The build-to-rent (BTR) sector has been trumpeted as a viable and potentially substantial deliverer of new homes, but despite the generous commitment of equity investment from international and domestic institutions, delivery of new units is slow, particularly in London.

The government and the mayor of London have put forward a range of initiatives to speed up production, but they are having little impact. This is because the main hurdles to BTR development are still in place and are proving difficult to remove.

The majority of BTR developers (including Fizzy Living) have stated that their preferred target market is the equity-poor young professional, aged 25 to 35. While housing associations struggle with decreasing funding to fill the gaps in housing provision through conventional social housing and innovative products such as shared ownership, the private sector is keen to step up its delivery rate to create what used to be called intermediate housing – properties let to qualifying tenants at 80% of market rent.