What Urbanbubble does

Urbanbubble is a UK-based residential property management company headquartered in Manchester, founded in 2007/2008 by CEO Michael Howard. The firm manages 20,000+ homes across 43+ residential communities in England, Scotland, and Wales, serving three primary customer segments: Build to Rent operators and institutional investors (including Legal & General, Salboy, and DTZ Investors), residential leasehold freeholders and Resident Management Companies, and Co-Living operators. Its portfolio includes flagship schemes such as Viadux (Manchester), Blackhorse Mills (London), Wood Street House (Cardiff), and three Co-Living sites in London (Florence Dock, Sunday Mills, The Palm House).

The company's core offering comprises three recurring management service lines: Build to Rent management, Co-Living management, and Leasehold management, supplemented by Lettings Services and a Consultancy practice covering building design reviews, rental valuations, and operational strategy. Technology infrastructure is built on third-party platforms including MRI Software (resident portal), Fixflo (maintenance contractor management), Rightmove (listings), Microsoft Office Forms (resident onboarding), and Just Move In (tenancy admin). The firm has begun layering AI through the AskVinny conversational chatbot for lead qualification and appointed a Director of Business Improvement & Technology in April 2025 with explicit responsibility for AI-driven efficiencies.

Revenue is generated predominantly through recurring management fees from BTR operators and developers (subscription-style), supplemented by leasehold management fees (subscription), professional services revenue from lettings (£240 inc VAT company let applications, £120 inc VAT renewals) and consultancy (priced on application). The company employs 251-500 staff and reports a 4.64-star average HomeViews rating across its portfolio.

Name

Urbanbubble

Legal name

urbanbubble Ltd

Website

https://urbanbubble.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Urbanbubble is a UK residential property management company managing 20,000+ homes across 43+ Build to Rent, Co-Living, and leasehold communities, serving institutional investors, developers, freeholders, and residents from its Manchester headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Property Management

NAICS

Residential Property Managers (531311)

SIC

Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Build-to-Rent (BTR) Community Management (BPAJAFAC)

Keywords

• Build to rent management
• Co-living management
• Leasehold property management
• Residential estate management
• Lettings services

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Build to Rent Property Management: Ongoing management fees charged to BTR operators and developers for professional management of build-to-rent schemes, including on-site teams, maintenance, community management, and compliance services.
2. Leasehold Property Management: Management fees charged to freeholders, RMC and RTM companies for residential leasehold property management services, covering maintenance, compliance, finance, and community engagement.
3. Lettings Services: Letting and rental management services for residential properties, including tenant sourcing, referencing, and lease management. Application fees include £240 inc VAT for company lets and £120 inc VAT for tenancy renewals.
4. Consultancy Services: Bespoke residential market research and consultancy services priced on application, covering building design reviews, market insights, rental market updates, estimated rental values, operational budgets, and management strategies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Urbanbubble is a UK residential property managing agency that provides professional Build to Rent (BTR), Co-Living, and Leasehold property management services to institutional investors, developers, freeholders, RMC and RTM companies. The company manages 20,000+ homes across 43+ communities through on-site teams delivering maintenance, compliance, community engagement, and lettings services, complemented by a bespoke consultancy offering covering market research, design reviews, rental valuations, and management strategies.

Product overview

Urbanbubble is a property management company operating a multi-product portfolio across the UK. The core offering consists of three main service lines: Build to Rent Property Management, Co-Living Property Management, and Leasehold Property Management, supplemented by Lettings Services and Consultancy Services. Urbanbubble manages 11,600+ BtR and Co-Living homes across 43+ residential communities nationwide. The product portfolio includes branded residential developments such as Viadux (Manchester), Wood Street House (Cardiff), West Tower - The Residences (Manchester), Blackhorse Mills (London), Hove Gardens (Brighton), and York & Elder (Brighton), as well as three Co-Living sites in London: Florence Dock, Sunday Mills, and The Palm House. Technology offerings include the AskVinny AI chatbot for lead qualification and resident/leaseholder portals for account management. The company operates under the trading name urbanbubble Ltd, headquartered in Manchester with operations spanning England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Build to Rent Property Management Professional end-to-end management service for Build to Rent residential schemes, covering consultancy, mobilisation, on-site teams, maintenance, compliance, and community engagement for institutional investors and developers.
• Co-Living Property Management Management of Co-Living communities featuring compact studio apartments with extensive communal spaces (kitchens, dining, cinema, games, co-working) and curated resident events for working professionals in urban centres.
• Leasehold Property Management Comprehensive residential leasehold property management for freeholders, developers, RMC and RTM companies, including mobilisation of new developments, proactive maintenance, legal compliance, service charge transparency, and leaseholder engagement.
• Lettings Services Residential lettings service that matches tenants with managed properties, conducts referencing, manages tenancies, and supports residents throughout the rental lifecycle, with associated application and renewal fees.
• Residential Consultancy Services Bespoke residential market research and consultancy services for property developers and investors, covering building design reviews, market insights, rental market updates, estimated rental values, operational budgets, and management strategies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000+ homes managed nationwide across 43+ communities
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Legal & GeneralcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal & General is a key client for whom urbanbubble manages multiple BTR schemes across the UK. Dan Batterton, Head of Residential at Legal & General, stated 'urbanbubble continue to deliver a service to residents we are willing to attach our reputation to. Their passion for high quality customer service and positive culture, infectious through the 130+ staff urbanbubble have across our BTR schemes.' This indicates a long-standing, multi-scheme partnership.
• SalboycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSalboy, a property developer, has partnered with urbanbubble for development management and mobilisation of BTR and Co-Living sites, having mobilised on over 7 sites together. Benjamin Ashcroft, Head of Marketing at Salboy, noted 'urbanbubble have been a key management partner for our developments since we have started as a developer, mobilising on over 7 sites, at some of the most challenging times the property industry has ever had.'
• Manchester GinminorGTM or Marketing PartnerViadux Community Manager Cerys Scarlett-Swift secured a £20,000 product donation from Manchester Gin, providing residents with bespoke spirits and room service through a custom-built app. This partnership enriches the resident experience at Viadux without cost to residents.
• Three Little WordsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerViadux has an exclusive partnership with Three Little Words, an independent distillery located 44 steps from Viadux, for monthly events and permanent resident discounts. This local partnership enhances the community experience and supports a nearby SME.
• Hilton (Manchester)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerViadux established collaborations with the Hilton hotel in Manchester, offering residents tailored events and exclusive offerings through this partnership.
• Revolución de CubaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerViadux partnered with Revolución de Cuba (a local venue/restaurant) to offer residents a variety of tailored events and exclusive access.
• Nells PizzaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerViadux established collaborations with Nells Pizza to offer residents unique dining-related events and experiences.
• Tshibangz BakesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerViadux partnered with local business Tshibangz Bakes to offer residents unique food-related events and community experiences.
• PropertymarkminorOthersurbanbubble is a member of Propertymark, the leading membership body for property agents. urbanbubble holds Propertymark Client Money Protection certification and complies with Propertymark Conduct and Membership Rules.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hamptons International: UK residential property agency and lettings management brand with national coverage. Comparable peer in residential lettings and property management, though broader in scope than Urbanbubble's specialist BTR focus.
• JLL Residential: Global real estate services firm with residential property management capabilities in the UK. A broader incumbent providing BTR advisory and management services to institutional clients, competing with Urbanbubble for large mandates.
• Savills Residential Property Management: Global real estate services firm with a substantial UK residential property management division covering BTR, PRS, and leasehold. A broader incumbent competitor that overlaps with Urbanbubble across all three core service lines but as part of a much wider portfolio.
• Knight Frank Residential Management: International real estate advisory offering residential property management services across the UK including BTR and build-to-rent consultancy. Overlaps with Urbanbubble's BTR and leasehold offerings but operates as a much larger diversified real estate firm.
• Leaders Romans Group (LRG): Large UK residential property services group offering lettings, sales, and property management. Overlaps with Urbanbubble's residential management and lettings services across UK markets.

Emerging players

• Get Living London: Major UK BTR operator and management company focused on large-scale rental residential schemes in London. Comparable peer serving institutional investors with similar resident experience focus.
• Grainger plc: UK's largest listed residential landlord with significant PRS and BTR operations, including in-house property management. Comparable due to its operational management of large-scale rental residential portfolios across UK cities.

Direct peers

• Ascend Properties: UK Build to Rent property management specialist operating across multiple BTR schemes for institutional clients. Direct competitor to Urbanbubble's core BTR management offering with a comparable focus on resident experience and institutional-grade service delivery.
• FirstPort: UK's largest residential property management company, providing leasehold, BTR, and estate management services. A direct competitor particularly in Urbanbubble's leasehold management segment with significant scale advantage.
• Rendall & Rittner: UK specialist residential managing agent focused on prime residential, BTR, and mixed-use developments. Directly comparable peer competing for leasehold and BTR mandates with similar institutional client base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/urbanbubble
• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/company/urbanbubble
• Instagraminstagram.com/urbanbubble/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@urbanbubbleuk
• Xx.com/urbanbubbleUK

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Urbanbubble