As the number of households renting privately in the UK has grown (4.4m in 2019-20, ONS), so too has the rental experience that’s on offer. Over the last five years, the rise of the Build to Rent sector has introduced a new mindset and new expectations when it comes to what renters are seeking. Quintain Living – who oversee the rental of over 2,500 apartments in Wembley Park – is at the forefront of that change.
“We are so proud that Quintain Living is leading the way in making people love where they rent. Renting is undergoing a rapid evolution from being a necessity-born stopgap to an enriching lifestyle choice. Being at the heart of that shift and providing so much more than just a home is really exciting.”
Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer, Quintain Living
At Quintain Living, residents and their pets can rent a home that has been thoughtfully designed with exceptional amenities, services and perks – all curated to meet their specific needs.
Amenities
Amenities are a key benefit and an area where Build to Rent providers are light years ahead of the private rented sector. Quintain Living’s Canada Gardens is a great example. The onsite facilities include hireable resident allotments, work from home garden sheds with views of the expansive landscaped gardens, a pet park and a pirate ship themed children’s play area and water feature. The one-acre private podium garden is awash with garden-party design features like outdoor kitchen entertainment spaces and BBQs.
The serviced clubhouse provides a place to relax indoors and there’s also a library. All apartments are pet-friendly, and pet-owners have access to doggy day care and walking services, while parents can use the new crèche space for private party hire. There’s also an enormous roof terrace that provides 360° views of the city, the Chilterns and the iconic Wembley Stadium arch.
By way of comparison, even the most modern of new builds in the private rented sector rarely comes with anything more than a gym, a concierge and a work from home area.
Onsite support
The onsite support on offer in the Build to Rent sector is another bonus. From waiting in to sign for parcels to collecting dry cleaning, life admin can be a pain – not to mention time-consuming. Every Quintain Living building has a 24-hour concierge and a resident team ready to tackle anything at any time – unlike traditional rental properties, where tenants may end up waiting days (or more) for maintenance support. At Quintain Living, maintenance requests are responded to within an hour and urgent issues are fixed within a day.
Opting to live in a Build to Rent home can free up a surprising amount of time and at Quintain Living, renting a new home is hassle-free. Ofgem reports that it takes an industry an average of 17 days to set up a new electricity contract, while Cable reports it takes an average of 14 days to set up broadband. For Quintain Living residents, it takes 60 seconds to plug in their devices and set a password. Utilities, including superfast broadband, are set up and ready to use the moment residents arrive at their new home.
Quintain Living takes the same approach to making renting as easy as possible, particularly when it comes to deposits and paperwork.
“Very few landlords outside of the Build to Rent sector offer deposit-free renting. Quintain Living does so (subject to reference and credit checks), with no hidden fees. Financial benefits also include partner perks – discounts and offers from carefully selected household-name partners such as Zipcar, Mindful Chef and Bloom & Wild.”
Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer, Quintain Living
The social element
Quintain Living seeks to build and support its local and emerging community. Living in the sociable environment that Build to Rent accommodation fosters means that residents have the chance to get to know their neighbours through resident events – and can form genuine, lasting friendships. While Quintain Living’s MasterChef supper clubs, pizza nights, cocktail making classes and other social events are having to be held virtually at present, careful thought is still going into delivering the social benefits of the Build to Rent experience for those residents seeking a neighbourly network.
The furniture
Finally, Quintain Living’s residents don’t have to put up with a slapdash mishmash of the landlord’s unwanted furniture, as so many of those renting privately do. Instead, Quintain Living’s furnished homes are designed by interior designers and kitted out with the likes of John Lewis and Samsung, with residents even able to choose colour schemes and furnishings that suit their tastes and requirements.
“There really are so many benefits to opting for a new, purpose-built development such as Quintain Living’s diverse range of homes at Wembley Park. It’s very much about the overall experience – it’s not just a transaction between landlord and tenant but something so much more holistic and fulfilling.”
Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer, Quintain Living
