Having met with over 100 Finance professionals across a variety of Property, Real Estate & Construction businesses across 2025 so far, I’ve definitely noticed that certain companies and areas of the market have had a more successful start to the year than others.
With injections of funding promised in the Autumn budget last year and rental properties being a more affordable option for many, it is no secret that the Build to Rent (BTR) industry is one of the fastest-growing verticals. Just last month, Savills published their Q1 UK Build to Rent Market Update, which highlighted several key factors:
The BTR sector continues to attract substantial investment, with Q1 2025 marking the highest Q1 investment level since 2022 (£800m). This underscores the confidence in the long-term potential of this asset class.
Throughout 2024, a notable 17,300 BTR homes were completed across the UK. Importantly for London, BTR delivery accounted for a significant 8% of all new-build completions in England and Wales during the year, a substantial increase from 5% in 2019.
The publication points to the significant impact of infrastructure projects like the Elizabeth Line, with areas such as Newham and Ealing experiencing substantial BTR development, representing over 30% of the five-year delivery around these new stations.
BTR schemes are playing a vital role in the regeneration of key London boroughs like Brent and Newham, where they account for over a third of all new build delivery since 2019. Greenwich and Ealing also have significant BTR pipelines, with over 2,000 consented homes each.
The research from Savills for Q1 paints a clear picture of the Build to Rent sector's increasing significance within the UK housing market, particularly in London. The data unsurprisingly highlights robust investor confidence, a growing contribution to overall housing delivery, and a notable impact on local communities. This underscores the evolution of London's residential landscape and the expanding role of the Build to Rent model in not only meeting the city's housing needs but maintaining profitable businesses across the sector.
From what we’re seeing, it’s no surprise that Savills have reported so positively on the BTR market, with almost all the growth focussed roles landing on our desk being within businesses that have BTR developments / properties within their portfolio. Simultaneously, we have a huge number of candidates who are growing increasingly keen to make a move into one of these businesses.
It’s clear that this area of Property is not only growing, but highly desired and esteemed by Finance professionals both looking to invest and find a new role.
If you are keen to understand more about the trends across the sector as we get further into the year, please reach out to Beatrice Easdale Cheele:
E : beatrice.e-cheele@goodmanmasson.com
T : 02073240529