Change of Auditor – 10 June 2015

The Unite Group plc, the UK’s leading developer and manager of student accommodation, announces the appointment of Deloitte LLP (“Deloitte”) as auditor for the 2015 financial year with a commencement date of 10 June 2015. The appointment of Deloitte as auditor thereafter will be subject to confirmation by the shareholders at the 2016 Annual General Meeting of the Company.

This change in the Group’s auditor follows the successful conclusion of a tender process for the statutory audit contract.  The background to the tender is set out in the Audit Committee Report contained in the Company’s Annual Report for the financial year ended 31 December 2014, available on the Company’s website at www.unitegroup.com.

Manjit Wolstenholme, Chair of Unite Students’ Audit Committee, said:

“We would like to thank KPMG for their significant contribution as the Company’s auditors over many years, since the Group’s stock market listing in 2000. We expect an orderly transition and look forward to working with Deloitte into the future.”

About Unite Students
 

Unite Students is the UK’s leading manager and developer of student accommodation. We provide a home for over 43,000 students in 125 purpose built properties across 25 of the UK’s strongest university towns and cities. We have over 1,000 employees and work in partnership with over 50 higher education providers, as well as renting rooms directly to students.
 

Our culturally-diverse customers are at the heart of our business and we aim to provide a home for students that supports their success, whether defined as academic achievement, personal growth or employability. Our properties provide high quality, well-located, safe accommodation that is close to university campuses, transport and local amenities. Our rent includes a study bedroom, all bills, insurance, 24-hour security and high speed Wi-Fi throughout our buildings.
 

Founded in 1991, Unite Group is a FTSE 250 company listed on the London Stock Exchange. We are pursuing a sustainable growth strategy designed to make the most of the resilient nature of the student accommodation sector. We aim to maintain the strongest brand in the sector and operate the highest quality portfolio through consistent investment in and improvement to our operating platform, highly selective development activity, asset management initiatives and portfolio recycling.
 

In addition to our wholly owned properties, we are also invested in and operate a small number of specialist funds and joint ventures with institutional investment partners, the largest of which is the £1.5 billion Unite UK Student Accommodation Fund (USAF). 
 

The Group’s charitable trust, the Unite Foundation, supports widening access to higher education, integrating students into the community and employability. It provides scholarships for disadvantaged students at seven universities and volunteering opportunities for our students and employees through partner organisations.

For more information visit our corporate website: www.unitegroup.com or www.unite-students.com.