Unite Students

The Unite Group was founded by Nicholas Porter in Bristol, England, in 1991.^[3] Aged 21 and following research with the University of the West of England, he recognised a growing demand for student accommodation.^[4] After a period of expansion within Bristol, in 1998 Unite opened its first properties in London. It listed on the Alternative Investment Market the following year.^[5]

In 2000 the business moved its share register to the London Stock Exchange, and opened properties in Manchester, Liverpool and Portsmouth.^[6] During the following decade, Unite created investment vehicles to secure growth in London, across England and into Scotland. Of these vehicles, The Unite UK Student Accommodation Fund (USAF^[7]) is Europe's largest fund focusing solely on direct-let student accommodation.^[8] In 2006, Porter announced he was stepping down as chief executive. He was succeeded at the end of the year by chief financial officer Mark Allan.^[9]

By 2011 the business had grown to 40,000 beds. It remains the UK's largest provider of student accommodation by capacity,^[10] but second to IQ Student Accommodation by value of its portfolio of property.^[11]

In 2012 it founded charitable trust The Unite Foundation, which provides free accommodation and a cost-of-living allowance to students from "challenging circumstances".^[12] In April 2014 Unite renamed itself "Unite Students". Simultaneously, it launched its "Home for Success" corporate philosophy; which it describes as its "business purpose". The Home for Success announcement included a £40m reinvestment of profits into the business and 16 "signature commitments", all of which relate to an improved student experience.^[13]

Unite Group converted to a real estate investment trust with effect from 1 January 2017.^[14]

In November 2019, the Competition and Markets Authority approved the proposed acquisition by the company of its competitor, Liberty Living, for £1.4 billion.^[15] The transaction was completed in December 2019.^[16]

On 1 June 2022, it was announced that it will be promoted from the FTSE 250, and became a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index effective on 20 June.^[17]

The company provides residential accommodation to around 74,000 students across 123 buildings across the UK,^[18] and is the largest and oldest PBSA provider in the country.^[19]

• Artisan Heights – Manchester
• Bridgewater Heights – Manchester
• Dorset House – Oxford
• Grand Central – Liverpool^[20]
• Newgate Court – Newcastle upon Tyne
• Rushford Court – Durham
• Sky Plaza – Leeds^[21]
• Tŷ Pont Haearn – Cardiff