A major institutional BTR landlord has moved its property management in-house as it details plans to grow from about 5,500 homes to 20,000.

Northern LGPS and LPPI have launched Four Corners to oversee their joint residential portfolio of 5,478 rental homes across England, Scotland and Wales - including Milard Grange in Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire (pictured) - making it one of the UK’s largest landlords.

The joint venture plans to invest £1 billion during the next decade to expand its portfolio by more than 15,000 homes, reflecting a shift towards large-scale institutional ownership of private rental housing.

The move comes as Savills reports that more than £900 million was invested in build-to-rent in Q3, taking year-to-date volumes to £4.2 billion – more than any previous year at this point. It reports that Q4 has accounted for the largest share of annual investment in each of the past three years, meaning that 2026 could deliver a new annual record by year-end.

Standards

Four Corners has launched in the UK with a clear focus on raising standards across the private rented sector and delivering an improved experience for renters, according to COO Peter Kennedy.

“For too long the renting industry has been far too focused on the needs of landlords, rather than the people living in the homes,” says Kennedy. “The Renters’ Rights Act has been in force for over four months; however, it only supports basic renters' rights, we want to do more. Four Corners homes are well managed, properly looked after and built around the people who actually live in them, giving our residents peace of mind and the power to make their home feel like their own.”

Painting

Tenants are actively encouraged to personalise their homes, including painting walls, hanging artwork and using removable fixings, garden, plant and make use of their outdoor space. The company says it is also taking a more flexible approach to pets and doesn’t impose an arbitrary limit - subject to appropriate considerations around the property and animal welfare.

Savills reports that Border to Coast recently acquired a £400 million portfolio of 866 single-family homes (SFH) across the South East, marking the largest SFH transaction of the year.

Development funding has accounted for 36% of year-to-date investment, focused on SFH schemes. In Q3, about £300 million was committed across five English regions, highlighting the expanding geographic reach of SFH.

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