Elevating the Resident Experience: Insights from the UK’s Top BTR Schemes 

Sailmakers London

The UK Build to Rent (BTR) sector continues to thrive, in no small part due to its reputation for delivering exceptional resident experiences. The hereSAY BTR mystery shopping benchmark report 2025 provides valuable insights into how leading BTR schemes are achieving operational excellence and resident satisfaction. Notably, six of the ten benchmark schemes from the report have leveraged Yardi’s BTR suite of solutions to underpin their success.

Key Challenges in the Leasing Journey 

The report highlights two critical areas where BTR operators often face challenges:

  • Unanswered Enquiries: Potential residents frequently experience delays in receiving responses to their enquiries, whether via phone or website forms. This oversight can significantly impact conversion rates.
  • Undervalued Offerings: During property viewings, leasing teams sometimes fail to consistently highlight the value-added benefits included in the rent, such as gym access, community events, and on-site maintenance. This can diminish the perceived value for money.

Achieving Success: Data-Driven Insights & Targeted Action

The report showcases how top-performing BTR schemes address these challenges by leveraging data-driven insights and implementing targeted improvements. For instance, by focusing on prompt enquiry management and effectively communicating the full value proposition of their offerings, these schemes have seen significant improvements in resident satisfaction and operational efficiency.

“I was informed about the on-site maintenance team and how to arrange for issues to get resolved. I felt the property offered great value for money…and the communal spaces were well-maintained and clean.” – Sailmakers

The Results: A Dramatic Improvement

One notable example from the report demonstrates how a BTR portfolio achieved a remarkable increase in its average total score, rising from 77% to 95% within just three months. This outcome underscores the impact of identifying and addressing operational inefficiencies and enhancing the resident experience.

Furthermore, awareness of BTR has risen to 53% – an impressive 18% increase since 2021. As awareness of the offering and benefits of BTR living grow, especially as trusted brands like John Lewis come to market, the outcome is sure to be positive for the industry.

Success Stories: Top-Performing BTR Schemes

The developments mentioned in the report itself demonstrate how technology can support BTR’s success. By centralising operations, streamlining communications, and providing powerful analytics, these schemes have been able to:

  • Optimise the Leasing Journey: Convert more leads into happy residents.
  • Enhance Resident Satisfaction: Create a thriving community and foster long-term tenancies.
  • Improve Operational Efficiency: Streamline processes and reduce costs.

Lessons for the BTR Sector

The report offers several key takeaways for BTR operators looking to elevate their resident experience and operational performance:

  • Emphasise Prompt Communication: Ensure that all enquiries are responded to promptly to maximise conversion rates.
  • Highlight Value-Added Benefits: Consistently communicate the full value proposition of your BTR scheme to prospective residents.
  • Leverage Technology: Utilise data-driven insights and technology to streamline operations and enhance resident satisfaction.

“The apartment was as advertised, and the residents benefitted from the good location, communal spaces and being well taken care of…I was told that if anything needed repairing, there was a dedicated maintenance team on-site and issues were reported via an app.”  MYSTERY SHOPPER FEEDBACK

Enhancing Residential Experiences with Yardi

As the BTR sector grows, delivering exceptional resident experiences will remain a top priority. By focusing on prompt communication, highlighting value-added benefits, and leveraging technology, BTR operators can drive success and set their schemes apart in a competitive market. Whether you’re looking to improve operational efficiency or enhance resident satisfaction, the insights from these top-performing schemes offer valuable lessons for the entire industry.

If you are interested in learning how Yardi’s BTR software can reduce the administrative burden for your operational teams and empower them to provide best-in-class resident experiences, book a demo with our team today.

Image: Sailmakers London

SHARE POST

Facebook LinkedIN

AUTHOR

As Yardi’s senior marketing writer for international content, Sophie draws on her journalism and copywriting experience to transform complex real estate and technology topics into accessible, on brand narratives that connect with global audiences.

Recent articles

How to Overcome Data Fragmentation with Real Estate Investment Management Technology

How to Overcome Data Fragmentation with Real Estate Investment Management Technology

For fund managers, data is no longer just an operational concern; it has become a defining factor in investment performance. As markets grow more complex and investor scrutiny intensifies, firms are under pressure to deliver faster insights, greater transparency, and more sophisticated reporting. However, many real estate investment organisations are still facing challenges with fragmented data spread across systems, teams and geographies.  Our latest industry […]

How Data & Technology Are Shaping the Future of Real Estate Fund Management

How Data & Technology Are Shaping the Future of Real Estate Fund Management

The real estate funds industry is in a significant transition. Market repricing, rising operational costs, tightening regulation, and growing ESG expectations are changing how fund managers operate, allocate capital and communicate with investors. As these pressures intensify, data and real estate investment technology are increasingly central to how firms respond and compete.  To explore how fund managers are responding, Yardi and the […]

Maximising BTR NOI for a Stronger Bottom Line

Maximising BTR NOI for a Stronger Bottom Line

Learn how UK BTR operators are maximising NOI through preventive maintenance and data-led operations with practical strategies.

13 / 03 / 26