Could your next career be in Build to Rent? Love to Rent Week highlights routes into a growing sector
- 29th Sept 26
Love to Rent Week is highlighting the wide range of roles behind professionally managed rental homes and the transferable skills that can provide a route into the Build to Rent sector.
People with experience in hospitality, retail, customer service, finance, marketing, maintenance and administration are being encouraged to consider careers in Build to Rent as Love to Rent Week highlights the breadth of roles involved in creating and managing rental communities.
New research by Love to Rent among 13 UK Build to Rent operators found that every respondent took at least four weeks to fill their hardest-to-recruit roles, while 62% reported waits of eight to 12 weeks. Maintenance and facilities technicians, building and general managers, and resident-services roles were among the most difficult positions to fill.
The research also found that 11 of the 13 operators identified hospitality as a leading untapped source of talent, highlighting the potential to bring transferable customer-service and operational skills into the sector.
The Careers in Build to Rent strand of Love to Rent Week has been created to challenge the assumption that working in property requires a traditional property qualification or a background in sales.
Build to Rent homes are designed specifically for renting and are managed by a professional organisation. Behind each development are teams responsible for resident communication, building operations, repairs, safety, finance, marketing, events, technology and the performance of the wider portfolio.
Many of the skills needed are developed in other sectors. Hospitality and retail professionals bring experience of face-to-face service and resolving problems under pressure. Administrators understand organisation and accuracy. Marketing and creative specialists help consumers understand developments and keep residents informed. Finance teams manage payments, budgets and performance, while facilities and maintenance colleagues keep homes and shared spaces operating safely.
Anne-Marie Brown, Founder and Managing Director of Love to Rent, said: “Build to Rent is ultimately a people business, but many potential candidates do not know these careers exist. Someone working in a hotel, shop, restaurant, contact centre or administrative role may already have valuable skills that transfer directly into resident experience or operations.
“We want to make those routes more visible and show people that they do not necessarily need a traditional property background to build a career in the sector.”
Career profiles published during the week include Resident Associates supporting people from move-in to move-out, multi-site community managers overseeing more than one development and senior leaders responsible for service, culture and building performance.
The profiles show a range of routes into the sector, including agency work, entry-level roles, student accommodation, retail management, hospitality and returning to work after a career break.
Job roles people may not realise exist:
Resident Associates and Resident Experience Coordinators
Community Managers and General Managers
Lettings and customer-service teams
Facilities, maintenance and building-safety specialists
Marketing, communications and events professionals
Finance, credit control and portfolio analysts
Technology, data and resident-platform teams
Organisations contributing career stories, insight or supporting material to the Careers in Build to Rent stream include Quintain Living, PIC, Moda Living, Way of Life, Greenwich Peninsula, Related Argent, Touchstone, Colby River and Centrick. Together, their contributions demonstrate the variety of roles, career stages and routes into the sector.
The initiative is also supported by the Association for Rental Living, which works to promote career pathways, professional development, networking, training and education across the rental living sector.
Love to Rent is also highlighting work experience and early-career opportunities offered by participating organisations, alongside the value of mentoring, professional networks and on-the-job development.
Anne-Marie Brown added: “The sector needs people who communicate clearly, take ownership, listen and care about the customer experience. Our aim is to make the routes in more visible and show people that their existing experience may be more relevant than they think.”