Only one agency rep on board of new Build To Rent body

Savills is the only organisation with an agency wing represented on the first board of the UK Apartment Association, a new membership organisation bringing together parties involved in the Build To Rent sector. 

The UKAA, founded in April, aims to share best practice for the Build To Rent sector, especially in the fields of training, customer service delivery and serving as a forum for suppliers. 

Its first president is Jonathan Ivory, managing director of international property management firm Atlas Residential. The chief executive has already been named as Michael Green.

Other board members include Michela Hancock of real estate management firm Greystar, Neal Gemassmer of investment and management firm Yardi, Tim Swaddle of furnishings firm Roomservice by CORT and Michael Howard of block management company Urban Bubble.

There is also Roger Southam of Savills - until recently he was head of property management specialist Chainbow, acquired by Savills early in the summer - plus Matthew Howard of Hermes Real Estate property investment company, Andrew Carey of Real Foundations consultancy, Andrea Massey of Yieldstar asset management, and Doug Culkin of the NAA - that’s the US National Apartment Association, which is a trade body for the vast American ‘multi-family’ Build To Rent sector.

“The UKAA is just getting started and we have great plans and ideas to contribute to the success of this growing sector. With a very experienced board of directors now established, we can use their varied expertise to raise the benchmark of service within the Build To Rent market and raise standards” says Michael Green, UKAA chief executive.