Preferred Homes
Preferred Homes Limited is a London-based for-profit registered provider of social housing that develops and manages affordable Extra Care Housing for people aged 55+ with care needs, partnering exclusively with UK local authorities under long-term nominations agreements.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Preferred Homes does
Preferred Homes Limited (PHL) is a for-profit registered provider of social housing founded in 2016 and re-registered in April 2020, headquartered in London with operations across England. The company develops, owns, and manages purpose-built affordable Extra Care Housing for older people aged 55 and over with minor to intermediate care needs. Each scheme delivers self-contained apartments (typically 60–80 units) with 24/7 on-site care, smart home technology, communal facilities (bistros, landscaped gardens), and HAPPI-compliant design targeting BREEAM Excellent sustainability. Operational technology includes Appello's Smart Living Solutions digital telecare system installed across all developments and the Pinnacle Ark resident app, while property management is outsourced to Pinnacle Group and care services are delivered by partners such as Radis Community Care.
Revenue is generated through affordable rent set at no more than 80% of local market rent (largely covered by Housing Benefits) plus related service and support charges, combined with capital receipts from Homes England grant funding under the Affordable Homes Programme 2021–2026. The go-to-market is exclusively B2B: local authorities identify housing need, PHL acquires sites and develops schemes, and councils allocate homes through 25-year nominations agreements under partnership arrangements with adult social care commissioning teams. The company is backed by a £100 million equity commitment from Nuveen Real Estate (on behalf of TIAA, the US teachers' pension fund) under a March 2022 joint venture, with Ashbourne Capital Partners as co-founder, and aims to deliver 50 schemes over 4–7 years with a £1 billion long-term investment ambition.
Preferred Homes firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Preferred Homes
- Legal name
- Preferred Homes Limited
- Website
- https://preferredhomes.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Preferred Homes Limited is a London-based for-profit registered provider of social housing that develops and manages affordable Extra Care Housing for people aged 55+ with care needs, partnering exclusively with UK local authorities under long-term nominations agreements.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Preferred Homes industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Affordable Extra Care Housing
- NAICS
- Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (62331), Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (623312), Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings (53111)
- SIC
- Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513), Real Estate Operators (No Developers) & Lessors (6510), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Senior & Assisted Living Residential Property Management (BPAJAFAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Senior Living Property Management (BPAJAGAI), Independent Living Real Estate Owners/Operators (REITs & Management Companies) (HLADAAAG), Affordable & Public Housing Asset Management (BPAJAMAI)
Keywords
Where Preferred Homes is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices9 records
Markets served
Preferred Homes business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Affordable Rent: 100% affordable rent model where rents are set at no more than 80% of local market rent and service charge. Revenue is recurring from tenant rents, with most residents receiving Housing Benefits to cover costs.
- Homes England Funding: Grant funding through the Affordable Homes Programme 2021-2026. Investment Partner status enables PHL to receive funding for developing affordable social housing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Affordable Rent Housing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Preferred Homes product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Preferred Homes develops, owns, and manages purpose-built affordable Extra Care Housing schemes across England, providing self-contained apartments for older people (55+) with care needs. The company partners with local authorities on nominations agreements to allocate homes to qualifying residents, with rents capped at no more than 80% of local market rent. The portfolio includes operational developments in Leeds and Telford, schemes under construction in Hucknall and Shrewsbury, and a pipeline of sites in Bicester, Crawley, Exeter, and Camborne.
Product overview
Preferred Homes operates a portfolio of purpose-built affordable Extra Care Housing developments across England, providing 'homes for life' for people aged 55+ with care needs. The core offering is Extra Care Housing featuring self-contained apartments with 24/7 on-site care, smart home technology, and communal facilities. The portfolio includes operational schemes (Hunslet Moor House in Leeds, Stirchley House in Telford), developments under construction (Gilbert House in Hucknall, Woolford Place in Shrewsbury), and pipeline sites (Bicester, Crawley, Exeter, Camborne). Supported by property management partner Pinnacle Group (via the Ark app), care provider Radis Community Care, digital telecare system Appello Smart Living Solutions, and technology partner Appello. Backing from Nuveen/TIAA with ambition to reach 50 schemes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Preferred Homes Extra Care Housing Purpose-built, self-contained affordable apartments for older people (55+) with care needs, designed to HAPPI principles with smart home and assistive technology, 24/7 on-site care support, and communal facilities. Created as 'homes for life' enabling independent living with access to flexible care as needs change. Rents capped at no more than 80% of local market rent.
- Hunslet Moor House 63 affordable Extra Care Apartments (51 one-bedroom, 12 two-bedroom) in Beeston, Leeds, delivered under nominations agreement with Leeds City Council. Features a community bistro, community shop, landscaped gardens, and rooftop-mounted solar PV. Represents 50% of demand for Extra Care Housing within five-mile catchment satisfied.
- Stirchley House 72 affordable Extra Care Apartments (66 one-bedroom, 6 two-bedroom) in Stirchley, Telford, delivered under nominations agreement with Telford & Wrekin Council (£17m construction by Deeley Construction). Features rooftop terrace, community café, and landscaped gardens, with care provided by Radis Community Care.
- Gilbert House 73 affordable Extra Care Apartments (66 one-bedroom, 7 two-bedroom) in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, delivered under nominations agreement with Nottinghamshire County Council and Ashfield District Council. Features on-site bistro, landscaped gardens, and 24/7 care by Radis Community Care.
- Woolford Place 64 affordable Extra Care Apartments (55 one-bedroom, 8 two-bedroom) plus guest suite in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, delivered under nominations agreement with Shropshire Council. Includes communal space and gardens, with West Midlands Combined Authority regeneration funding secured.
- Kingsmere Bicester Development 82 affordable Extra Care Apartments in Bicester, Oxfordshire, part of the Kingsmere regeneration area. Planning approved; construction expected to start soon. Targeted at local authority nominations and Oxfordshire care need.
- Crawley Development 83 affordable apartments planned on the former St Catherine's Hospice site in Crawley, West Sussex, delivered in partnership with West Sussex County Council and Crawley Borough Council. First PHL scheme for residents of all ages with care needs; planning application submitted.
- Exeter Development 71 Extra Care Apartments planned on the former leisure centre site in Exeter, Devon. Contracts exchanged with Exeter City Council for site acquisition; planning application preparation underway. Targeted at addressing shortfall in supported housing provision in Exeter.
- Camborne Development 74 affordable Extra Care Apartments on former Cornwall Council offices and car park site in Camborne, Cornwall, delivered under a 25-year nominations agreement with Cornwall Council. First PHL development in the South West of England; planning permission secured.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduces unplanned hospital stays from 8-14 to 1-2 days per year on average
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Preferred Homes
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Preferred Homes technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature3 records
Preferred Homes partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Pinnacle GroupcoreAppointed to manage 500+ extra care apartments across eight UK locations. Provides full management service including lettings, rent collection, maintenance, caretaking, cleaning, grounds maintenance. Also captures positive social impacts through resident programs.
- Radis Community CarecoreCare provider for Stirchley House and Gilbert House developments. Provides 24/7 on-site care services for residents. Creates bespoke care plans suited to each individual ensuring flexible care and support.
- AppellocoreProvider of Smart Living Solutions - end-to-end digital telecare system. Provides warden call services across all PHL schemes including Leeds, Telford, Nottingham, Shrewsbury, and Crawley.
- Deeley ConstructioncoreMidlands-based construction company building PHL schemes. Completed Stirchley House (£17m) and Hucknall (£15.9m). Brings expertise in extra care developments.
- Leeds City CouncilcoreNominations agreement for Hunslet Moor House. Managing housing allocation in partnership with commissioning team. First PHL development location.
- Telford & Wrekin CouncilcorePartnership for Stirchley House development on former leisure centre site. First PHL development in Midlands. Council committed to specialist and supported accommodation strategy.
- West Sussex County Council / Crawley Borough CouncilmajorPartnership for Crawley development on former St Catherine's Hospice site. First PHL scheme for all ages with care needs. Nominations agreement through adult social care.
- Exeter City CouncilmajorPHL exchanged contracts to acquire former leisure centre site. Preparing planning application for 71 extra care apartments to address shortfall in supported housing provision.
- Cornwall CouncilmajorPartnership for Camborne development. 25-year nominations agreement. First PHL development in South West England.
- Age UK Nottingham and NottinghamshireminorCommunity partnership for International Day of Older People event in Hucknall. Collaborated on community engagement activities.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Preferred Homes competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Audley Group: Private operator of luxury retirement villages across England, with on-site care and hospitality services. Comparable in product concept (independent living with integrated care) but operates at the premium end of the market versus PHL's affordable rent positioning.
- Rangeford Villages: Operator of retirement villages with on-site care and amenities across the UK. Similar integrated independent-living-with-care concept but targets the market-rate for-sale or premium rental segment rather than affordable rent.
Direct peers
- Housing 21: A major not-for-profit provider of extra care and supported housing for older people in England. Closely comparable in product offering (purpose-built extra care schemes with on-site care) and target segment (55+ with care needs), though operating at much greater scale and as a non-profit.
- ExtraCare Charitable Trust: Charity operating a portfolio of extra care retirement villages across the Midlands and South. Operates in the same product category — purpose-built apartments with on-site care — and serves the same older-people-with-care-needs segment that PHL targets.
Broad incumbents
- Clarion Housing Group: The UK's largest housing association, providing general and supported housing including retirement and extra care options. Comparable in operating model (registered provider, partnerships with local authorities) and resident segment, though only a portion of its portfolio focuses on extra care for older people.
- Anchor Hanover: One of the largest not-for-profit providers of housing and care for older people in England, formed by the merger of Anchor and Hanover. Provides retirement living, extra care, and care homes at significant scale, making it a broad incumbent peer rather than a direct specialist competitor.
- Home Group: Large UK housing association offering general affordable and supported housing, including extra care for older people. Comparable in operating model (registered provider partnering with local authorities) and presence in the older-people care-housing segment, though diversified across wider tenures.
- Hanover Housing Association: Not-for-profit provider of retirement and extra care housing for older people across England. Comparable in resident segment and product type, though operating at much larger scale as part of the Anchor Hanover group.
- McCarthy & Stone (now part of Later Living / private ownership): The UK's largest retirement housing builder, specialising in age-restricted (typically 60+/70+) developments. Comparable product (purpose-built retirement apartments) but operates on a market-rate for-sale rather than affordable rent model, making it a broad incumbent rather than a direct peer.
- Sanctuary Housing: One of England's largest housing associations, providing general needs, sheltered, and extra care housing for older people. Comparable as a registered provider with extra care provision for the same 55+ demographic, but operating at significantly greater scale and across wider tenure types.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Preferred Homes social profiles
Digital presencePreferred Homes compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Preferred Homes financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Preferred Homes leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Preferred Homes funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Preferred Homes 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 Preferred Homes
What does Preferred Homes do?
Preferred Homes develops, owns, and manages purpose-built affordable Extra Care Housing schemes across England, providing self-contained apartments for older people (55+) with care needs. The company partners with local authorities on nominations agreements to allocate homes to qualifying residents, with rents capped at no more than 80% of local market rent. The portfolio includes operational developments in Leeds and Telford, schemes under construction in Hucknall and Shrewsbury, and a pipeline of sites in Bicester, Crawley, Exeter, and Camborne.
Is Preferred Homes a public or private company?
Preferred Homes is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Preferred Homes founded?
Preferred Homes was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Preferred Homes based?
Preferred Homes is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Preferred Homes make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Affordable Rent is the primary driver. The others are homes England Funding.
Who are Preferred Homes's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Audley Group and Rangeford Villages. Direct peers are Housing 21 and ExtraCare Charitable Trust. Broad incumbents are Clarion Housing Group, Anchor Hanover, Home Group, Hanover Housing Association, McCarthy & Stone (now part of Later Living / private ownership) and Sanctuary Housing.
Does Preferred Homes have an API?
No public API is recorded for Preferred Homes.
What industry is Preferred Homes in?
Preferred Homes's product category is Affordable Extra Care Housing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAJAFAE, Senior & Assisted Living Residential Property Management, with a secondary code of BPAJAGAI, Senior Living Property Management. Its NAICS code is 62331 and its SIC code is 6513.