"We see a significant opportunity to grow this platform over time and look forward to working closely with Jensco to originate further investments and expand the portfolio in a controlled and selective manner"
- Nadine Buckland - Zenic Capital
Zenzic Capital and Jensco Group have formed a joint venture to invest in purpose-built single-family rental homes across the UK, seeding a new platform with the forward funding acquisition of 125 homes from housebuilder Vistry.
The initial £31 million investment will support delivery at Vistry’s Great Haddon scheme in Peterborough. The portfolio will focus on two- and three-bedroom houses built to high sustainability standards, with construction expected to start later this year.
Over time, the partners plan to scale the platform to around 1,000 homes, with an emphasis on tenant service and long-term customer experience.
This deal marks the first investment made through Zenzic Real Estate Credit Opportunities Fund, launched in October last year. The fund targets a mix of short-duration tactical credits, medium-term value-driven positions and select special situations, with residential strategies forming a key area of focus.
The joint venture strategy centres on building a national portfolio of professionally managed single-family homes, supported by institutional capital and long-term partnerships with established housebuilders. According to the partners, the approach reflects continued supply constraints in UK housing and growing demand for rental homes that meet consistent quality and management standards.
“This investment reflects our conviction in structurally undersupplied residential markets where institutional capital can support the delivery of high-quality, professionally managed homes,” said Nadine Buckland, CEO of Zenzic Capital (pictured).
“The UK single-family housing sector is at an early but compelling stage of evolution, underpinned by long-term demographic trends, affordability pressures and increasing demand for rental housing that meets institutional standards."
“Our focus is on partnering with experienced operators to build scalable platforms with strong asset quality, disciplined capital deployment and a clear emphasis on the end customer. We see a significant opportunity to grow this platform over time and look forward to working closely with Jensco to originate further investments and expand the portfolio in a controlled and selective manner.”
Jensco will work alongside Zenzic to source and manage assets, drawing on its experience across UK living sectors and its vertically integrated operating model. The partners said their focus remains on locations with deep rental demand and limited new supply.
“Institutional interest in single-family rental housing continues to grow, reflecting the sector’s strong fundamentals and its ability to provide high-quality, professionally managed homes for families seeking long-term stability,” said Nigel Bobroff, ceo of Jensco Group. “This investment supports the delivery of highly sustainable homes in great locations, where demand is deep and supply remains constrained.
“Working alongside and investing with Zenzic, our focus is on building a long-term, institutional-grade portfolio, partnering with established housebuilders. We are delighted to be working with Vistry to bring forward well-designed homes that meet the needs of modern renters as the sector continues to mature.”
For Vistry, the transaction forms part of its broader partnership-led approach to accelerating housing delivery while maintaining design and energy performance standards. The Great Haddon development is one of the group’s large-scale schemes aimed at meeting local housing need.
“We’re pleased to be working with Zenzic and Jensco at Great Haddon to bring forward a high-quality, sustainably built programme of single-family rental homes delivered at pace,” said James Warrington, executive chair, north, south midlands and east division at Vistry Group. “Forward funding arrangements like this accelerate delivery and provide professionally managed, long-term homes that meet strong local demand in areas like Peterborough. It’s a great example of how our partnership model helps create thriving places while raising the bar on quality and energy performance.”
