Ascend Secures Start Living Portfolio Mandate

Ascend Properties has cemented its position as the UK’s leading manager of single-family build-to-rent (BTR) assets with its appointment by Start Living to manage its national portfolio of over 700 homes.

The new mandate incorporates leasing and property management activity across the entirety of the Start Living platform, at schemes across the West and East Midlands, Merseyside and Lincolnshire

The instruction brings the number of single-family BTR homes managed by Ascend to more than 7,000, estimated to be as much as two thirds of the entire asset class. In addition to Start Living, Ascend holds mandates from a number of single-family BTR platforms in locations across the UK, with its multifamily BTR and buy-to-let capabilities bringing the number of homes under its management to over 11,000.

Launched in April 2022, Start Living is a joint venture between TPG Real Estate Partners and Gatehouse Investment Management focused entirely on the UK single-family BTR sector.

Paul Stockwell, managing director of Gatehouse Investment Management, said:

Ascend has an unrivalled track record in the single-family BTR sector, making it the natural choice for Start Living. Having seen first-hand the expertise, proprietary tech and understanding Ascend brings to its instructions, we look forward to it helping Start Living deliver a genuinely market-leading service to our occupiers.

Ged McPartlin, managing director of Ascend Properties, added:

Single-family BTR presents specific challenges from a leasing and property management perspective, and since our pivot towards this asset class we have made significant investments in both technology and talent to deliver a truly effective platform. As the leading manager of UK single-family BTR assets, it is exciting to secure this mandate from Start Living, one of the sector’s most advanced portfolios, and we look forward to driving value across its holdings.