Touchstone
Touchstone is a UK property management firm serving institutional investors, housing associations, developers, and local authorities. It manages 23,000 homes and a £280 million rent roll across residential, build-to-rent, PBSA, and affordable housing, operating as a subsidiary of Places for People Group.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersEdinburgh, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Touchstone does
Touchstone Corporate Property Services Limited is a UK property management firm that delivers institutional-grade services to investors, developers, housing associations, and local authorities across England, Scotland, and Wales. Founded in 1988 (originally as Johnson Fry Property) and rebranded under the Touchstone name in 1999, the company has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Places for People Group since 2012. It operates from three offices — London (headquarters, 305 Gray's Inn Road), Bath, and Edinburgh — with a workforce of approximately 270 colleagues. Touchstone manages 23,000 homes and a £280 million rent roll, and reports a 99% rent collection rate and 100% client retention rate as of 28 February 2025.
The company's core offering is structured around Residential Portfolio Management and Build-to-Rent (BTR) management, supplemented by specialist modules including Agent Solutions (white-label back-office services for letting agents), Development Consultancy, Lender/Receivership services, Shared Ownership administration, Retirement Property management, and — through the PfP Students sub-brand — Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA), now covering 10,500 beds. The technology stack is operational rather than productised: property management software, a web-based Customer Portal, and a tenant-facing mobile app (delivered via the Residently PropTech partnership on iOS and Android), plus third-party integrations with flatfair for deposit alternatives and Wexer for on-demand fitness content. No proprietary AI/ML capabilities, public APIs, or developer SDKs are disclosed.
Touchstone generates revenue primarily through negotiated management fees on portfolios under management, billed monthly, with ancillary revenue from consultancy, agent services, and receivership work. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Distribution is enterprise field sales, led by a Sales Director and Associate Directors, targeting institutional real estate investors (Patrizia, PGIM, Lloyds Living, Cheyne Capital), registered providers (Auxesia Homes, Dolphin Living), local authorities (Manchester City Council, Gravesham BC), and PropTech aggregators (Bricklane, Residently). Marketing is conducted through industry events (MIPIM), trade associations (UKAA Premium Supporter, ARL Scotland Hub), content marketing, awards programmes, and corporate-charity partnerships.
Touchstone firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Touchstone
- Legal name
- Touchstone Corporate Property Services Limited
- Website
- https://touchstoneresi.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Touchstone is a UK property management firm serving institutional investors, housing associations, developers, and local authorities. It manages 23,000 homes and a £280 million rent roll across residential, build-to-rent, PBSA, and affordable housing, operating as a subsidiary of Places for People Group.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Touchstone is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edinburgh
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Touchstone business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Property Management Services: Touchstone generates revenue through providing professional property management services to institutional investors, housing associations, private landlords, and developers. Services include residential portfolio management, build-to-rent management, shared ownership administration, and lettings services. The company collects rent on behalf of clients (over £200 million annually) and earns management fees based on portfolios under management.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Custom property management services for institutional investors and large portfolio owners |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Touchstone product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Touchstone provides professional residential property management services across the UK, covering lettings, rent collection, maintenance coordination, compliance, and client reporting for approximately 23,000 homes with a £280 million rent roll. Core offerings include Residential Portfolio Management, Build-to-Rent management, Agent Solutions (white-label back-office services for letting agents), development Consultancy, Lender Services/Receivership, Shared Ownership administration, and Retirement Property Management. Tenant-facing tools include a customer web portal and a mobile application integrated through a partnership with Residently.
Product overview
Touchstone is a property management company operating as a unified multi-service platform under the Touchstone CPS (Corporate Property Services) brand. The core offering encompasses Residential Portfolio Management and Build To Rent services, supplemented by specialized modules including Agent Solutions (letting agent support), Consultancy (development advisory), Lender/Receivership services, Shared Ownership management, and Retirement Property services. Customer-facing digital touchpoints include the Touchstone Customer App (mobile) and Customer Portal (web). Touchstone also operates PfP Students as a dedicated sub-brand for purpose-built student accommodation in partnership with Places for People. The portfolio covers 23,000 homes with £280m rent roll managed by 270 colleagues.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PfP Students: Student accommodation brand partnering with Touchstone as part of Places for People for PBSA (Purpose-Built Student Accommodation) and BTR (Build to Rent) services.
- Agent Solutions
Products and services
- Residential Portfolio Management Full-service residential property management for institutional landlords and large portfolio owners, covering lettings, tenancy management, rent collection, maintenance coordination, and client reporting across multi-unit portfolios.
- Build To Rent Management End-to-end build-to-rent management service for institutional investors and developers, from working with architects on scheme design through marketing campaigns, tenant acquisition, and ongoing operational optimisation of purpose-built rental communities.
- Touchstone Agent Solutions White-label and back-office support services for UK letting agents, covering compliance, administration, client accounts, and maintenance. Backed by ARLA Propertymark, SAFEagent, and RICS standards.
- Property Development Consultancy Advisory services for property developers and investors from identification and viability assessment through design, development, stabilisation, and operating efficiency optimization for new schemes.
- Lender Services / Receivership Property management service for properties in receivership, handling distressed assets on behalf of lenders including tenant management, asset preservation, and recovery value maximisation.
- PfP Students (PBSA Management) Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) management delivered through a partnership between Touchstone and Places for People Students, covering end-to-end operations across student, residential, and later living asset classes.
- Shared Ownership Management Property management for shared ownership schemes, including leasehold management, staircasing administration, service charge handling, and affordability assessments for housing associations and registered providers.
- Retirement Property Management Specialized property management service for retirement living rental properties, working with retirement housing developers to manage tenancies and resident services in later living schemes.
Quantifiable outcome
- 23,000 homes managed with £280m rent roll
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Touchstone
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Touchstone technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Touchstone partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Association for Rental Living (ARL) Scotland HubminorTouchstone Associate Director Chris Blair appointed Chair of ARL Scotland Hub Steering Group. ARL is the main single family housing partner for ARL. Touchstone is strengthening its presence in Scotland and this appointment reflects the growth of their work in the region. Chris will lead the Hub's work across Scotland including panel discussions, study tours, and networking events.
- PfP StudentsminorPartnership combining PfP Students' PBSA expertise with Touchstone's national residential management capability. Delivers one-stop approach across student, residential and later living through one trusted partner. National coverage managing homes across UK with end-to-end management from mobilisation to optimisation.
- Developing Health & Independence (DHI)minorThree-year charity partnership with Bath-based charity DHI which helps over 5,000 disadvantaged people each year turn their lives around. DHI works to resolve root causes of homelessness, social isolation, and drug/alcohol abuse. Touchstone helps provide affordable accommodation and has part-refurbished properties for Syrian refugees. Donated funds for mobile data packages to help isolated people connect remotely.
- UK Apartment Association (UKAA)minorTouchstone became a Premium Supporter of the UKAA, the organisation for everyone involved in the UK Build To Rent sector. Partnership aligned around shared vision for improving customers' experience of renting and shaping the future of BTR. Touchstone committed to sharing experience and best practice with UKAA members while gaining insight from others working in BTR.
- Habitat for Humanity GBminorLong-term charitable partnership supporting Habitat for Humanity's programme for orphans and vulnerable children. Touchstone has committed to fund building 24 houses and latrines for vulnerable children and orphans in Malawi. Teams of colleagues have travelled to Malawi and Cambodia to build homes directly. Touchstone has committed to a three-year partnership to build homes in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
- Places for People GroupcoreIn 2012 Touchstone became part of the Places for People Group, one of the largest property management, leisure, development and regeneration companies in the UK. Places for People has over 180,000 properties in ownership or management and assets in excess of £3 billion. This parent company relationship provides Touchstone with significant capital backing, operational scale, and access to a wide range of complementary services across housing, leisure, and regeneration.
- The Forever Friends AppealminorLong-term corporate partnership supporting The Forever Friends Appeal at Royal United Hospitals Bath. Touchstone has been a Senior Corporate Partner for 15 years, raising over £25,000. Funds go towards transforming care for patients and families at RUH.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Touchstone competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- FirstPort: FirstPort is one of the UK's largest residential property managers, handling block management, estates, and Build-to-Rent schemes for institutional clients and developers. Directly comparable to Touchstone in serving large residential portfolios across multiple tenures.
- Mainstay Group: Mainstay is a UK residential property management specialist focused on Build-to-Rent and large-scale residential developments for institutional investors. Highly comparable to Touchstone's BTR and PBSA offerings.
- Rendall & Rittner: Rendall & Rittner is a UK-based property management firm specialising in prime residential developments, Build-to-Rent, and mixed-tenure schemes for institutional landlords. Comparable client base and service scope to Touchstone.
- Warwick Estates: Warwick Estates is a UK residential property management firm providing block management, estate management, and Build-to-Rent services. Direct competitor to Touchstone for institutional and developer clients across UK residential portfolios.
- Trinity Estates: Trinity Estates is a UK residential property manager handling block management, leasehold services, and residential estate management for developers and freeholders. Comparable in scale and service offering to Touchstone's residential portfolio management.
Broad incumbents
- Savills UK Residential Property Management: Savills operates a broad UK property services platform with a sizeable residential property management business serving institutional investors, developers, and high-net-worth landlords. Larger and broader than Touchstone but a key competitor for institutional mandates.
- Knight Frank UK Residential Management: Knight Frank is a global property consultancy with a UK residential management arm serving institutional and private clients across Build-to-Rent, PBSA, and traditional rental. Overlaps with Touchstone on institutional BTR and serviced apartments.
- JLL Residential UK: JLL's UK residential capital markets and property management business serves institutional Build-to-Rent investors and developers. Comparable to Touchstone for large institutional mandates but operates at a global scale with broader service lines.
- Cushman & Wakefield UK Residential: Cushman & Wakefield provides global property services with a UK residential asset management and Build-to-Rent capability. Larger and more diversified than Touchstone but competes directly for institutional BTR management mandates.
Emerging players
- Ascora Property Management: Ascora is a UK property management technology and services provider serving small and mid-sized landlords and letting agents. Comparable to Touchstone's Agent Solutions sub-brand for letting agents and smaller portfolio clients.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Touchstone social profiles
Digital presenceTouchstone compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Touchstone financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Touchstone leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Touchstone funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Touchstone M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Touchstone
What does Touchstone do?
Touchstone provides professional residential property management services across the UK, covering lettings, rent collection, maintenance coordination, compliance, and client reporting for approximately 23,000 homes with a £280 million rent roll. Core offerings include Residential Portfolio Management, Build-to-Rent management, Agent Solutions (white-label back-office services for letting agents), development Consultancy, Lender Services/Receivership, Shared Ownership administration, and Retirement Property Management. Tenant-facing tools include a customer web portal and a mobile application integrated through a partnership with Residently.
Is Touchstone a public or private company?
Touchstone is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Touchstone founded?
Touchstone was founded in 1988. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Touchstone based?
Touchstone is headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Touchstone make money?
One revenue line is on record: property Management Services.
Who are Touchstone's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are FirstPort, Mainstay Group, Rendall & Rittner, Warwick Estates and Trinity Estates. Broad incumbents are Savills UK Residential Property Management, Knight Frank UK Residential Management, JLL Residential UK and Cushman & Wakefield UK Residential. Ascora Property Management is listed as an emerging player.
Does Touchstone have an API?
No public API is recorded for Touchstone.