UK: The Association for Rental Living (ARL) has appointed Nicola Fleet-Milne as the new chair of the ARL Midlands Hub.
The founder of Birmingham’s FleetMilne residential sales and lettings agency takes over from outgoing chair Rebecca Taylor of Long Harbour. Taylor has led the Midlands Hub since its founding in May 2023 and will continue to serve within the Hub going forward.
FleetMilne, founded in 2004, provides opportunities for property investment in Birmingham, including in BTR, with expertise that spans buying, selling, renting and letting high-quality homes.
ARL’s Midlands Hub proactively addresses key challenges and opportunities for the living sector from a regional perspective, bringing together stakeholders from across Build to BTR, multi- and single-family rental, coliving and later living. The Hub advocates for the rental living sector in the Midlands and runs a range of busy, informative events, from meetings to study tours.
The Midlands Hub is part of a network of ARL Hubs across the UK. At present, there are Hubs in the north-west, Scotland, and London and the south-east, in addition to the Midlands, with plans in place to expand the network to include the south-west and the north-east. Altogether, the ARL represents more than 330 investors, funders, developers, operators and suppliers across the UK’s rental living sector. The organisation’s work includes promoting purpose-built rental living, best practice, knowledge and data sharing as the sector continues to mature.
Build to Rent specialist Fleet-Milne has served on the Midlands Hub since 2023 and is now taking on the role of Chair, with Global Apartment Advisors’ Tom Grey serving as vice chair. She said: “The Build to Rent sector is transforming the residential landscape, providing high-quality rental homes in response to the country’s housing need. The sector started life by delivering city centre apartments for rent, but has morphed to encompass other living models, including single-family, co-living and later living.”
“Professionally manged rental homes will form an increasing proportion of residential stock in the UK, with the BTR sector on track to be worth £170bn by 2032, according to the British Property Federation and Savills. Birmingham’s BTR offer is relatively embryonic but is rapidly evolving. There are 15 schemes in operation, with more than 20,000 units in the pipeline. Investors and developers are now extending their reach to the suburbs and around the wider region. It’s an exciting time for BTR in the Midlands and I’m thrilled to represent the sector as Chair of the ARL’s Midlands Hub.”
The ARL’s CEO Brendan Geraghty added: “It is excellent news that Nicola will be leading the Midlands Hub; the sector’s rapid development is the ideal time to be embedding best practice, including a crucial focus on customers and their rental experience. There is also much to be done in terms of growing the understanding of Build to Rent’s role as an anchor tenant in regional regeneration and working with everyone from local authorities to investors. The ARL is grateful to Rebecca Taylor for her excellent leadership of the Midlands Hub thus far and to Nicola for now taking up the mantle.”
