Unite Group is actively marketing or preparing for sale circa £500m of assets, which it intends to offload over the next six to 12 months.
The assets include a portfolio of circa 7,000 student beds in “exit cities and lower-growth locations” for which it is reporting “strong initial interest” from investors.
In a trading update, Unite said the portfolio “has a lower level of occupancy, nomination agreements and operating margins than the wider portfolio and would enhance the income visibility and growth prospects of the retained estate”. The group also intends to sell non-purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) properties and development land.
In the update, Unite said £130m worth of assets were either under offer or had completed in Q1 2026, with the group on track to deliver its guidance of £300m to £400m of disposals this year.
Unite said it had appointed Goldman Sachs to consider the best way to accelerate its disposals programme.
Joe Lister (pictured), Unite Group chief executive officer, said: “Our strategy is focused on increasing our alignment to the UK’s leading universities where we see the strongest prospects for housing demand and future rental growth. To achieve this, we have already increased our disposal programme and the board is exploring options to further accelerate our transition to a more focused, higher-quality portfolio, which would release surplus capital for reinvestment into share buybacks or university partnerships consistent with our capital allocation framework.”
