OPRE Group Asset Manages and picks operator for QuadReal’s PBSA portfolio

By Stuart Bridge, Head of Asset Management
  • Collegiate UK selected by QuadReal’s Asset Management and Operational adviser OPRE Group
  • Operator will manage 3460 beds in deal set to grow Collegiate UK portfolio by 20%
  • QuadReal acquired the portfolio from Apollo in 2025 for £500m in the UK market’s biggest deal

UK, May 2026 – Collegiate UK, operating platform of Arlington Group, has been appointed by QuadReal Property Group (QuadReal), a global real estate investment, development and operating company, to manage its Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) portfolio comprising eight assets and 3,460 beds across key UK University Cities. The deal will increase Collegiate UK’s portfolio by approximately 20%.

QuadReal acquired the portfolio for £500m from Apollo Real Estate in the UK’s biggest PBSA deal in 2025. OPRE Group, who advised QuadReal on the deal, ran the tender on their behalf to ensure operational efficiency and consistency across the assets based in Wembley, Portsmouth, Cardiff, Norwich, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Glasgow and Birmingham with over ¾ of the portfolio near to Russell Group Universities.

The portfolio had previously been managed by several different UK operators with Collegiate UK already operating three of the eight assets.

Following completion of the Property Management Agreement, Collegiate UK – guided by OPRE Group – will assume full operational management through a structured mobilisation programme designed to ensure continuity for residents, staff and university partners, while maintaining high-quality living environments and supporting long-term asset performance.

Neil Burton, Chief Operating Officer at Arlington Group and Collegiate UK, said: “Expanding our relationship with QuadReal to manage this significant PBSA portfolio marks a significant step in the continued growth of our UK platform, increasing our scale by around 20% and reinforcing the strength of our operating model and results being delivered across existing assets.

“At Collegiate UK, performance and resident experience are intrinsically linked. Strong on-site leadership, disciplined operations and data-led decision making allow us to create well-run, high-quality environments where residents feel supported and communities can thrive.

“As a professional operating platform, we focus getting the fundamentals right, delivering financial value and enhancing long-term asset performance through a transparent and aligned approach with our partners. This operational discipline and resident-first mindset underpin consistent performance across the portfolio.”

Brian Welsh, CEO of OPRE Group, said:
“Our mandate was to look at the portfolio as a whole in order to drive operational efficiency, create value and ensure a high-quality consistency when it comes to the community experience. It was a highly competitive tender process and all those involved demonstrated operational strengths which is testament to how far the sector has come in recent years. Collegiate UK’s strong existing relationship with the team combined with a laser focus on customer experience, and track record across all locations meant it was best placed to drive performance across the whole portfolio.”

Adam Francis, Vice President of International Asset Management at QuadReal, said: “Appointing Collegiate UK as operator across this portfolio marks an important step in executing our asset management strategy following last year’s acquisition. We look forward to working closely with Collegiate UK to drive performance and deliver high-quality living environments for students across these key university markets.”

Collegiate UK is an award-winning operator of PBSA and manages 10,961 student beds in the UK across more than 33 residences in 22 cities.

QuadReal has significant experience in the residential and student accommodation sectors. Its global portfolio includes over 128,000 residential units across build to rent, student housing and land lease communities. In the UK, QuadReal has over 6,800 build to rent units and 4,500 student beds across 29 communities and has delivered more than 1,300 units in 2024 alone.

OPRE Group continues to advise QuadReal on the asset management of the portfolio to drive performance and create value, having supported on the original acquisition and its financing.