Arlington-Equitix JV acquires two student accommodation portfolios for £280m

Arlington Advisors (Arlington), on behalf of Arlington Investors, has acquired a portfolio of 2,458 beds of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) for £280 million ($353 million).

The deal is part of a joint venture with Equitix, a U.K.-based investor and fund manager of infrastructure assets, specializing in long-term partnerships.

The acquisition combines two separate transactions and is one of the largest U.K. student accommodation deals agreed during 2018, according to Knight Frank. The deal brings the total number of PBSA beds under Arlington’s management to 12,700, making it the largest independently owned and sixth-largest overall student accommodation platform in the United Kingdom.

The purchase combines “The Stellar Portfolio” from Fusion Students, the innovative, experience-led, student accommodation company, and “Merlin Heights” in Leicester from a private investor. In total, the acquisition features five high-quality assets located in