On 6 March 2016, Quintain Living’s first residents moved into the operator’s first build to rent (BTR) development at Wembley Park, in what was quickly to become one of the most exciting new neighbourhoods in London. Now, five years later, we’re taking a look back at just how much has been achieved since Quintain Living first opened its doors. When newlyweds Aygul Zagidullina and her husband Kaan Mamikoglu moved into Quintain Living’s Montana building in 2016, little could they imagine how much the area would transform around them and how, as their family grew, their changing housing needs would be met by the residents’ team. Quintain Living initially launched two buildings – Montana and Dakota in 2016. Fast-forward five years and the award-winning management company is now overseeing homes to rent in 22 separate buildings. The initial 141 homes available have grown to a staggering 3,255 (as of April 2021).
 Quintain Living has been proud to pioneer many elements of the modern rental experience. Their no fees/no deposits approach set the bar for the build to rent sector, while their ‘plug and play’ approach has created an enviably easy move-in process. Utilities are set up and ready to go, along with superfast Wi-Fi. Residents get one monthly, itemised bill and only pay for what they use.  The introduction of secure, flexible tenancies was also well received by London’s renters. Quintain Living’s contracts range from six months to five years in duration, with residents able to pick and choose to suit their needs.  The focus on residents’ needs has been at the heart of Quintain Living from the beginning including the design process. The first two buildings each included a stylish social space, in the form of a residents’ lounge and an acre of secure landscaped gardens. There are now 27 social spaces spread across the Wembley Park developments, in addition to 12 roof terraces, seven podium gardens and two private gardens. Five years ago, those gardens covered a single acre. Once the transformation of Wembley Park is complete in 2027, half of the 85-acre site will be public realm and private gardens, including a seven-acre park that will open later this year.  Quintain Living’s resident-focused rental offering has also seen the company welcome pets with open arms. 15% of its leased homes now include furry family members with pet-friendly outdoor spaces proving popular and doggy day care and walking services coming soon.  This attention to detail extends to other elements of the rental experience as well. Each building includes secure bike storage, while storage pods are available for larger items, from golf clubs to suitcases to canoes! And then there’s the customer care. Outstanding customer service has always been at the core of Quintain Living’s approach. Original resident Aygul recalls: “Life at Quintain Living made everything so easy! It reduced the stress of city life in so many ways. I love how stylish and spacious the apartments are. The customer service is also superb – the bulb went in my oven and it was fixed within the hour. I don’t think you would find that level of service anywhere else.”
Each building has a 24-hour concierge and a tireless team who are ready to tackle anything from receiving parcels to collecting dry cleaning… all those irritating life admin tasks that can be such a time drain. Over the past five years, Quintain Living’s team itself has expanded from six people to 85 in order to continually deliver the seamless background support on which residents can rely.  And that’s still not all. Quintain Living has curated a programme of social events for residents over the years that has included everything from supper clubs with Michelin starred chefs to intimate gigs in podium gardens. Free tickets to Wembley events, whether it be music, sports or the theatre, are also given away to residents through prize draws. These days, there’s a packed virtual events programme in place, offering everything from exercise to self-improvement  Prior to the pandemic, the Quintain Living team organised 12 events per month. They upped that to 12 per week at the beginning of the first lockdown and saw a staggering 532% increase in event attendance bookings. Between March and September 2020, 2,000 residents took part in the virtual events. Events have been designed with community in mind, connecting residents with local businesses in innovative new ways, from virtual wine tastings and cocktail classes to candle-making lessons and baking classes in partnership with local bakery Bread Ahead.
All of this takes place within a carefully cared for neighbourhood, with a team that controls and patrols 24/7 to ensure that the local community is always a place that residents will love to call home. Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer at Quintain Living, comments: “The past five years have been an incredible journey for Quintain Living. We have expanded and developed the service that we offer whilst proudly maintaining our core focus on residents’ needs and their experience of living in Wembley Park. It positions us perfectly for embracing even greater innovation in the way we deliver homes to rent over the next five years.” |
