"The sector’s growth reflects a fundamental shift in how people view renting, no longer a temporary step, but a lifestyle choice driven by flexibility, convenience, and service quality"
- Sian Hemming-Metcalfe - Inventory Base
Build to rent (BTR) is no longer confined to the UK, with new data from Inventory Base highlighting substantial growth in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. The most striking increase has come from New Zealand, where completions rose by 34.5% year-on-year—outpacing growth in any other country surveyed.
The UK’s BTR sector remains mature and firmly established. According to Inventory Base, 1,824 new BTR homes were completed in the UK by Q1 2025, bringing the total to 127,156. This marks a 15.8% increase from Q1 2024, when the total stood at 109,847.
However, Inventory Base’s analysis shows that the BTR trend is gaining pace far beyond UK borders.
In the United States, BTR remains in the early stages of development, though activity is steadily increasing. In 2024, 5,200 new BTR homes were completed, taking the national total to 39,000. This represents a 15.4% increase on the previous year.
Australia has also seen a significant rise in completions, reaching 4,878 units in 2024. Forecasts suggest further growth, with 5,928 completions expected in 2025, a projected increase of 21.5%.
New Zealand, despite its relatively small population of 5.2 million, delivered 1,949 BTR homes by the end of April 2025. This marks a 34.5% year-on-year increase, making it the fastest-growing BTR market among those analysed.
Attention is now turning to Dubai, where the BTR market is in its infancy but showing signs of accelerating growth. Though current data is limited, early momentum and investor interest suggest it could soon become a major player globally.
Dubai’s expanding population and its status as an international business hub are fuelling rental demand. In response, the government has introduced policies designed to support BTR development and attract institutional investors.
There is also a strategic alignment between BTR and the emirate’s broader goals. Government support for long-term residency and increased expatriate housing demand are positioning BTR as a priority area for investment.
“Build to rent is reshaping rental markets across continents,” said Sián Hemming-Metcalfe, operations director at Inventory Base. “The sector’s growth reflects a fundamental shift in how people view renting, no longer a temporary step, but a lifestyle choice driven by flexibility, convenience, and service quality.”
Hemming-Metcalfe noted that this shift brings new expectations for the industry. “BTR residents expect a professional, customer-centric experience, supported by operational excellence, proactive maintenance, and real-time responsiveness,” she explained. “Governments also have a part to play.”
In the UK specifically, she continued, “The ambition to deliver 1.5 million new homes - backed by planning reform and local authority targets - creates both urgency and opportunity for the BTR sector.”
Hemming-Metcalfe also highlighted the role of digital infrastructure. “Technology will be key to delivering on that promise,” she said. “Digital inspections, automated workflows, and integrated maintenance platforms are essential to running efficient, scalable operations. Delivering a modern rental experience takes more than spreadsheets, patchwork tools, or good intentions, and the BTR boom isn't waiting for outdated systems to play catch up.”
As more regions embrace BTR, the global sector is rapidly evolving from a trend to a structural shift in rental housing.
