Student housing group Unite looks to accelerate asset sales as it keeps outlook (updated)
10/04/2026 08:02
Adds details and context throughout April 10 (Reuters) - Unite Group UTG.L said on Friday it was exploring options to speed up asset sales and kept its annual occupancy and rental growth outlook, as Britain's largest student housing provider sharpens its focus on accommodations yielding higher returns. The group is selling lower-yielding assets to focus on services for those UK universities with higher and stricter entry criteria, as rising education costs curb demand from international postgraduate students, and tighter visa rules weigh on enrolments. The company said 130 million pounds ($174.42 million) of disposals had been completed or ongoing, and about 500 million pounds more were being marketed or prepared for sale over the next six to 12 months, adding that Goldman Sachs had been appointed to advise on accelerating the disposal programme. About 74% of Unite's beds have been reserved for the 2026/27 academic year and the group continues to expect occupancy and rental growth at the lower end of its 93%-96% and 2%-3% forecast ranges, respectively. The company also said the Middle East war was not expected to materially impact its financial performance in 2026, with utility costs fully hedged through 2026 and about 70% for 2027. ($1 = 0.7453 pounds) (Reporting by Nithyashree R B in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu) ((NithyashreeRB@thomsonreuters.com))