What PlaceFirst does

PlaceFirst is a UK build-to-rent (BTR) developer and operator that designs, develops, lets, and manages residential rental homes with long-term ownership, serving individual renters, families, local authorities, and housebuilder partners. Following a 2009 management buy-out from Tribal Group plc (firmographics) with operations from 2010, the company has grown to over 2,000 homes across 11 neighbourhoods concentrated in the 40% most deprived areas of England, with a stated ambition to reach 6,500 homes by 2026. Its portfolio spans single-family houses, bungalows, and apartments across named developments in Morecambe, County Durham, Corby, Liverpool, Sheffield, Bolton, Manchester, Hartlepool, Hampshire, and Widnes, with rents ranging from approximately £725 to £2,300 per month depending on property type and location. Tenant-facing operations are powered by Yardi's RentCafe property management platform, enabling online applications, resident portals, maintenance ticketing, and property search.

PlaceFirst executes an integrated operating model with in-house Resident Services Managers, Lettings, Maintenance, and Technical teams delivering professional landlord services such as flexible long-term leases, pet-friendly policies, energy-efficient specifications, EV charging, and dedicated on-site management. The company's go-to-market is hybrid: direct-to-consumer lettings via its website and RentCafe portal, paired with enterprise sales through forward-funded development partnerships with major housebuilders (Vistry, Strata) and local authority partnerships (Bolton, Hartlepool, Durham, and 10+ others) for bulk delivery of new rental supply. A joint venture with Strata and Auxesia Homes targets 500 sustainable family rental homes by 2028, with 232 delivered through Chingford Meadows (Nottingham) as the second scheme. The company is privately held and backed by Matter, a private equity firm, and has received institutional capital including a £41m funding round led by GMPF in September 2024.

Revenue is generated primarily through monthly rental payments across the owned portfolio, supplemented by development partnership fees and forward-funded deal economics. Cumulative investment of £134m into development, refurbishment, and upkeep of the existing neighbourhoods evidences a substantial asset base, while recent completions (Deansgate Gardens £35m Bolton), groundbreakings (Galley's View 165 homes Sunderland, £36.8m Caddick Construction contract), and forward-funded Vistry deals (44 Oxford, 80 Northampton) point to active capital deployment. The company is registered as a Living Wage employer and has accumulated multiple industry awards (Property Week RESI, Northern England Property Awards, RPA Awards), reflecting brand strength in regeneration-focused BTR. Leadership transitioned in 2026, with David Mawson moving to Executive Chair and Lee McLean appointed CEO under Matter's sponsorship.

Name

PlaceFirst

Legal name

Placefirst

Website

https://placefirst.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PlaceFirst is a UK build-to-rent developer and operator that designs, builds, lets, and manages over 2,000 single-family and apartment rental homes across 11 neighbourhoods, primarily in England's most deprived areas, serving individual renters, families, local authorities, and housebuilder partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Build-to-Rent Residential Property

NAICS

New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (236115), New Multifamily Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (236116)

SIC

Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552), General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), Real Estate Dealers (For Their Own Account) (6532), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Land Development & Subdivision Homebuilding (Build-to-Sell Communities) (IMAFABAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)

Keywords

• Build-to-rent homes
• Residential rental property
• Property development
• Single-family rental
• Neighbourhood regeneration

Headquarters

HQ city

Dewsbury

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Residential Rental Income: Placefirst generates revenue through monthly rental payments from tenants across its portfolio of build-to-rent homes throughout the UK. The company designs, builds, lets and manages homes itself, maintaining long-term ownership of properties.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PlaceFirst designs, develops, lets, and manages a portfolio of over 2,000 build-to-rent homes across the UK, comprising single-family houses, bungalows, and apartments organised into eleven neighbourhoods. The company retains long-term ownership of properties and operates in-house lettings, maintenance, and resident services teams, sourcing new supply through forward-funded deals with housebuilders (Vistry, Strata) and partnerships with local authorities for regeneration of deprived areas.

Product overview

PlaceFirst is a UK build-to-rent developer-operator offering a portfolio of over 2000 rental homes spanning single-family houses, bungalows, and apartments across multiple UK regions. The company operates an integrated model — designing, developing, letting, and managing homes through in-house teams including resident services, lettings, and maintenance. PlaceFirst also operates a joint venture with housebuilder Strata (partnered with Auxesia Homes) targeting 500 homes by 2028. Residents access properties through the RentCafe-powered tenant portal, while the company maintains dedicated neighbourhood management and development partnerships with local authorities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PlaceFirst Build-to-Rent Homes Single-family and apartment rental homes designed, built, and managed exclusively for renters by PlaceFirst, featuring modern specifications, energy efficiency, and professional landlord services across eleven UK neighbourhoods.
• Bay Mill, Morecambe 42 new one- and two-bedroom apartments in Morecambe featuring EV charging points, bike storage, and photovoltaic panels, complementing PlaceFirst's existing West End neighbourhood near the seafront.
• The Oaks, Esh Winning 89 high-quality, energy-efficient homes including houses and bungalows with private gardens and communal green spaces in Esh Winning, County Durham.
• Welsh Streets, Liverpool Flagship regeneration project delivering a mix of Victorian terrace refurbishments and modern new-build homes in Liverpool.
• Skye Edge, Sheffield 113 three- and four-bedroom homes located just outside Sheffield city centre with hilltop views.
• Deansgate Gardens, Bolton £35m build-to-rent scheme in Bolton town centre consisting of apartments, duplexes, and townhouses ranging from studios to two bedrooms.
• Priors Hall Park, Corby Two-, three-, and four-bedroom houses with private gardens, EV charging, and energy-efficient design in Corby.
• Elevate, Manchester 53-apartment scheme in Manchester completed in April 2022, part of PlaceFirst's city-centre build-to-rent portfolio.
• Chingford Meadows, Nottingham New scheme under JV with Strata and Auxesia Homes delivering 104 single-family rental homes at Chingford Meadows, Nottingham, comprising 70 three-bedroom and 34 four-bedroom family homes.
• Galley's View, Sunderland 165-home neighbourhood under construction in Sunderland city centre, delivered under a £36.8m build contract with Caddick Construction at Farringdon Row.
• Development Opportunities for Councils and Landowners Partnership offering for UK councils, public landowners, and developers under which PlaceFirst designs, develops, lets and manages housing bespoke to local community needs, including town centre redevelopment and brownfield regeneration schemes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over £134 million invested into development and upkeep of eleven neighbourhoods
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Caddick ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 10 November 2025Caddick Construction awarded £36.8m contract to build Farringdon Row (Galley's View neighbourhood) in Sunderland city centre.
• StratacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2025Joint venture with leading contemporary homebuilder Strata to deliver 500 sustainable, high-quality rental homes across the UK by 2028. Second scheme (Chingford Meadows, Nottingham) delivers 104 family homes. Total of 232 homes delivered through JV so far.
• Auxesia HomescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2025Registered Provider (RP) of affordable housing partnering in the joint venture for Chingford Meadows development. Pioneering deal structure where all partners acquire both S106 and build to rent units, unlocking entire sites in single transaction.
• Bolton CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Bolton Council for town centre redevelopment, focusing on meeting strategic housing needs of the council. Placefirst is committed to high quality urban regeneration as a valued partner.
• Hartlepool Borough CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for regeneration of Hartlepool as the final HMRI site. Quote from Amy Waller, Principal Housing Officer: 'From the outset Placefirst were very clear about their desire to create a place and not just build homes and, as our final HMRI site in Hartlepool, we are delighted with the result.'
• VistrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerForward-funded development partnership with Vistry, the UK's leading provider of mixed-tenure homes. Multiple deals agreed including 44 homes in Oxford, 80 homes in Northampton, and development at Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
• Local Authorities (Various)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with multiple local authorities across the UK including Durham County Council, Calderdale Council, Hyndburn Borough Council, Lancaster City Council, Liverpool City Council, Newcastle City Council, North of Tyne Combined Authority, Sheffield City Council, Sunderland City Council, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, and Wolverhampton City Council.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Anchor Hanover: Major UK housing association and retirement/specialist housing provider with a large directly managed rental portfolio. Comparable as a large-scale UK rental operator, but with a focus on social/affordable housing rather than private market SFR like PlaceFirst.
• Legal & General Affordable Homes: Large institutional BTR and affordable housing operator backed by Legal & General. Comparable as an institutional-scale UK landlord with a long-hold build-to-rent portfolio and pension-fund capital base, though broader in scope and larger than PlaceFirst.

Emerging players

• Urban Splash: UK developer and regeneration specialist known for refurbishment-led residential projects in Northern English cities. Comparable on regeneration focus, brownfield redevelopment expertise, and northern UK footprint, though smaller in BTR operating scale than PlaceFirst.
• Sigma Capital Group: UK PRS platform that aggregates build-to-rent homes on behalf of institutional investors through partnerships with housebuilders. Comparable as a BTR enabler/aggregator in the UK market, though Sigma operates a more capital-light fund-management model than PlaceFirst's owner-operator approach.

Others

• Vistry Group: Major UK housebuilder (Vistry Partnerships / Bovis Homes) and active PlaceFirst JV partner for forward-funded BTR schemes. Relevant as a development partner and counterparty, and as a broader UK homebuilder that could in-source BTR operations, though not a direct BTR operator like PlaceFirst.

Direct peers

• Packaged Living: UK build-to-rent specialist focused on mid-rise and family-oriented rental homes, often partnering with housebuilders on forward-funded deals. Closely comparable to PlaceFirst on business model (developer partnerships, integrated operations) and SFR/BTR mid-market positioning.
• Sage Housing: UK single-family rental and affordable housing operator backed by L&G, focused on institutional-grade family rental homes. Comparable on SFR positioning, institutional capital backing, and partnership-based pipeline growth, though with a stronger affordable-housing tilt than PlaceFirst.
• Quintain Living: Owner-operator of one of the UK's largest BTR estates at Wembley Park. Comparable as an institutional-scale UK BTR developer-operator with long-term ownership and on-site management, competing for institutional capital and resident demand in the same asset class as PlaceFirst.
• Grainger plc: The UK's largest listed residential landlord with a substantial PRS/BTR portfolio across multiple cities. Directly comparable to PlaceFirst as a vertically integrated UK build-to-rent operator, though with an apartment-led rather than houses-led model.
• Get Living: Major UK build-to-rent operator (East Village, Elephant Park, Lewisham Gateway) that owns, operates, and manages large BTR neighbourhoods. Directly comparable on integrated operating model and UK BTR scale, although focused on city-centre apartments rather than houses.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PlaceFirstLtd
• Facebookfacebook.com/PlaceFirstLtd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PlaceFirst