REG - Home REIT PLC - Trading Update

Home ReitAnnouncement

29/05/2025 07:00

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RNS Number : 5033K  Home REIT PLC  29 May 2025

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INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE
A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION

 

29 May 2025

Home REIT plc

("HOME" or the "Company")

Trading Update

 

The Board of HOME and AEW UK Investment Management LLP ("AEW" or the
"Investment Manager") provide a trading update for the Company.

 

Financial Position Update

·      As at 30 April 2025, the Company had £10.5m of cash.

·      Since the start of 2025, the monthly gross rent received has
averaged approximately £1.0m per month.

·      Rent collection for the month of April was approximately
£1.1m.(1)

·     The split between gross rent collected by Operating Leases and
Management Agreements is £0.37m and  £0.74m respectively (2)

·    The Company's cash together with rental income are expected to be
sufficient to fund the Company's   operational expenses and fees during the
managed wind-down and over the medium term.

·      As at 30 April 2025, the number of properties in the portfolio
totalled 857 including 5 properties remaining   exchanged for sale.

·    As announced previously, the Company has no debt, having fully repaid
loans and fees to Scottish     Widows.

 

 (1) Please note all rent collected on management agreements are reported on
a gross basis, before operating expenses and as stated by the property
managers at the end of each month. The amount is recorded on a cash-received
basis by the property managers for the respective month.

(2) On average Property Management fees are approximately 10% of gross rent.

 

 Asset Management Update

·      As the Managed Wind Down progresses, AEW continues to actively
manage the portfolio.

·    Asset management initiatives are focused on maximising the liquidity
of assets and prioritising activities  associated with health and safety and
compliance.

 

Wind Down and Portfolio Sale Update

·     The Managed Wind Down strategy continues to progress. An extensive
marketing campaign conducted by JLL, TT&G and Allsop commenced in Q4 2024
with a significant number of parties showing interest in the Company's
property portfolio.

·      Non-binding offers were received for the full portfolio in
February and due diligence is progressing.

·      It is currently anticipated that the portfolio sale process will
be completed in Q3 2025.

·     Despite the wider real estate investment market being tempered by
prevailing economic and geo-political  uncertainties, the UK residential
market remains of interest to a wide investor base.

·      House prices have shown resilience with certain regions and
sub-sectors of the market attracting                increased
investment, however challenges such as policy changes, regional disparities,
and economic uncertainties persist.

·    It is the intention of the Board that capital will be returned to
Shareholders upon the completion of the realisation strategy. Shareholders
should be aware, however, that the ability of the Company to make
distributions to Shareholders may be constrained, in whole or in part, whilst
the Company faces potential  shareholder group litigation.

 

February Property Portfolio Valuation

·     JLL's unaudited total Fair Value of the Company's property
portfolio as at 28 February 2025 is £169.0m,   which is 97% underwritten by
the portfolio's vacant possession value.

·      The Company's property portfolio has been valued on an
individual property basis.

 

Historic Accounts Update

·     Interim results for the period to 28 February 2023 were published
on 4 April 2025 and are available on the Company's website.

·    The Company continues to work towards the publication of the
remaining outstanding accounts and now expects to publish the unaudited
interim results for the period ended 29 February 2024 in the second quarter of
2025, the annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 during
August 2025, and the unaudited interim accounts for the period ended 28
February 2025 in the third quarter of 2025.

·    The Board and AEW remain committed to the restoration of trading in
the Company's ordinary shares as soon as is practically possible. Following
publication of all the outstanding financial results an application to the FCA
for restoration of the Company's listing will be made.

 

Litigation:

·     There have been no material changes to the potential shareholder
group litigation or the FCA investigation in recent months. Any relevant
announcements in this regard will continue to be made to the market at the
appropriate time.

·     A pre-action letter of claim has been received by the Company from
Harcus Parker Limited on behalf of a group of current and former shareholders
of the Company. No legal proceedings have been issued at this stage. The
Company has issued a comprehensive response to this pre-action letter and
correspondence is continuing between the parties.

·    It should be noted that the Company intends vigorously to defend
itself in respect of the threatened        litigation and has denied the
allegations made against it.

·   As previously announced, the Company intends to bring legal proceedings
against those parties it    considers are responsible for wrongdoing. The
Company has issued pre-action letters of claim to Alvarium Fund Managers (UK)
Limited (its former alternative investment fund manager), AlTi RE Limited (its
former investment adviser's principal) and Alvarium Home REIT Advisors Limited
(in liquidation) (its former investment adviser). The Company expects to
retain sufficient capital resources to meet its ongoing corporate costs and to
provide the Company with sufficient resources to pursue legal action against
those it considers responsible for wrongdoing.

·    The Company cannot comment any further on these issues at this stage
as to do so may prejudice the Company's position in any potential proceedings.
Any relevant announcements in this regard will be made at the appropriate
time.

 

Cancellation of Share Premium Account

·      Following shareholder approval to cancel the Company's share
premium account passed on 20 February   2025, the cancellation of the share
premium account was approved by the Court on 29 April 2025 and     became
effective with the registration of the Court order at Companies House on 2 May
2025.

·    The purpose of the cancellation of the share premium account is to
create a new special distributable   reserve of approximately £596 million
which can be utilised by the Company to make returns of capital to
 shareholders, when it is in a position to do so.

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

 FTI Consulting (Communications Adviser)  HomeREIT@fticonsulting.com (mailto:HomeREIT@fticonsulting.com)

 Dido Laurimore                           +44 (0)20 3727 1000

 Bryn Woodward

 Oliver Harrison

 

The Company's LEI is: 213800A53AOVH3FCGG44.

 

For more information, please visit the Company's website: www.homereituk.com
(http://www.homereituk.com/)

 

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