The largest ever analysis of the Build-to-Rent (BTR) sector in England has revealed that BTR has a broad and evolving customer base that is now similar to the wider private rented sector (PRS), but BTR does offer much longer leases on average.

In its third year, the Who Lives in Build-to-Rent? report from the British Property Federation (BPF), Dataloft, BusinessLDN, and the UK Apartment Association (UKAA), analysed 122 schemes in England totalling over 40,000 residents in over 19,000 homes, representing over 25% of the total completed BTR homes in the UK.

The urban component of the data, constituting 32,716 residents and 15,274 homes across 67 schemes, was benchmarked with tenants across the wider private rented sector. Amidst a highly volatile rental market, BTR was shown to offer the option of long leases, with 92% of BTR schemes offering up to three-year leases, and a quarter (25%) offering leases of more than three years. Close to a quarter (23%) of BTR tenants are currently in tenancies of three years, and over half (53%) of leases were renewed over the last year.

BTR also tends to provide more extensive amenities than traditional homes in the PRS, with 73% of BTR residents having access to a co-working or meeting space, something that has become more attractive to renters since the rise in home working and flexible working hours.

Outdoor space is another core component of BTR, with 81% of BTR schemes having a shared garden or roof terrace. Nearly two-thirds (58%) of residents also have access to a gym, and a third (30%) fitness studios. Meanwhile, 24-hour security, available at 69% of schemes, concierge (85% of schemes) and parcel storage (79%), all add to the experience of living in a BTR development, the report says.