Our Awards

We won ‘Student Accommodation Operator of the Year’ for the second year running at Property Week’s RESI Awards.

The award recognises our commitment to supporting students’ mental and physical health as well as our diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Judges said: “Given the challenging economic environment, during this award year unite students has continued to prioritise supporting its students, particularly as the ongoing cost-of-living crisis places significant pressure on students and their families.

Unite students will be donating 1% of its annual profits to social initiatives, amounting to a commitment of around 2m a year.

Alongside this, unite students launched its new student support framework support to stay, which aims to provide students with a supportive living environment to fulfil their potential, particularly when experiencing medical, physical or mental-health difficulties”

PROFESSOR ADAM FAGAN, VICE-PRESIDENT (EDUCATION AND STUDENT SUCCESS), KING’S COLLEGE LONDON, said: “I can’t imagine a better place to be for students; indeed the first question I asked was, ‘Do you have any staff accommodation available?’ “It’s a spectacular space that seamlessly unites the historical with the present. “I’m swept away by this amazing development and I look forward to many years of partnership with Unite Students as we deliver the best possible experience for students.”

PAUL SMITH, DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS OPERATIONS, UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL, said: “Campbell House is an excellent PBSA it’s got the amenities that students will be looking for when they arrive. It is going to be a safe place, a secure place. It’s a place for the students to thrive.”

IAN ROBERTSON, DIRECTOR OF RESIDENTIAL & CATERING SERVICES, UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS, said: “University of Leeds has partnered with Unite Students since 2003, providing a variety of student accommodation on long and medium-term agreements. The scale of the partnership has grown since then as our university demand for good quality, central accommodation has grown over time.

Most recently we expanded the agreement to include White Rose View, following its completion in 2020. We have over 2000 beds in partnership which equates to circa 23% of our total provision. We have a very strong relationship with Unite and meet regularly to review our combined strategy in Leeds, looking at how both parties can work to best meet the needs of students as well as the University.

Operationally we often need to respond to changes and work in collaboration, tackling issues such as student safety and responding effectively to the covid-19 pandemic. At each residence/partnership property, university-appointed Residence Life Wardens & Assistants provide wellbeing services and manage student discipline as might be required and they work closely with the Unite Students managers and staff who run the properties.

Most recently we have worked together to commence an ongoing project at James Baillie Park, repurposing some unused land for the benefit of the local community, schools and students as a sustainable wellbeing woodland area. My team and a number of colleagues at Unite Students will continue to work together to develop and maintain this initiative.

As Unite Students have evolved, their commitment to improving the student accommodation sector has resulted in the publication of meaningful research which many in the sector can utilise to improve aspects of their operations. We are proud to be part of the Living Black at University commission, created in response to recent research which reviewed the experience of Black Students living in student accommodation and we are committed to implementing a number of the proposed recommendations.

In addition, participation in regular roundtable sessions organised by Unite provides us with opportunities to share best practice and discuss practical solutions for commonly experienced issues with colleagues from other UK universities.”

We won ‘Alternatives Team of the Year’ at Property Week’s Property Awards.

Our win highlighted our achievements with developments and operations, plus innovation, employee initiatives and ‘the academy’ our commitment to employee development, providing our employees with lifelong learning opportunities  client feedback, diversity and inclusion, and our sustainability agenda.

Tom Brewerton, Group Development Director, said: “It’s great to be recognised in this way for a raft of accomplishments across many parts of our business, including successes around our properties £190million Hayloft Point in London and £45million Campbell House in Bristol.”

Judges described our entry as “a strong submission across all criteria”.

Students have voted five of our properties across the country as ‘Best Properties’ in Student Crowd’s Student Voice Awards 2023

Cambrian Point, Cardiff, Angel Lane, London, Sky Plaza, Leeds, New Medlock House, Manchester and Brass Founders, Sheffield were voted first place whilst three of our properties were also awarded second place and eight won third place.

The Student Voice Awards are given to the highest rated properties based on authentic student reviews on the Student Crowd platform. Students are asked to score us out of 5 in 7 key areas. They then give us an overall score and describe their experience living with us.

These reviews give us valuable feedback which we use to help us improve our student experience.

Karan Khanna, our Chief Customer Officer said: “𝐓𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝟓 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞’𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐮𝐭.”

“𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤.”

Over the criteria period, Unite Students has continued to provide students across the country with high-quality, value-for-money and safe and secure housing, expanding on its current portfolio by over 1,000 beds. Ongoing healthy demand from students highlights the appeal of Unite Students’ fixed-price, all-inclusive offer and the savings and cost certainty on bills it provides for students.98% of rooms are already sold for the 2023/ 2024 academic year as reported in the Group’s most recent trading update.

Unite Students’ proposition attracted record levels of reservations and re-bookers despite cost-of-living pressures. The Group provides a fixed-price, all-inclusive rental offer – covering all utility bills, Wi-Fi, contents insurance and 24-hour security.

To support its valued colleagues through these challenging times, Unite Students has given a one-off £500 payment to its frontline property teams, with 90% of employees receiving the payment. The Group has also committed to being a Real Living Wage employer – the first in the sector.

The business committed 1% of its annual adjusted earnings to social initiatives, which equated to £2million. Funds were donated to Unite Students’ successful Leapskills programme, helping thousands of young people be better prepared for making the ‘leap’ to university. The Unite Foundation also benefitted, enabling the independent charity to support care leavers and estranged students with free year-round accommodation. In addition, the business offers flexible payment plans for all direct-let customers. To date, more than 700 care leavers and estranged students have been supported in accessing Higher Education through the Unite Foundation.

The Unite Students Commission on Living Black at University was launched in April 2023 following ground-breaking research into the experiences of Black students living in UK student accommodation. This brings together decision makers from across the Higher Education and student accommodation sectors, responding to the recommendations at a national level.

During the year, the business contracted £256million worth of disposals with funds reinvested into the improvement of the estate. Development costs for the year totalled £275million, completing two new key properties: 920-bed Hayloft Point in London and 431-bed Campbell House in Bristol.

Universities are increasingly demanding quality accommodation which is now seen as a key part of the proposition to prospective students. Unite Students prides itself on offering sector-leading bedrooms and facilities. For example, the Group’s new development, Morriss House, in Nottingham has incorporated a range of amenities catering to student needs. Students can enjoy extensive communal and independent study areas, karaoke and gaming rooms, a spacious gym and dance studio on site, dedicated stage and screen area, large outdoor area and outdoor cinema. Morriss House also features a new communal layout in the reception area, acting as a ‘welcome hub’ for students and staff to interact and spend time in the communal café.

With ESG being a key focus for Unite, the company continues to work towards being carbon net zero by 2030. Throughout the year, the group invested £13.9million in energy efficient projects across the estate to reduce consumption, save carbon and ensure ongoing compliance with regulations, while also making further improvement in EPC ratings – 80% of Unite Students’ portfolio is now A-C rated.

This investment delivered a 5% reduction in energy use from the year prior, a saving of 2,300 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e). The Group also committed in 2022 to developing its first-ever certified new build net zero carbon property: Jubilee House in Stratford, London, as part of its ambitions to lead the way for the sector in sustainability.

Unite Students also spent in excess of £100m over the year on cladding and fire safety improvements, which go above and beyond current safety requirements.

2022 saw the £178m acquisition of Unite Students’ pilot Build to Rent scheme – a 178-unit property in Stratford, East London. The project enables the Group to test its operational capability to extend its accommodation offer to young professionals, enabling customer retention as students move onto their next stage.

Unite Students provides students with significant savings, especially when compared to alternative accommodation options, and a sector-leading experience in high-quality, purpose-built student accommodation.

Unite Students is the UK’s largest owner, manager and developer of PBSA and prides itself on providing a ‘Home for Success’ – where students have room to grow and belong. It currently provides a home to c.70,000 students, in 156 properties across 23 UK towns and cities, partnering with the UK’s leading high to mid-ranking universities. Unite Students has worked tirelessly to offer continued support for students during cost-of-living challenges through its fixed-price, all-inclusive rental offer which includes utility bills, Wi-Fi, contents insurance and 24-hour security. Unite Students’ proposition really stands out, as reflected by the Group’s record level of reservations and re-bookers. As reported in its most recent trading update, 98% of rooms are now sold for the 2023/24 academic year.

The business also offer students a package of support to help those who may be struggling. Practical payment plans are available for all direct-let customers and the Group works in partnership with over 60 universities who provide loans and grants. Furthermore, Unite Students’ partnership with student finance experts Blackbullion, offers students free financial education and budgeting tools.

The company launched its student support framework ‘Support to Stay’ at the start of the 2022/23 academic year. This provides students with a supportive living environment to fulfil their potential, particularly when experiencing medical, physical, or mental health difficulties. Having first established its Student Support function in 2016, Unite Students continues to provide best-in-class student services. The company also this year launched a new pilot programme, ‘Financial Support to Stay’. In partnership with Aldi supermarket, the programme will see food vouchers distributed to those students most in need of financial support, through means-testing and working directly with four universities to identify those who qualify.

First launched in September 2020, Unite Students has continued to release monthly podcasts – the ‘Accommodation Matters’ series, featuring a range of guests who cover topics including neurodiversity, mental health, cost-of-living and sustainability. As a leader in the sector, the Group is acutely aware of its responsibility to provide a platform where critical debates around students and PBSA can occur.

Unite Students is dedicated to supporting the local communities it operates within, and in December 2022, welcomed Streets of Growth, a youth intervention charity, into its new flagship London development, Hayloft Point. The charity, which supports disengaged and marginalised young adults, operates across two floors, allowing it to undertake vital work in the local area, at a peppercorn annual rent. Furthermore, Unite Students closely collaborated with the Museum of London Archaeology to preserve the archaeological remains found on site at Hayloft Point, maintaining its status as an area of significant historical interest.

Unite Students has also committed to invest 1% of its annual profits to social initiatives and delivered a £2.0m investment in 2022. Funds have gone to the business’ successful Leapskills programme, which has helped thousands of young people be better prepared for making the ‘leap’ to university life. In 2022 alone, financial support was provided for 100 new accommodation scholarships for the 2022/23 academic year through the Unite Foundation, taking the total number of students supported by the Foundation to over 700 in its 10-year history.

The Group has also partnered with 10,000 Black Interns and in June 2023, welcomed 11 interns to Unite Students’ offices on a 10-week paid placement. The Unite Students Commission on Living Black at University was launched in April 2023 following ground-breaking research into the experiences of Black students living in UK student accommodation. This brings together decision makers from across the Higher Education and student accommodation sectors, responding to the recommendations at a national level.

Unite Students has made significant progress with its goal of being carbon net zero by 2030, investing £13.0m in energy efficient projects across the estate. This investment delivered a 5% reduction in energy use from the year prior, a saving of 2,300 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. Unite Students continued its investment into refurbishing and improving the sustainability of its portfolio through its £65m refurbishments into three properties in Manchester and has committed to developing its first-ever certified new build net carbon property.

The company, through its Board Diversity Policy, has a 40% target for female representation in its leadership and management roles by 2024 and 10% ethnic minority representation in management by 2025. As of 31 December 2022, females represent 30% of the business’ senior leadership roles. Employees across the Group must also follow Unite Students’ Code of Ethics to ensure accountability at all levels of the business.