hereSAYBTR Leasing Benchmark Report
As the UK rental living sector continues to mature, leasing performance is being shaped less by specification and more by service.
Our latest hereSAY BTR Leasing Benchmark shows a clear shift in what drives successful leasing outcomes across Build to Rent and adjacent living models. While high quality buildings remain essential, it is the consistency, clarity and human delivery of the leasing journey that increasingly differentiates top performing schemes.
What the benchmark covers
The hereSAY Leasing Benchmark is based on more than 1,500 in person mystery shopped viewings carried out across over 100 schemes and 38 operators nationwide. It provides the most detailed, evidence-led assessments of the leasing journey currently available in the UK rental market.
Alongside in-depth analysis, the report includes:
A list of the top performing schemes and operators
Recommended behaviours for high-performance leasing
A focus on the Renters Rights Act and how this will impact the leasing journey
A comparison between Single Family Housing, Multi-Family Build to Rent, PBSA and Co-Living leasing experience quality.
Service is now the differentiator
Across the sector, building and apartment presentation remains consistently strong, with an average score of 91 percent. However, our findings show that physical quality is no longer the primary differentiator.
Overall benchmark scores have increased from 70 percent in 2022 to 78 percent in 2025. This improvement has been driven not by changes to product, but by incremental progress in leasing behaviours, including:
How enquiries are handled
The quality and structure of viewings
The consistency of follow up
The ability of teams to build trust and clarity at key decision points
In a competitive market where renters have choice, service reliability is increasingly what separates high performers from the rest.
Expanding the view across rental living
For the first time, the benchmark extends beyond Build to Rent to include Single Family Housing, Purpose Built Student Accommodation and Co Living. This allows direct comparison of renter experiences across different living models.
While Build to Rent and PBSA continue to perform strongly overall, the data highlights meaningful variation in viewing quality, follow up and perceived value for money. These contrasts reinforce the importance of operational consistency, regardless of asset type.
The impact of regulation on the leasing journey
The report also explores the implications of the Renters’ Rights Act and what this means for leasing teams on the ground.
With open ended tenancies and stronger renter protections, the viewing is no longer simply a sales moment. It is increasingly an offer conversation, where clarity, transparency and trust are critical. Our findings suggest that operators who invest in people, process and training are best placed to navigate this shift successfully.
Turning insight into performance
By focusing on what renters actually experience, rather than what processes intend to deliver, the hereSAY benchmark provides practical insight into where leasing performance is won or lost.
For owners and operators, the message is clear. Physical quality is expected. Long term leasing success is built through service delivery that is human, consistent and reliable.
The full hereSAY Leasing Benchmark Report is available to download.
If your scheme is within our list of mystery shopped schemes and you would like to know more about how you performed or if you have any questions about our mystery shopping services, contact nick@sayproperty.co.uk.