OPRE Group Deliver this years Biggest UK PBSA Deal as Client QuadReal Acquires major UK PBSA Portfolio

By Stuart Bridge, Head of Asset Management
    • QuadReal has bought 8 best-in-class PBSA assets from Apollo
    • OPRE Solutions was established by industry veteran Brian Welsh in 2023 following 20 years in the sector

UK, July 2025 – Operational Real Estate Advisory firm OPRE Group has delivered the industry’s biggest deal of the year so far, engineering QuadReal’s major acquisition of a UK PBSA portfolio.

The portfolio of eight assets comprises 3,460 beds in core University cities, and was purchased by QuadReal, the Real Estate arm of British Columbia Pension Fund.

The assets are based in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Birmingham, Norwich, Cardiff, Portsmouth and Wembley. All were completed within the last six years and have strong ESG credentials, strong occupancy levels, and are professionally managed by Homes For Students, Collegiate or Fresh.

OPRE Group was established by Brian Welsh in 2023 to provide advice to investors, developers and operators across the rental living sector. Brian has personally completed over 40 investment and development transactions in the sector, representing £4.6bn of GDV. Whilst the business has a strong focus on PBSA with Brian having founded or led three of Europe’s best in class PBSA operators, it also works across the wider Operational Real Estate market and works with clients from Build-to-let to Co-Living as well as PBSA.

Brian was most recently CEO of student-led accommodation platform Nido Living and held a dual role within Round Hill Capital where he was also focussed on fundraising and investor relations.

The QuadReal deal is one of a number of transactions that OPRE Group is currently working on with investors and institutions, in the UK and Europe. In addition to transactions and financing, OPRE also works on the operational side, advising asset managers on their portfolios including strategy and scaling up, property manager tendering and mobilisation to drive performance, cost-setting and value creation. The business is growing rapidly and delivering boutique services to an increasing number of market participants.

 

“Our client was looking to make a strategic acquisition in the UK PBSA market and this portfolio represents secure long income with opportunities to add value over time. I believe this deal to be the largest in the UK so far in 2025, not just for student property, but in overall Real Estate, demonstrating resilient investor confidence in the market. The landmark transaction underpins OPRE’s ability to transact at the top table, drawing on our experience in student accommodation from all angles – including fundraising and institutional-grade operations and management. We have a number of other exciting developments in the pipeline across both the UK and Europe.”
Brian Welsh, Founder/CEO of OPRE Group

OPRE Group were proud to work on this transaction alongside Savills, DLA Piper, Deloitte and WSP.