure she felt to secure a house early on. She eventually turned to social media to find potential housemates, but said the experience was stressful and uncertain.

She said, “I remember starting to look for housing and flatmates just a couple of months into my first year at university.

Most Read

Good lord, Bonnie Blue opened up about what Beavo was like in bed and I’m traumatised

Dave dated another MAFS Australia 2025 bride before the show and you’ll never guess who

A former flatmate of Jacqui from MAFS Australia speaks out about what she was like to live with

“Many people seem to choose to live with their first year flatmates, but I knew pretty early on that we were all going our separate ways, so I had to figure out who I was going to live with.”

That’s exactly the problem Cribster is trying to address.  For students like third-year Jovan Navjee, the site has already made a difference. He found three of his current housemates through the platform, and says they’ve become close friends.

The platform recently received a boost in the form of £4,500 in university funding through the Jim and Peggy Wilkinson Awards and the Development Stage competition. Daniel was also awarded an Outstanding Plus Award in 2024 for innovation and student impact.

Professor Mark Neild said that Mr Virin made a compelling case for the value and need of a platform like Cribster.

Daniel is now working on expanding the platform into an app, with help from his twin brother Asher, who is an engineer. Their hope is that Cribster will soon be available to students in other UK cities as well.

Daniel said, “Your home is supposed to be that safe space where you feel comfortable and can get away from the stress and anxiety of university.

“But the rush to secure housing results in signing for poor-quality properties or settling for flatmates who aren’t a good fit, often causing tension and disputes.”

Bristol’s student housing market continues to be one of the most competitive in the country, with demand from over 50,000 university students adding pressure to an already stretched rental sector. Popular student areas like Redland, Bishopston and Clifton see houses snapped up within days of being listed, sometimes even before the Christmas holidays. As private rents continue to rise and purpose-built student accommodation fills fast, tools like Cribster could offer a more sustainable, student-first approach to finding a place to live.

Featured image via LinkedIn.