Category: Case Study

Spike, with demand for its solutions continuing to soar both nationally and internationally, with its award-winning tenant engagement portal now being used across more than 500 buildings in 15 countries. 

Spike is excited to announce the launch of its first project in New Zealand, working with New Ground Living to enable tenants to get the most out of renting a home. Since 2014, New Ground Living has been pioneering the development of Build-to-Rent housing in New Zealand, bringing about meaningful improvements for rental households by providing modern, healthy, and professionally managed homes with security of tenure.

Spike worked with New Ground Living to create MyLiving, a white labelled version of its Spike Living portal that is now available to all tenants at Moroki in Glen Innes, Auckland, an apartment and townhouse complex of 50 homes that New Ground Living recently delivered for Hapai Housing. Moroki comprises of stunning one, two and three-bedroom properties, with on-site amenities and services designed to connect tenants with each other and the wider community. These include native-inspired landscaped areas, communal BBQ areas, as well as vegetable patches and composting facilities for those with green-fingered talents. 

Through the MyLiving portal, tenants can view their tenancy details, easily report any maintenance issues, book onsite amenities, and gain access to their apartments via their mobile key, at the tap of a button. The portal, accessible through a mobile app, allows New Ground Living to simplify and streamline the day-to-day management of its developments, helping tenants stay better connected and allowing staff to manage enquiries and maintenance requests more efficiently.  

The portal also enables New Ground Living to promote and connect tenants to their local area, provide special deals from local businesses, and offer the opportunity to create online clubs and forums, helping to instil a real sense of community.

Brian Collins, Managing Director at New Ground Living comments: “Traditionally, the experience of tenants has always been an afterthought here in New Zealand, something that New Ground Living has been working hard to change. By partnering with Spike, we’ve been able to take a big step closer to achieving our goal of placing the tenant at the centre of what we do and bring the NZ rental experience into the 21st century. The feedback from tenants so far has been very positive.

“It’s also been a challenge integrating new developments into already established neighbourhoods. By using Spike, we’ve been able to form partnerships with local retailers and promote their services directly to tenants via our MyLiving portal, showing the positive impact that our schemes can have in the local community.” 

Jeremy Heath-Smith, CEO at Spike comments: “We are delighted to be working with New Ground Living, a forward-thinking operator that’s disrupting the traditional rental market in New Zealand. It’s great to see the positive impact our solutions are having in bringing together tenants, landlords and local communities, no matter where they are based in the world. We are looking forward to continuing to support New Ground Living with its aim of positively changing New Zealand’s rental market.” 

Single family rental developer and operator, Casa by Moda, has partnered with long-term technology partner Spike to utilise its market-leading resident engagement portal, Spike Living across its upcoming Casa developments.

Casa, Vista Park, situated in Glasgow, Scotland, is Casa by Moda’s first neighbourhood to launch, and has begun welcoming its first residents. The development comprises 156 new homes, made up of a mixture of one and two-bedroom apartments, alongside two, three and four-bedroom houses for rent, with community spaces including a wildlife area and two play parks suitable for families and young children.

The homes will be operated by Casa by Moda, the single family homes division of investor, developer and operator Moda Group, which aims to secure an initial 5,000 new high quality family homes for rent in suburban areas within the next three years, with further schemes launching in 2024 across the Yorkshire region and beyond.

Casa by Moda has worked with Spike, whose technology is already utilised across its Moda Living neighbourhoods, to create the exclusive MyCasa resident app, a tailored version of its Spike Living portal. The resident portal has been adapted to suit surburban rental communities due to the differences seen across build-to-rent (BTR) and single family homes (SFH) platforms. It’s even more crucial across SFH communities, given the nature of living in suburban and city fringe locations, that residents feel connected to their landlord and community, regardless if that’s in-person or virtually.

The MyCasa app will enable residents to stay connected 24/7, from reporting maintenance requests to directly contacting the Casa customer service team. Residents are also able to view and book trusted at-home services from dog walking to window cleaning, join community groups and events, and chat on the community forum. This innovative technology helps to create social, integrated and safe communities at the click of a button.

Sarah Nelson, Operations Director at Casa by Moda, comments, “As custodians of the communities we operate in, our aim is to pioneer positive change to the rental market and improve the way people live. By partnering with Spike, we can provide all Casa residents with this innovative technology, allowing residents to access so much more on-demand – from partners and services, to virtual concierge, to reporting a maintenance request. They can also find out about the latest news and happenings in their neighbourhood which is crucial to connecting SFH residents to their neighbours and embedding our Casa into the wider community.”

Spike’s CEO, Jeremy Heath-Smith, comments, “We are delighted to be expanding on our partnership with Moda, with the roll out of Spike Living across their latest Casa by Moda neighbourhoods. The MyCasa resident portal will not only make residents’ lives easier by streamlining communication and providing access to on-demand community events, but also empower residents to actively participate in shaping their communities”.

Eurofund Group, the international investment and development company, has partnered with Spike to utilise its tenant engagement portal, Spike Living, at Tribu, its first co-living development.

Tribu, located in Kingston-upon-Thames, a historic district in Southwest London, offers 63 boutique studios, designed to cater to both students and young professionals seeking a more sophisticated way of living. The development features state-of-the-art amenities, including a coworking space, rooftop terrace, cinema room, communal kitchens, and dining areas, all aimed at fostering a vibrant community.

Eurofund Group worked with Spike to create the Tribu app, a white-labelled version of its Spike Living portal designed to serve as a comprehensive platform for tenants and staff alike.

The Tribu app streamlines communication by simplifying the defect reporting and parcel management processes, as well as making the sharing of important documentation such as key policies, building regulations and appliance manuals easier.

By automating routine tasks, staff can devote more time and attention to providing exceptional customer service, which is a fundamental aspect of Tribu’s success.

The Tribu app also acts as a secure social network, allowing tenants to participate in social activities, access in-house services and events, as well as connecting tenants with others in the building who share similar interests.

Jonny Wootten, Marketing Director at Spike comments: “We are thrilled to partner with Eurofund Group to enhance the Tribu living experience. By leveraging our tenant engagement portal, Spike Living, Eurofund Group are able to transform the way tenants interact with their living spaces and foster a vibrant community within Tribu.” 

Dan Sanford, CEO at Tribu, Eurofund Group comments: “Spike has an unrivalled expertise in the market, with a proven track record of successfully implementing innovative solutions that address complex business challenges. Spike’s ability to seamlessly integrate its solutions with third-party services and providers is truly remarkable, and we look forward to continuing to roll out Spike Living across future schemes.”

Riverwalk is a major office development situated at the heart of Citywest Business Campus, an award-winning business park, 15km southwest of Dublin city centre, and linked by rail via the LUAS. Flanked by distinctive office buildings and surrounded by a beautifully landscaped environment, with a wide range of amenities and services, Riverwalk tenants include Adobe, Sony, Pfizer, Unilever, Shire, and Sanofi Aventis.

An essential part of Riverwalk’s appeal is the landscape where people can meet, relax, and work in a stress-free natural setting. Bartra, who jointly acquired the Citywest Business Park with Henley Investment Management in 2019, wanted an effective and modern way to communicate and engage with all tenants and staff across the development.

Bartra worked with Spike, the leading property management and tenant engagement software provider, to create The Riverwalk Workplace app, a white-labelled version of its Spike Workplace portal. The app allows onsite staff to share news and updates about the development via push notifications, while tenants can easily access key information such as FAQs, onsite contacts, as well as view what services and events are available.

Tenants can also use the app to submit any queries they have to JLL Ireland, the managing agent, as well as participate in online social clubs and forums, allowing tenants to get to know one another and encourage tenant-led events to take place, such as 5-aside football leagues and lunchtime walking clubs. 

Barry Heeney, Asset Manager at Bartra comments: “The Riverwalk Workplace app is easy to navigate and allows tenants to very quickly see what’s happening across the development, where to find the nearest restaurant, when the next Luas will be or request services like car valeting on site. Our tenants are happy with the app and all the information we can add, plus we can update them with a simple notification when we want to share any news.” 

Since the roll out in July 2022, The Riverwalk Workplace app has quickly become an integral part of the Riverwalk experience, with over 400 tenants now using the portal. 

Livia Vilares, Community Manager at Riverwalk, JLL Ireland comments: “The Riverwalk Workplace app has played a pivotal role in encouraging tenants back into the office and onto the campus. Tenants can see all the exciting activities that are taking place across the development, such as Taco Thursday and regular fitness classes, showcasing the benefits of working at Riverwalk.

“It’s also allowed me to build a rapport with the tenants and has encouraged regular feedback on what they are enjoying the most and what they would like to see added to the campus.” 

A tenant at Riverwalk comments: “The Riverwalk app is a great tool to have on hand to view the services, social and fun events, and clubs and forums to name a few of the activities organised on site. In addition, should I wish to check on the charge my car, check on local public transport links, book a car valet or find what options are close by for lunch, all these features and information are available within the Riverwalk app.”

Niche Living, owner, and operator of Ireland’s first purpose built co-living development in Dun Laoghaire, South Dublin, has partnered with Spike to utilise its market-leading resident engagement portal, Spike Living.

Niche Living Dun Laoghaire opened in April this year, comprising of 204 beautifully designed and fully serviced studios, together with numerous in-house amenities such as MasterChef kitchens, shared lounges, onsite gym and fitness club, games room, cinema, 24/7 concierge service, co-working spaces and private meeting rooms. The building also features Dublin’s best rooftop terrace with panoramic views across the city, mountains, and Dublin Bay.

Spike has worked with Niche Living to create its exclusive member app, a white-labelled version of its Spike Living portal, designed to support a stress-free living experience. From being able to directly message staff and ask for help and advice, easily and quickly log maintenance issues, and be kept updated on the progress to managing day-to-day life admin like getting an extra studio clean, viewing important documentation such as key policies and appliance manuals, as well as booking the wide range of onsite amenities. The app provides everything residents need to manage their life at Niche Living in the palm of their hands.

Residents are also empowered to start making their own fun – Spike Living offers a safe alternative to conventional social media, giving residents the chance to meet and get to know each other, as well as arranging their own events, with the knowledge that only their neighbours have access to the network, helping to instil a real sense of community.

From a staff perspective, having the app in place helps to streamline and centralise key operational processes such as the reporting and management of maintenance issues, delivery management, as well as the organisation and promotion of all social events and activities via the Spike Living management dashboard. The app allows staff to share important news and updates about the development instantly via push notifications.

David McGuinness, Managing Director, Niche Living comments: “The Spike Living portal plays a key role in our resident experience, providing a central place where residents can feel part of the community and manage their day-to-day life admin, including accessing their studio, booking the cinema for a private screening, or logging any maintenance issues. It also allows the Niche Living team to provide residents with key updates and share important information quickly and easily at a click of a button.”

Jeremy Heath-Smith, CEO of Spike, comments: “We are delighted to be working with Niche Living on Ireland’s first co-living scheme. Our Spike Living portal is perfectly suited to enhance resident experience, allowing residents to make the get the most out of the incredible onsite amenities. Our powerful management dashboard also makes life easier for the Niche Living team, helping to streamline operational tasks.”

Spike has announced a strategic collaboration with Pantree, a self-serve community market for residential buildings, bringing both artisan food and high-street grocery brands to residents. Pantree installs modular retail units in a buildings’ unused foyer space and operates on an honesty basis where residents pay for goods at a self-service checkout.

Integrating Pantree into Spike’s resident engagement portal, Spike Living, provides an easy way for residents to suggest products they would like to see stocked within their building, as well as having the option to scan and pay for their goods via the Spike Living app.

Jonny Wootten, Marketing Director at Spike, comments: “Spike Living already offers an effective way to connect residents with building staff and to each other, helping to enhance the resident experience. By working with Pantree, we can now connect them with their community shop too, giving residents a voice and helping to personalise each Pantree to the community it serves.”

Vertus’ Newfoundland, a 58-storey BTR development in Canary Wharf where Spike provide the Vertus+ residents’ app, was one of the first buildings to have a Pantree store installed. In the first 9 months of the community market going live, residents have used their store over 4,000 times every month, with 92% of residents saying that the market had improved their satisfaction with their home.”

Mark Jones, Founder at Pantree, said: “There are strong synergies between Pantree and Spike as both our businesses focus on creating communities that bring residents together. The flexible nature of our community market, combined with Spike’s strength in resident engagement, means that the Pantree service can be designed by residents to meet their specific needs and preferences.”

Recently launched build to rent operator MYAH has selected Spike’s resident engagement portal, Spike Living, to be its core technology solution thanks to its successful track record in creating communities and streamlining operational processes.

MYAH, which stands for ‘Make Yourself at Home’, has worked with Spike to create the MYAH app, a white labelled version of its Spike Living portal. This will provide residents with a one-stop app helping them to stay better connected and allow staff to manage enquiries and maintenance requests more efficiently.

Residents will also be able to book onsite amenities such as working spaces or laundry services, report maintenance defects, as well as connect with their neighbours and local retailers straight from their phones – offering a way to make new friends and develop a community, and enjoy local discounts and perks.

Jonny Wootten, Marketing Director at Spike, comments: “We are delighted to be working with an operator so passionate about using technology and data to enhance the resident experience and look forward to supporting MYAH achieve its aims of making a real difference in the BTR industry.”

Jamie York, Co-Founder of MYAH, comments: “To achieve our goal of becoming one of the market-leading operators in the BTR Sector, we needed a versatile and flexible solution that would be intuitive for both residents and staff to use. Spike Living provides this and more, and we have no doubt our partnership with Spike will help our residents feel more connected to their new homes and communities and support MYAH in making rental the first and long-term choice.”

Spike is pleased to announce that it has formed a strategic alliance with the leading independent residential property review platform, HomeViews. This partnership will transform the way resident reviews are collected across developments by being part of the Spike Living portal.

Research reveals that 95% of today’s consumers read reviews before they make a purchase, HomeViews is the UK’s only review site dedicated to residential property, with over 40,000 reviews live on the site.

By integrating HomeViews into Spike’s resident portal, Spike Living, this will not only streamline the resident review process but will also make it more likely they will leave constructive feedback. Through HomeViews, residents can rate the building,  building management, design, facilities, location and value via their phones.

For property managers, this provides valuable data on how a building and its staff are performing, with HomeViews able to provide comparative data between developments, local competitors, and comparisons to the UK average resident ratings for Build to Sell, Housing Associations, House Builders, Co-Living and BTR properties.

Jeremy Heath-Smith, CEO of Spike Global comments: “Both HomeViews and Spike have positively transformed the way residents and property managers interact with one another. By working together, we can continue to provide greater transparency and openness, not only improving the resident experience but also driving greater feedback to inform and enhance the way developments are operated.”

Rory Cramer, CEO and Co-Founder of HomeViews shared: “This is the first time we’ve integrated our review collection within a resident portal. This allows operators a very easy way to collect fair, verified reviews for their homes and services, offering unmatched insights for both prospective residents on homeviews.com and the industry via the HomeViews Pro dashboard.”

Spike Global is continuing to grow its presence in the Northern BTR sector thanks to its latest partnership with property developer and professional landlord, Livingway. It’s market-leading tenant engagement portal, Spike Living, has already been rolled out across more than 200 developments in the UK, as the company continues to expand its foothold throughout the North of England.

Spike Global has worked with Livingway to create a white labelled version of its Spike Living portal that is now available to all tenants across its portfolio of purpose-built rental developments in Liverpool, Leeds, Stockport, Manchester, Bolton and Aberdeen.

The portal, which can be accessed through a smartphone app, will allow Livingway to simplify and streamline the day-to-day management of its buildings, helping its tenants to stay better connected and allow staff to manage enquiries and maintenance requests more efficiently. The portal will also enable Livingway to promote and connect tenants to their local area, provide discounts on local businesses, as well as offering the opportunity to create online clubs and forums, helping to instil a real sense of community.

Last year saw a 22% year-on-year increase in the number of BTR homes under construction across the UK, with northern powerhouse cities such as Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds each taking a significant slice of growth in the sector.

Spike Global’s CEO, Jeremy Heath-Smith, comments: “The BTR sector has been one of the industry’s fastest growing sectors in recent years, and where city centre living has always commanded a premium, northern cities with their booming enterprise are a compelling investment opportunity. Livingway’s ethos is that renting should be a lifestyle choice, rather than a subpar alternative to home ownership, and Spike Global’s award-winning Spike Living portal is bringing the tenant experience into the 21st century. Our solutions are designed to empower tenants to build connections with their neighbours, communicate with the management team and form a closeknit community, all from their fingertips.”

Samantha Hay, CEO at Livingway, added: “Having explored many of the other tenant apps and communication tools on the market, we felt that there was nothing that provided the functionality and ease that Spike Living could. Having the ability to completely white label the portal was an important factor for us, ensuring that it ties into our brand and values. We are also able to easily integrate other platforms that we are using which means that we have one app as opposed to two or three!”

Spike Global, the leading property management and resident engagement software provider, has ventured into suburban residential living, thanks to its latest client, Lancashire-based developer, Baxter Homes. Spike Global will provide a white labelled version of its Spike Living portal to residents across the Baxter developments.

The family-owned developer will be rolling out the software across its portfolio of 3 developments, starting at Oak Hill Rise, a new 86-home scheme of houses and bungalows in Garstang, Lancashire. The roll-out will then expand to take in more than 500 properties over several small schemes, including Pinfold Place and Granary Fields, maintained by Baxter’s in-house Baxter Estates management company.

Jeremy Heath-Smith, CEO of Spike Global, commented: “We are delighted to be working with Baxter Homes. Residents moving into the high-quality bungalows and houses built by Baxter Homes will find the portal easy and intuitive to use, and full of useful features as they get to know the local area.”

Baxter Homes’ Managing Director, Callum Baxter explained why he chose to work with Spike Global: “We were looking for a way to manage our future maintenance and management company, as well as how we could improve our overall buying journey with increased aftercare. We pay a lot of attention to our purchasers during the buying and completion phase, but we wanted to keep that going with strong aftercare, and Spike offered a great solution.”

Baxter Homes is known for treating its customers as individuals, so a resident engagement platform that could be fully customised to suit each development was a good fit for the company. “We focus on quality, working with our purchasers to create their dream homes,” continues Callum Baxter.

“At the moment, this can create files full of information – the idea is that through using the Spike Living portal we can make our purchasers’ and future residents’ lives far easier. It will be where all of their key information is stored, but beyond that we also expect it to become an interactive social hub, where new residents can get to know their neighbours and the local area, helping them to settle in.”

Jeremy Heath-Smith added: “Spike Living not only has practical uses like giving easy access to paperwork and an instant way to report snagging issues, it also provides a channel through which residents can choose to get to know each other, arrange social groups and events and make the most of offers from local businesses.”