Living sector pros ‘Make the Connection’ at successful ARL Expo 2025

This year, the hugely successful event offered attendees a fresh opportunity to learn and connect through a series of Rental Living Learning Zones. These sessions looked at everything from professional qualifications in BTR to learning platforms’ impact on professional development, supporting attendees to deepen their knowledge while growing their professional network. They provided a taster training course on lettings management in BTR and discussed topics including the qualifications mandate and statutory regulation of property management. Sessions on the importance of design in rental living and compliance and safety standards in relation to the resident experience also provided delegates with plenty to take away with them. Attendees were invited to bring junior staff along for free, to share the latest insights and sector knowledge with the next generation of future rental living sector leaders and innovators. 

The bustling event held at the Business Design Centre was also packed with Living Launch Pads, a Reverse Trade Show, Learning sessions and a huge range of insightful, inspirational content. 

Organised by the Association for Rental Living – the membership body for all institutionally backed, professionally managed purpose-built rental living sectors – for the sector with every penny reinvested, the Rental Living Expo attracted leaders, investors, operators, procurement professionals, suppliers and more. 

The 2025 Rental Living Expo saw attendees flock to the headline presentation on lifecycle planning, from Global Apartment Advisors’ Grace Morgan, Bidwells’ Iain Murray, Anthony Coates-Smith of Insite Energy and Centrick’s Clare Johnson. 

Alisdair McInnes of Kennedy Wilson and Katherine Rose of VervLife led a packed session on the lessons being learned about planning, delivery and management of single family housing. Rightmove’s Chief Data Officer, Steve Pimblett, then added fascinating insights into the potential impact of AI on BTR, before Ark Workplace Risk’s Peter Clark, Robert Tunningley of Irwin Mitchell and Insite Energy’s Anthony Coates-Smith put the Building Safety Act under the microscope. 

The hugely valuable event supported professionals in their combined goal of elevating the living sector, in line with the purpose of the BTR Code of Practice, the creation of which has been led by the Association for Rental Living. 

Other popular sessions included a series of Living Launch Pads, where companies showcased their latest concepts and innovations directly to an audience of rental living leaders. Delegates also enjoyed a new series of bite-sized learning sessions covering a range of topics including qualifications, compliance, the importance of design in BTR  and the mandating of  qualifications in property management. 

Another much-appreciated element of the Rental Living Expo was the Reverse Trade Show – a speed-dating format event enabling investors, operators and procurement execs to connect with relevant suppliers.

“Between the extensive networking, knowledge sharing and spotlighting of crucial sector challenges and opportunities, attendees gained a vast amount by attending the Rental Living Expo this year. The atmosphere throughout the day was electric, with all those present excited to be working together and making the connections that will underpin the future success of the living sector.” 

Brendan Geraghty, CEO, Association for Rental Living