Happy 2nd Birthday to the Keel – the first New Generation BTR scheme in the UK

Moorfield opened The Keel, Liverpool to its first tenants just over two years ago and we have had the pleasure of providing high quality, professionally managed homes to over 450 people during its first years of operation. The Keel represented a milestone in the UK build to rent (BTR) sector, being the first new generation BTR scheme completed outside London. During its two years of operations we have watched a community flourish within the building – we have running clubs, homework clubs, spinning classes, family days and barbecues (when the weather permits) and we are planning our first wider community event with our charitable partners, Finding Your Feet.

Last month we were pleased to congratulate a couple who moved in just two weeks after opening and are still there today, having recently renewed for a further 12 months. The Keel has been over 97% occupied consistently since October 2016 and tenancy lengths vary from 12 months to 24 months. We would like to thank our customers who were the early adopters of what remains a fairly unknown product class across the UK.

Alison and William, the Keel’s longest residing tenants

We have welcomed customers to a new breed of home before through our Retirement Living platform, Audley, where we have witnessed the joy that comes with professional management and hassle-free living. The UK BTR customer base is undergoing a similar journey of learning to understand the benefits of renting from a professional and aligned landlord. We have no doubt that as this sector becomes more established and the public become more aware of its benefits, the gap between purpose built, professionally managed homes and the private buy to let private rental stock will widen further, improving standards across the board.

Moorfield continues to be a champion and pioneer of sectors that are supported on a fundamental demand and supply basis, but also where we can re-create the norm through innovation and a focus on customer service. We have done and continue to do this across student accommodation, retirement living, budget hotels and BTR and we are glad that our latest efforts are bringing such benefits to the broad range of customers we have at The Keel. We look forward to replicating this across The Trilogy in Manchester and The Forge in Newcastle, both of which will open their doors this summer.