The CGIs and staged photography of smiling, happy residents and perfect families are well-known. But what is it like to stay in one of the latest build-to-rent or luxury aparthotel schemes setting out to redefine the rental residential market? Just how comfortable and convenient are these for a stay – short or long-term?
Over recent months I’ve had the opportunity to stay in three, courtesy of the operators – one of the Vertus BTR schemes in London’s Canary Wharf (pictured above), Moda’s sky-high new development in Birmingham and Vita Group’s aparthotel in Manchester.
My stays showed me first-hand how much effort is going into creating communities in these schemes. But they also underlined how carefully operators must tread and how easy it is for even minor inconveniences to tarnish the experience. Operational real estate is not for the faint of heart. Here are my experiences.
Directional dyslexia at Canary Wharf’s Newfoundland
Canary Wharf Group’s Newfoundland is a 58-storey riverside development comprising 636 homes, ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments. Prices start at £2,150 per month for a studio flat, rising to around £6,500 a month for a three-bed.
The Docklands estate is easier to get to than ever before thanks to the newly opened Elizabeth Line. Easier, at least, than finding Newfoundland itself. Perhaps it’s my own directional dyslexia, or maybe I should blame the maps app on my phone, but Canary Wharf always feels like a maze. I got some good advice after finally caving in and asking for directions: “Google the building, see its architectural design and hunt it out on the skyline.” Suddenly the diamond-shaped Newfoundland was easier to spot.
After finally reaching my destination, I was greeted by the concierges, who were also aiding two other visitors. One was a resident requesting support from CWG’s on-site Vertus tech help team. The other was a delivery driver frustrated that a package had been left unsigned for a second time. Newfoundland has a package room, which residents told me is used regularly. But when I visited during one of the hottest summers on record, some were finding that fans they ordered were too large to have delivered to the site’s Bringme boxes.
I stayed in a two-bedroom flat on the 21st floor with spectacular views over the River Thames. One of the bedrooms was en-suite, and there was also a family bathroom, an open-plan kitchen and living room. The apartment was fully furnished with a TV, refrigerator, freezer and individual heating controls for the different rooms. Wi-fi is available in communal areas and the flats.
CWG will argue that its food and drink scene has changed beyond recognition in recent years, and anyone living in Newfoundland has no shortage of options on their doorstep if they don’t fancy cooking. I walked over to Caravan – great comfort food. After that, I took an evening stroll around the estate. The group wants it to be seen as somewhere that people will want to spend time even outside of the working day. The Amazon Fresh outlet was busy at 7.30pm.
Back at Newfoundland, I headed to the residents’ lounge. On a Saturday evening the lounge was a fairly tranquil place. A few residents were making use of the electric shuffleboard game and a group of young real estate professionals were catching up with a couple who lived in the development. Eliane Lourenço, a senior surveyor at JLL, had invited her friends over for a farewell party as she was moving to Singapore. Just a few feet from Lourenço’s wine-and-cheese party, Jumana, visiting her sister from Bahrain during a school break, sat in pyjamas, streaming Netflix.
I joined some of the guests in using the wine dispensers in the residents’ lounge – a glass of any wine for £3. And yes, there is a quota for the amount of alcohol a wine card can be used for in one day. Vertus wants to ensure the lounge remains a family friendly place, so you can’t risk those shuffleboard games becoming too raucous.
Birmingham’s art and culture defined at Moda’s Mercian
Moda’s newly launched The Mercian is Birmingham’s tallest residential tower, at 42 storeys, with 481 apartments to rent.
I stayed in a two-bedroom, one-bathroom flat that costs £1,975 a month. Even from “just” the 14th floor I had amazing views of the Birmingham cityscape.
There’s a fun vibe throughout The Mercian, which opened on the first day of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. In the numerous lifts needed to handle the traffic of residents at prime hours, the walls are decorated with song lyrics and trivia to keep tenants entertained. The entire development includes small touches of Birmingham’s art, culture and heritage.
More functional parts of the design are also impressive. The building’s windows are panelled with a metal sheet with an open geometric design that allows natural air to come in and out of the development, helping to alleviate the high temperatures during my stay. Fitwel, a certification system for wellbeing in real estate, says the building is Birmingham’s healthiest. It boasts a 200m running track on a rooftop terrace, a 24/7 gym for residents and studio space where tenants can have private classes from fitness trainers.
However, the stay demonstrated the kinds of teething problems that BTR operators can encounter. I stayed on the development’s opening day, as the launch party ramped up down on the third-floor terrace. I initially had no running water, and as I left the property
I found the sink had blocked and wouldn’t drain.
The challenge for operators will be how quickly and efficiently they can react to problems such as this – Moda’s in-house team was fast and polite.
Hotel-turned-home at Vita Group’s CitySuites in Manchester
Vita Group’s luxury aparthotel in Manchester, CitySuites, isn’t a traditional BTR scheme. Flexible stays can be booked, with discounts depending on their length – normally 20% for anything over 14 nights and 30% for a stay longer than 28 nights.
I stayed for just one night, which would set a guest back £130. The building is close to the city centre and Manchester Victoria station.
After getting to my two-bedroom, one-bathroom flat on the 11th floor, I was somewhat disappointed at the lack of view from my window. But all the facilities were in working order and the amenities were excellent, including an 18m pool and steam room open to all tenants, whether long-term or one-night hotel guests.
I was surprised by how many long-term guests I met in the property. Speaking to people around the building, I encountered several who had been staying in CitySuites for weeks and, in some cases, even months – some with families and young children. They said the development had proved good value for money and met all of their needs – fully fitted kitchens, everything from fine dining to a Sainsbury’s on the doorstep, and an address that seemed very well-known to Uber Eats drivers.
My stay was fleeting but comfortable for the one night – and evidently also for the long-term tenants.
Advice from a not-so-secret shopper
The BTR market is booming. You don’t need me to tell you how much capital is being ploughed into the sector in the UK. But successful BTR operation requires attention to detail, constant customer care and a real understanding of your end user. For the operators of the schemes I stayed in, some of what I have written here might not be what you want published, but if property really does care about people and if operational real estate really is about delivering best-in-class service, it’s this stuff that will make you infinitely better than the rest.
To send feedback, e-mail akanksha.soni@eg.co.uk or tweet @EGPropertyNews
