SOHO Social Housing Reit Plc

TIDMSOHO

RNS Number : 1767K

Triple Point Social Housing REIT

19 December 2022

19 December 2022

Triple Point Social Housing REIT plc

(the "Company" or, together with its subsidiaries, the "Group")

Portfolio Update - My Space Housing Solutions

The Board of Triple Point Social Housing REIT plc (ticker: SOHO) notes the Regulatory Judgement published today by the Regulator of Social Housing (the "Regulator") in relation to My Space Housing Solutions ("My Space").

My Space is a registered provider focused on providing homes to vulnerable individuals with over 1,000 social housing units under management as at 30 September 2022. Following the Regulator's initial judgement in December 2020 (see "Portfolio Update - My Space Housing Solutions", RNS number 0030J, dated 17 December 2020) which graded My Space as 'non-compliant' with a V3 rating for viability and a G3 rating for governance, the latest judgement has downgraded My Space to ratings of V4 and G4, respectively.

These latest ratings reflect concerns of the Regulator which include: i) not all of My Space's housing stock meets the definition of "Specialised Supported Housing", and therefore might not qualify for an exception from the Rent Standard; ii) the available financial information and assurances around My Space's solvency position; and iii) risk management and governance, including potential conflicts of interest which have been identified in respect of certain members of the My Space board.

The Group has 34 properties leased to My Space, with the last property leased to My Space acquired in October 2018. As at 30 September 2022, the My Space portfolio represented 7.5 per cent of the Group's contracted rent roll. My Space is one of the two Approved Providers referred to in the Group's interim results for the six months to 30 June 2022 as being in rent arrears, and an associated expected credit loss was recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive Income for the six-month period.

The aggregate value of the properties leased to My Space, as at 30 September 2022, was GBP42.8 million (representing c. 6.4 per cent of the Group's portfolio value), reflecting a decrease of 14.6 per cent since 31 December 2021. This lower valuation is reflected in the Group's Net Asset Value as at 30 September 2022, and was referenced in the Company's announcement on 23 November 2022 ("Net Asset Value and Dividend Declaration", RNS number 2588H).

The Group's investment manager, Triple Point Investment Management LLP (the "Manager"), continues to engage actively with My Space regarding improvements to its operations, with the aim of increasing rental payments and agreeing a payment schedule in respect of rent arrears. The Manager also notes that My Space has sought to address a number of the concerns noted in today's Regulatory Judgement. However, as part of the ongoing engagement with My Space, the Group will consider whether it is appropriate to put in place alternative arrangements for some or all of its properties.

The Board welcomes the Regulator's ongoing review of the specialised supported housing sector, bringing as it does higher levels of accountability and transparency.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY, PLEASE CONTACT:

 
 Triple Point Investment Management       Tel: 020 7201 8989 
  LLP 
  (Investment Manager) 
 Max Shenkman 
 Isobel Gunn-Brown 
 
 Akur Capital (Joint Financial Adviser)   Tel: 020 7493 3631 
 Tom Frost 
 Anthony Richardson 
 Siobhan Sergeant 
 
 Stifel (Joint Financial Adviser          Tel: 020 7710 7600 
  and Corporate Broker) 
 Mark Young 
 Mark Bloomfield 
 Rajpal Padam 
  Madison Kominski 
 

The Company's LEI is 213800BERVBS2HFTBC58.

Further information on the Company can be found on its website at www.triplepointreit.com .

NOTES:

The Company invests in primarily newly developed social housing assets in the UK, with a particular focus on supported housing. The majority of the assets within the portfolio are subject to inflation-linked, long-term, Fully Repairing and Insuring ("FRI") leases with Approved Providers (being Housing Associations, Local Authorities or other regulated organisations in receipt of direct payment from local government). The portfolio comprises investments into properties which are already subject to a lease with an Approved Provider, as well as forward funding of pre-let developments but does not include any direct development or speculative development.

There is increasing political pressure and social need to increase housing supply across the UK which is creating opportunities for private sector investors to help deliver this housing. The Group's ability to provide forward funding for new developments not only enables the Company to secure fit for purpose, modern assets for its portfolio but also addresses the chronic undersupply of suitable supported housing properties in the UK at sustainable rents as well as delivering returns to investors.

The Company is a UK Real Estate Investment Trust ("REIT") listed on the premium segment of the Official List of the UK Financial Conduct Authority and is a constituent of the FTSE EPRA/NAREIT index.

Additional information on regulation

The Specialised Supported Housing sector is regulated by the Regulator who carries out assessments on registered providers either through a scheduled In-depth assessment ("IDA") or reactive engagement. When a registered provider passes the 1,000-unit threshold, it automatically becomes subject to a detailed IDA by the Regulator. The IDA assesses compliance with the requirements of the Governance and Financial Viability Standard. The outcome of an IDA results in the Regulator publishing a formal grading (V 1-4 for Viability and G 1-4 for Governance, where V1-2 and G1-2 are considered "compliant" ratings, and V3-4 and G3-4 are considered "non-compliant" ratings), known as a regulatory judgement.

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END

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