Aberdeen Investments has appointed the John Lewis Partnership (JLP) to manage a build-to-rent (BTR) scheme in Stratford, East London.
From 1 September, JLP will take over the management of Stratford Studios, which comprises 158 studio apartments and takes the total number of homes under management by JLP to nearly 1,000.
The company currently manages 326 homes in the Clarendon Quarter in Leeds, 232 homes in the Queen Street Quarter in Leicester, and 259 homes in Landrow Place in Birmingham.
All four buildings are owned by clients of Aberdeen Investments and sees JLP build on the £500m joint venture it has formed with the global investment company to develop and manage homes.
Katherine Russell, director of BTR at the John Lewis Partnership, said: “In just two years, we have established a strong operational platform that has brought about significant improvement in customer satisfaction scores and now operates nearly 1,000 homes. Alongside two planning consents for our own sites and another in progress, as well as developing a pipeline of other sites, this signals real momentum in achieving our long-term housing ambitions to meet the demand for greater standards of quality and care.”
Robert McDonnell, fund manager for Aberdeen, added: “The build-to-rent sector is one of our highest conviction real estate calls in the UK, driven by robust market fundamentals and compelling long-term growth potential. We strongly believe that success in this sector goes beyond financial performance – it involves making a significant, positive impact on the quality of life for residents and ensuring smooth integration into the fabric of local communities.
“Achieving this requires collaboration with trusted operators who share a common vision and values, and who bring the right experience, strong governance, and a clear strategic focus. Through our partnership with JLP, a fully-integrated operational partner, we have already seen improvements in performance and customer service scores across Aberdeen’s wider JLP-operated residential portfolio. These outcomes reflect their strong consumer orientation with a commitment to raising standards in the rental sector and enhancing experience for renters across the UK.”
