Quintain Living – a management company overseeing the rental of 3,651 Build to Rent apartments in Wembley Park – share insights into the evolution of what renters want from their homes in 2023. The company points out how items once on renters’ wish lists are now expected.
Pet-friendly properties are an example of this. All Quintain Living homes in Wembley Park allow pets, and include pet-focused, on-site facilities such as ‘bark parks’, dog runs and a Laundro-Mutt grooming space. The Build to Rent brand has found that renters now expect this as standard – and the number of pets living in the Wembley Park properties continue to increase, with over 400 cats and dogs now living in Quintain Living homes.
Work from home spaces is another item that has become an expectation. Quintain Living’s Canada Gardens development offers a range of work from home areas. These include a rooftop lounge with a dedicated work from home area, an on-site clubhouse for working in a social setting and office sheds in the gardens. The new Repton Gardens development also provides a work from home suite with ten hireable offices and a meeting room.
Other core resident expectations include gyms (which are expected to be present in all Quintain Living buildings across its 11 developments by the start of 2023) and outdoor spaces. Residents also expect health and wellbeing amenities in the local area. Wembley Park offers hair and beauty salons, spas, gyms, health clubs and more. Social spaces – such as the rooftop juice bar, Mad Hatter’s Tea Party Garden, lawn areas, large residents’ lounge, and John Lennon-inspired peace garden at The Robinson – also aim to support mental wellbeing.
Looking ahead to 2023, the Quintain Living team has identified new trends emerging. Energy efficiency is one thing that residents are increasingly seeking – both from cost and sustainability perspectives. Quintain Living has addressed this through the implementation of a new tool that reads utility meters across the Wembley Park estate every 15 minutes, comparing readings against a calculated norm for each home. The tool sends a daily update to the team, which can flag any unusual activity. It has already identified issues such as lightbulbs left on in empty homes or minor leaks – sometimes even before residents are aware of the issue.
Renters are also looking for an easier customer journey that delivers a fast, frictionless experience. Quintain Living is aiming to serve this trend through its referencing process, which has been completed in six minutes 20 seconds. This is due to using a technology partner that automates the process with the objective of being quicker than traditional credit referencing agencies. The referencing process aims to build on the growing trend of easy leasing, which has seen 42% of Quintain Living residents lease their homes without coming to see the property in person. From 2023 onwards, the company will also be adding to its range of viewing options, offering self-guided, in-person tours of its apartment buildings.
“Over the course of 2022, we’ve seen a number of ‘nice to haves’ become embedded as core items that residents expect to be included in their homes. As we head into 2023, the sector continues to evolve, as do residents’ expectations. We look forward to delivering faster, easier customer journeys as the year progresses, as well as the incredible apartments and outstanding social spaces for which Quintain Living is known.”
Ashley San Pedro, Sales Director, Quintain Living
