What is Build to Rent? Inside the resident experience with Touchstone
- 23rd Sept 26
Finding the right home is about much more than the apartment itself. It is also about how you are treated when you first enquire, whether you receive clear information and the support available once you become a resident. At Touchstone, we believe Build to Rent should combine professionally managed homes with a strong focus on customer service and community.
For Love to Rent Week, we are sharing how our teams support customers throughout their journey, from their first enquiry and viewing to moving in and becoming part of a Touchstone community.
What can customers expect when looking for a Touchstone home?
Moving home is a big decision, so prospective residents should feel informed, welcomed and supported from the beginning. Our teams aim to make the process as straightforward as possible. That means understanding what each customer is looking for, answering questions clearly and helping them learn more about the home, development and surrounding area.
The experience should not end after the viewing. Personal follow-up gives prospective residents the opportunity to consider their options, ask further questions and make a decision that feels right for them.
How does Touchstone measure its customer service?
It is important to understand what the customer journey really feels like, not simply what we believe we are delivering. Independent mystery shopping undertaken by hearSAY assessed the experience provided by our on-site teams at Howard Court and The Forum, resulting in an overall score of 74%.
The assessment highlighted several strengths, including:
Knowledgeable and approachable team members
Strong understanding of the local area
Welcoming and well-presented developments
High-quality shared spaces
Professional and personalised follow-up after viewings
It also provided useful insight into where the customer journey can be strengthened further. This independent feedback helps us recognise what is working well and identify practical opportunities for continued improvement.
Why do on-site teams matter?
On-site teams are at the heart of the resident experience. During the mystery-shopping visits, Touchstone colleagues were recognised for their friendliness, professionalism, enthusiasm and knowledge. These qualities can make a real difference when someone is choosing where to live.
Customers should feel comfortable asking questions and confident that the person showing them around understands the development, its facilities and the surrounding neighbourhood. Once someone becomes a resident, having an approachable team within the development also provides reassurance that help and support are available when needed.
What are Touchstone’s Build to Rent communities like?
A Build to Rent home can extend beyond a resident’s own front door. At Howard Court and The Forum, mystery shoppers found clean, welcoming and professionally managed surroundings, with well-maintained communal areas and high-quality amenities.
Depending on the development, residents may have access to facilities such as:
Co-working spaces
Resident lounges
Roof terraces
Gyms
Shared outdoor areas
These spaces are designed to complement everyday life, providing somewhere to work away from the apartment, exercise, relax or spend time with neighbours.
How does Touchstone help create a sense of community?
Moving into a new home should not mean feeling disconnected from the people and places around you. Our community managers and on-site teams organise events and initiatives throughout the year to help residents meet their neighbours and feel part of the wider community.
There is no pressure to take part, but the opportunity is there for residents who want to meet new people, try something different or become more connected to their neighbourhood.
More than finding an apartment
Build to Rent is not only about the home someone chooses. The quality of the enquiry, viewing and moving experience can be just as important. Clear information, approachable teams, professionally managed surroundings and ongoing support can help residents feel confident in their decision and more connected to the place they call home.
For Touchstone, the aim is to keep listening, learning and improving, while creating communities where residents feel welcomed and supported throughout their journey.