The Student Accommodation Podcast

Unlocking the Power of PBSA/University Nominations Agreements

In a LinkedIn post, Nicholas Findlay, Managing Director at City Room Rentals, announced that the company had been shortlisted for the Property Week Student Accommodation Awards. This recognition highlighted their commitment to excellence in the student accommodation sector. Findlay expressed gratitude to the team and partners for their hard work and dedication, emphasizing the company's focus on providing quality housing solutions for students across the UK.

Highlights from the Property Week Student Accommodation Conference & Awards 2024

In a recent LinkedIn post, Nicholas Findlay, Managing Director at City Room Rentals, discusses the challenges and opportunities in the UK's Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) sector. He highlights the increasing demand for student housing, the importance of nominations agreements between universities and private accommodation providers, and the need for collaboration to address the current shortage of quality student housing. Findlay emphasizes that such partnerships can enhance the student experience and provide stability for both educational institutions and accommodation providers.

Purpose Built Student Accommodation: Notice to Leave Tenancy Survey (Part 2)

In this second video Nick Findlay, guides you through the final steps to complete the survey. He discuses how the input is key to ensuring the review reflects the needs and realities of PBSA operators across Scotland. 

 

He underscores the ripple effects, including rising rents and a growing reliance on non-purpose-built housing. Findlay points out the resilience of PBSA as an investment asset, attracting interest from stakeholders looking for stable returns. He calls for strategic action and industry collaboration to ensure the sector can meet current and future demand, ultimately supporting the UK’s position as a global leader in higher education.

PBSA Operators – Don't Miss Out!

In this video Nick Findlay discuses the Purpose built student accommodation: notice to leave tenancy: provider survey. He takes you through step by step of the survey while giving his own perspective and insight. 

 

The UK is facing a significant shortage in Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA), with student numbers rising by 20% over the past five years and available beds decreasing by 30%. This imbalance has led to increased rents and unsuitable housing conditions for students. Nicholas Findlay, Managing Director at City Room Rentals, emphasizes the urgent need for investment in PBSA to meet growing demand and support the UK's higher education sector. He notes that investors are increasingly interested in the sector due to its resilience and potential for stable returns. Findlay calls for collaboration among stakeholders to develop more student accommodation and address this pressing issue.

Unlocking 2025-26: Key Insights on Rent Releases & Student Housing Demand

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In this video, Nicholas Findlay discusses the latest developments in student accommodation, highlighting the features and benefits of Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA). He emphasizes the importance of providing high-quality living spaces for students, which include modern amenities, secure environments, and communal areas that foster a sense of community. 

Interview with Rebecca O'Hare- Head of Partnerships & Resident Experience at SFG

 

On this latest episode we look at Reslife, which is very timely with a new intake of student residents arriving across the country for this year's academic intake. 

We welcome on Rebecca O’Hare to share her expertise in the sector. With over a decade of experience in the student accommodation market, Rebecca has recently embarked on a new venture with Student First Group as their Head of Partnerships and Resident Experience. 

Rebecca has over four years experience with Campus Living Villages as Head of Residence Life, and showed a particular talent in the tailoring of the residence life experience to each student, and was recently awarded Residence Life Professional of the Year 2019

Interview with James Pullan- Equity Partner, Knight Frank

In our new format of bite-sized content, we welcome on the podcast James Pullan, an equity partner at Knight Frank who heads the Knight Frank Student Property Team.  James has over seventeen years’ experience in the Student Property sector and has undertaken market-leading transactions and valuations for the sector’s most influential investors, developers, and operators.  James’ team values in excess of £12 billion Purpose Built Student Accommodation and undertakes transactions with committed funds in excess of £2 billion annually. 

Nick and James discuss investment within the sector, opportunities and challenges, investment source countries, the political landscape and the impacts on investor confidence among a varied discussion on the outlook of the PBSA sector. 

Interview with Bobbi Hartshorne- Head of Student Wellbeing, GSA

On this latest episode, we welcome on Bobbi Hartshorne, one of the global leaders in student well-being delivery and best practice from the GSA Group.  Global Student Accommodation (GSA) announced in 2018 the launch of Its 'Student Wellbeing Framework' being rolled out across all of three brands Uninest Student Residences, The Student Housing Company and Nexo Residencias. Its student brands are located in 34 global city locations.

GSA launched a research study in June 2018, titled Student Wellbeing Matters. Exploring on and off campus student wellbeing in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and Australia to understand the role that purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) plays in enhancing student wellbeing.

GSA has also called for collaboration across more on and off-campus university service providers to help improve and promote student wellbeing and on this episode, we look in detail at best practice of student well-being in student housing. 

 

Interview with Brian Welsh- Global CEO, Nido Student

Welcome listeners to our second series of the student accommodation podcast brought you by City Room Rentals, a leading student Housing platform and agency partner. Our MD Nick Findlay and his research team will continue bringing you a brand new episode with a range of fantastic guests that live and breathe all things Student Housing.

We are delighted to announce our fresh new sponsor for this series is WIFIRST, the European Wifi leader with over 17 years of experience and over 1900 residences deployed across Europe.

On this first episode of the new series, we welcome on a Brian Welsh, Global CEO of Nido Student to discuss his wide-ranging experience within the sector and Nido's plans for expansion across the UK and continental Europe. 

 

 

 

Interview with Richard Gabelich- Founder & CEO Student First Group

On our latest episode Nick explores a specialised area of student housing gaining in popularity in the sector and that is Design, Build, Finance and Operate or DBFO partnership schemes as they are more commonly known.

Under DBFO schemes a student housing partner typically takes a long lease of university-owned land, designs a scheme in conjunction with the university, raises finance, builds it, operates it and takes the risk of finding occupants. In return, the university receives a capital receipt, the expertise of a dedicated partner and continued influence over creating a high-quality student experience.

We welcome on the episode Richard Gabelich of the Student First Group to explore this complex deal area. Student First provide innovative student accommodation advisory, investment, development and asset management solutions to developers, investors, universities and operators.