UK rental services provider Housing Hand has retained its position as the trusted market leader for rental guarantor services. Announcing its year-end financial results, the firm has shown revenue growth of 49% during the past year, increasing from £2.03M to £3.03M.
The results show a return to profit for the firm, after continuing payouts throughout the Covid period, with transactions growing across all types of accommodation providers: Build to Rent (BTR) operators, Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) providers, lettings agents and private landlords.
The BTR sector led transaction growth during the year, with an increase of 54.9%. That compares to the sector’s own 23% increase in completed homes between Q3 2023 and Q3 2024, as reported by Savills.
Housing Hand’s transaction growth in the PBSA sector hit 50.1% during the year aligned to a CBRE report that the sector is performing robustly, delivering returns of 9.8% in the year to September 2024 (compared to just 3.5% across all commercial property).
Transactions with lettings agents also increased for Housing Hand over the past year (by 49.1%) as did private landlord transactions (by 29.9%).
Housing Hand has deepened also its partnerships with universities and is now working closely with over 51 universities across the UK and Ireland, providing a mix of services, from rental guarantor services to supporting students with their next stage of accommodation.
Housing Hand also provides services specifically developed to support care experienced students and students who are estranged from their families. The firm is partnering with 13 universities to provide this support, via the institutions’ hardship funds, supporting 21 care experienced and estranged students over the last 18 months. These services – along with all those that Housing Hand offers – are available to all higher education institutions.
Having established its financial performance on firm footing Housing Hand maintains a 100% payout rate for all valid claims, setting the firm apart as a trusted partner to all those who use its services. Over the past three years, the company has settled over £3.4M worth of accommodation provider claims.
Housing Hand’s growth has been underpinned by the firm’s range of products, designed to make the rental journey easier and quicker for students and working professionals seeking rental accommodation.
Its House Finder service enables individuals to select, review and book rental properties, connecting renters with accommodation providers. Its guarantor service guarantees rent payments for the whole of the individual’s tenancy, with insurance-backed services tailored to those renting on their own and those in shared accommodation, such as Houses in Multiple Occupation. Housing Hand also offers a Depositless extension to its guarantee, meaning renters don’t need to raise a deposit in order to secure a home and gain rapid tenancy.
Guarantor services at Housing Hand start from £31 per month, with a 10% discount available to renters who want to pay annually.
“We are delighted to have once more demonstrated the importance and value of delivering reliable, trusted accommodation support services.
“The growth in transactions over the past year highlights the strength of demand for support with the rental experience, from finding homes to accessing them in an affordable way that cuts out the need for sometimes unaffordable up-front rental payments and deposits.
“We look forward to maintaining our commitment of paying out 100% of all valid claims as we move forward and continue to both engage more closely with our partners. None of this would be possible with the ongoing commitment and performance of our talented team,” said, Graham Hayward, Managing Director, Housing Hand.
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