Stephanie Smith, Account Director, Residential, Wifinity
The UK’s Build to Rent (BTR) sector has seen a surge on the back of rising demand for high-quality, professionally managed rental properties. Propelled by a fresh tail wind from the new Labour’s government’s housing pledge, this is set to grow.
Landlords and residential management companies are aiming for smarter, more efficient, amenity rich buildings to support new communities and ways of living. In terms of amenities, resident WiFi is near the top of the list to meet resident expectations, attract sales and ensure a property’s success.
As new developments come online, providing a seamless digital experience has become a core resident amenity.
Wifinity delivers bespoke BTR managed internet solutions for all types of community – single tenants, couples, families or later living and understands the options for property developers and management companies.
The Growth of Build to Rent
British Property Federation data shows that the number of completed BTR units increased by 19% year-on-year in 2023 – with more than 270,000 units in planning. This reflects a shift in housing demand towards modern rentals equipped to provide security, convenience and amenities tailored to shifting lifestyles.
A recent Savills report showed that BTR investment in the UK reached £4.2 billion in 2022, a 22% increase from the previous year. This new peak shows how investors and developers have put importance on BTR as a stable, long-term growth sector. The trend is typical strong in large urban areas like London, Birmingham and Manchester.
Savills also forecasts rental demand will rise by 6% annually over the next five years, driven by the high home ownership threshold, changing lifestyle preferences and a new population of renters seeking high-quality homes.
Growing BTR Competition
The 10-year strategy of established housebuilders, like Berkeley Group, which last year announced a plan to build 4,000 homes in the BTR sector, underlines its longer-term stability. Berkeley’s announcement continues a trend of traditional residential developers diversifying to meet a shifting market.
The increased competition is typically driving up standards across BTR schemes, with developers looking to differentiate themselves with best-in-class amenities. Reliable, ultrafast connectivity is on everyone’s list.
Wifinity has recently been chosen as the BTR managed internet supplier for a major London residential development. We won because we met the developer’s precise use cases. With each property being home to a different demographic, internet providers need to be flexible in their BTR products, user experience and business models.
Operator Needs for BTR Managed Internet
From the infrastructure to the user experience, landlords should choose an internet provider who can demonstrate seamless connectivity throughout the building, shared areas and keep service quality over time.
Typically, a community-based BTR infrastructure will need to cater to all user groups including residents, staff and guests. The provider should be equipped to design, build and manage the entire user experience, from onboarding new residents to handling upgrades and support queries. Additionally, the provider should maintain the active infrastructure to ensure continuous service.
In our experience, today’s competitive developments will aim to enhance the resident experience, satisfaction and reduce the risk of churn, with:
- Ultrafast broadband speeds throughout the building with no blackspots
- Quick and seamless onboarding – provided as a day one service
- Seamless roaming for residents using the same network without interruptions, including apartments, communal spaces, lift lobbies, laundry rooms, and concierge desks
- High resilience through a reliable leased line and internet backbone
- Minimal service downtime
- Private networks with pre-shared keys for security
- Wired options for smart devices and gaming consoles
- Guest WiFi for short-term visitors with customisable speed options
- 24/7/365 support for residents
Corporate and Operator Internet Requirements
For landlords and building operators, the network will extend beyond resident access to ensure support their operational efficiency and security. It should deliver:
- WiFi coverage throughout all communal areas, lift lobbies and staff zones
- Wired connectivity for hardwired devices like PCs and printers
- Dedicated Service SSIDs for third party systems such as IoT services, PDQs, gym equipment. Wifinity has even connected smart wine fridges!
- Access to management portals to update tenancy information and access building management systems
- WAN resiliency with geographical separation and backup power supplies to mitigate downtime risk
- High-quality cabling installed to brand specifications
Choose an Experienced Provider Partner
You’d expect Wifinity to argue this, but an experienced BTR managed internet supplier will ensure that a development’s digital experience delivers a better living environment, supports building operations and provides long-term future value to landlords and investors.
With investors and property developers putting high stakes in the sector, competition for tenants will be hot. Wifinity is a recognised BTR managed internet provider. We partner with all major hardware vendors to supply ultrafast, reliable resident and operational connectivity to support your development.
Contact stephanie.smith@wifinity.co.uk / 07943 769218