Which are the best BTR property management companies in the UK? The HomeViews BTR Awards reveal the 10 best-performing across 2022. These are the only awards for the UK’s Build to Rent industry drawn from resident reviews. This gives the most accurate picture of the highest-rated property management companies from the perspective of those who know best: the residents.
HomeViews Awards judging criteria
Following feedback from the industry, we honed the 2022 HomeViews Awards to better reflect this rapidly growing sector. Awards were presented this year to the best management companies of more than 3,000, and less than 3,000 units, to allow for more valid comparisons between companies.
The 2022 HomeViews BTR Awards are based solely on reviews collected between 2021 and 2022. The Top 10 BTR Management Companies list below (made up of both Top 5 lists) was ranked according to verified resident ratings. Only companies with at least 50 verified reviews on HomeViews were considered, and they had to have at least three developments with reviews on HomeViews.com.
Top 10 BTR property management companies
(Please note, the star ratings shown below are weighted according to the date submitted, and as such they may differ from the awards ranking.)
Top 5 property management companies under 3,000 units
Top 5 property management companies over 3,000 units
FAQs for Build to Rent in Britain
What is build to rent?
Build to Rent (BTR) describes new build property developments designed and constructed specifically for renting. The idea behind this increasing widespread property development type is to create a community of renters who can enjoy a hassle-free rental experience with smarter service delivery and various perks and add-ons.
What are the benefits of build to rent?
The main benefit of living in a build to rent property is that the development has been designed from the ground up for renters. BTR developments usually feature a range of well-maintained communal facilities, from gyms and swimming pools to shared gardens, rooftop terraces, on-site cafés and work-from-home spaces.
BTR developments will also generally feature an on-site management team. This may take the form of either a concierge, an on-call service provider, or both.
Another major benefit of the BTR approach is that it aims to provide renters with simple, flexible and convenient rental contracts. Maximum tenancy lengths on offer tend to be longer with BTR developments – over three years is not unusual.
Is build to rent popular in the UK?
Build to rent is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. This is due to a wide range of economic and social factors. Principally, the ongoing UK housing crisis means that a lot of young people are delaying owning their own home. Some are giving up on this ambition entirely.
With homeownership closed to so many, more people are looking for better rental options. Renting overall is becoming increasingly common in the UK, where one in five households rent privately – up from one in ten back in 2001.
How much is being invested in build to rent UK?
Back in 2020, a collaborative report between HomeViews and Knight Frank revealed record levels of investment into the UK’s BTR sector. The £41 billion of capital committed to BTR up until 2020 was up 17% from the £35 billion total in 2019. Figures from the (BPF / Molior / Savills – Q3 2021) show the expansion of Build to Rent is not slowing. The fourth quarter of 2022 saw 113,000 build to rent homes in the planning stage, adding to the 129,000 under construction or completed.
Why the increased appetite for investment in this sector? Investors are looking for secure yields in such uncertain times. In addition, buy-to-let landlords have been exiting the market for some time. This follows tighter legislation and more restricted tax breaks in recent years. Tenants are in need of new options.
What are some of the unique BTR benefits in the market today?
BTR operators are offering amenities and benefits that few private landlords can. Lockdown only served to highlight this, as residents took to HomeViews to praise their management companies’ responses to the pandemic. BTR review scores also remained largely constant.
As we reported in October 2022, demand for pet-friendly rental homes hit record levels after the end of lockdown. As renters scrambled to find new homes to fit their new lockdown lifestyles, BTR was uniquely positioned to capitalise: Coworking spaces, communal areas, fitness facilities and a concierge to sign for every Amazon package – who could say no to that?
HomeViews National Build to Rent Report 2023
The 2023 HomeViews National Build to Rent Report is available from March 2023.
Drawing on detailed review data covering 89% of completed BTR stock in the UK, the report will provide the most comprehensive insights available on the Build to Rent sector.
HomeViews provides verified resident reviews of the UK’s housing developments. We’re working with developers, house builders, operators, housing associations and the Government to recognise high performers and help improve standards in the built environment.
