KFH appointed by £1 billion EQT Real Estate and Sigma Capital Group joint venture to let and manage London residential portfolio

Leading London property services group Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward (KFH) has been appointed by an EQT Real Estate and Sigma Capital Group joint venture to let and manage assets across the joint venture’s expanding Greater London portfolio. KFH will be working closely with Sigma, the joint venture company’s asset manager.

Sigma, the UK PRS, residential development and urban regeneration specialist, announced the joint venture with EQT Real Estate, the real estate platform of global investment organisation EQT, at the end of September 2020.

The joint venture company was formed to deliver an initial portfolio of around 3,000 new homes for rent in London over the next five years with a value in excess of £1bn. The portfolio will deliver high quality, build-to-rent apartment blocks in more affordable parts of Greater London, predominantly in TfL Zones 3-6.

KFH, which currently oversees a £12bn portfolio of 30,000 residential units across London, will be managing assets within the joint venture company’s portfolio under its Simple Life London brand, an extension of Sigma’s existing Simple Life build-to-rent management operation, comprising over 3,000 homes in the UK regions.

Commenting on the appointment, Paul Masters, Group Operations Director at KFH, said:

“We are delighted to have been appointed to lease up and manage assets within this portfolio under the Simple Life London brand, working with EQT Real Estate and Sigma’s exciting joint venture company to establish their presence in the Capital.

During the last six months, we have built a close working relationship with the Sigma team in preparation for the imminent first releases in East London.

This appointment reinforces our position as the essential partner to help deliver build-to-rent solutions to best in class owners in the London market.”

Rob Sumner, Residential Investment Director at Sigma, said:

“We are very pleased to appoint KFH in readiness for the launch of our first new rental homes in London under our joint venture with EQT Real Estate.

“KFH has established an excellent reputation in the private rental property market in London and their values of exceptional customer service align with ours. We look forward to the launch of our first completed apartments in East London and to welcoming our first Simple Life London residents before the end of April.”