Europe, Property, United Kingdom

Sunderland Student Scheme Rated City’s Best in First Year under New Operator

6 October 2026

Editorial Brief

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A student accommodation scheme in Sunderland, operated by Redwood Living, has been rated the best in the city by students, achieving a score of 4.51 out of 5. This comes after Redwood Living took over the management of Cassaton House, making operational changes that improved student satisfaction. The success is notable amid a decline in occupancy rates in the private student accommodation sector, and Redwood Living plans to expand further in the North East.

EDITORIAL INSIGHT: Context, industry insight and market perspectives of this news story

Cassaton House’s top rating from students in its first year under new management draws attention to the operational side of student accommodation, an area often overlooked amid sector headlines about supply and occupancy. While the building itself required minimal physical upgrades, the focus on experienced management and welfare-trained staff appears to have resonated with tenants, especially international students.

This recognition comes at a time when the private student accommodation sector is facing increased competition, with recent data showing a notable drop in average occupancy rates for 2025/26. Against this backdrop, achieving full occupancy and high satisfaction scores may offer a practical example of how operational improvements, rather than major refurbishments, can impact student experience and commercial outcomes in regional markets like Sunderland.

Story Ideas

Research/data

The Role of Welfare-Trained Staff in Student Accommodation Success

Exploring the significance of welfare-trained staff in student accommodations, using Cassaton House as a case study for how it impacts student satisfaction and safety.

Target audience: health-science
Story potential: 8/10

Economic impact

Impact of Student Accommodation Ratings on Sunderland’s Local Economy

The high rating of Cassaton House by students could influence the local economy by attracting more students to Sunderland, potentially increasing spending in local businesses.

Target audience: regional-news
Story potential: 7/10

Press Release

A 105 studio student scheme in the centre of Sunderland has been rated the best student accommodation in the city by students, a year after Redwood Living took over its operation. Cassaton House, which previously was not in the StudentCrowd league table, now holds a score of 4.51 out of 5, ahead of 4.01 for the next highest rated scheme in Sunderland. Redwood Living, an ANUK accredited operator, took on the building in June 2025 and sold every room for the academic year.

The result comes as StuRents data published in June showed 2025/26 occupancy across the private student accommodation sector has fallen to 85.4%, a decline of 5.4 percentage points year on year. The student building is located next to Sunderland train station and less than a 10-minute walk from the main university campus.

Cassaton House required only fire safety works and was otherwise in good condition, so Redwood Living made changes to how it was run rather than to the building itself. The company appointed a manager with 15 years of experience in student accommodation and built the on-site maintenance and cleaning teams around her. In their reviews, students repeatedly praise the on-site team for the care they show and for resolving issues quickly.

All on-site staff are welfare trained, which the founders say matters in a building with a high proportion of international students living away from home for the first time. “For a lot of these students it is the first time they have lived away from home, so we want them to have a safe place to grow as young adults while they study in Sunderland, in a home that is well managed,” Alec Bryant, co-founder of Redwood Living, said.

Alongside the on-site team, Cassaton House is designed around student life, with a gym, study rooms, a social kitchen and dining area, an on-site concierge and CCTV for safety and security throughout the building.

Cassaton House was also used as the benchmark building for Redwood Living’s ANUK accreditation as an approved student accommodation operator.

Jamie York, co-founder of Redwood Living, said: “Taking on a building of this size cemented the hard work we had put in, starting with three bedroom HMOs and now operating 100 unit student accommodation.”

Founded and run by two Chartered Surveyors, Redwood Living leases buildings directly from landlords from 5 to over 15 years, acting as a single tenant thus, eliminating void periods for landlords. The company plans to expand further in Sunderland and take additional buildings in the North East.