Build-to-rent completions rose by almost a fifth over the past 12 months, according to new analysis from the British Property Federation and Savills.

At the end of the first quarter, the UK’s stock of completed BTR homes stood at 72,688, the BPF said, up by 19% from the same point in 2021.

The federation said growth in the sector looks set to be sustained given that homes under construction rose by 14% year-on-year and units in planning by 11%, but warned of continued build cost inflation.

Ian Fletcher, the BPF’s director of real estate policy, said the statistics showed “just how rapidly the UK build-to-rent sector is expanding”.

“Completed homes increasing by a fifth in a single year is a significant leap and suggests the sector is making a strong contribution to UK housing delivery,” Fletcher added. “Long-term demand for rental homes means the sector’s prospects remain very positive.”