Suspected offending has an estimated value of £300m
The Serious Fraud Office has arrested six people and searched seven sites as part of an investigation into the past management of Home REIT.
The UK social housing company, which was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2020, sold investment into its leasing of thousands of homes across the UK.
Investigators from the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) carried out searches and made arrests at homes in Altrincham, Maidenhead and London today, while a commercial site in Manchester was also searched. Assisted by the SFO, Italy’s Guardia di Finanza also carried out a search of a home in Venice.
The suspects – five men and one woman – are in their 40s, 50s and 70s.
Home REIT said it would ”provide any assistance it is able to” in the course of the investigation.
The SFO’s probe concerns suspected bribery and fraud, with the suspected offending having an estimated value of £300m.
Home REIT, which raised more than £850m in its first three years of trading, told investors their money would be used to buy and restore properties which would be block-let to publicly funded charities and Community Interest Companies to house rough sleepers, veterans and people struggling with addiction.
In November 2022, an investor report raised concerns about the valuation of the firm’s property and the ability of its tenants to pay rent.
The accusations led it to push back the publication of its financial results, although it hit back at the accusations, describing them as ”baseless and misleading”.
It suspended trading on the stock exchange in January 2023.
In November 2025, it made an announcement, in “response to press speculation”, that it had entered into an exclusivity agreement with Patron Capital “in respect of the disposal of the majority of the Company’s portfolio of assets”.
According to its website, the company is “currently in a managed wind-down”.
The firm’s most recent annual report filed at Companies House, the group owned 1,375 properties as of 31 August 2024.
The report also said the company had been notified, in February 2024, that the Financial Conduct Authority had begun an investigation into the company, relating to the period from 22 September 2020 to 3 January 2023..
“This company had a meteoric rise, spending millions on properties that were supposed to house the most vulnerable in society and provide returns for investors,” said Emma Luxton, director of operations at the Serious Fraud Office, in a statement published after the raids.
“Its chaotic downfall has left many with unanswered questions. Today we conducted a major operation to advance our inquiries into suspected bribery and fraud.”
Solicitor general Ellie Reeves added: “The allegations in this case are deeply serious. Vulnerable people, including rough sleepers and veterans, were promised homes, while investors who funded millions of pounds were promised returns. Both groups deserve answers.
“Fraud is a devastating crime harming people and damaging business confidence. I fully support the Serious Fraud Office’s fraud and bribery investigation, working with enforcement partners – at home and abroad.“
In a statement, the company said: ”Home REIT plc (the “Company”) has today been made aware of reports of the SFO’s arrests and raids. Naturally the company will provide any assistance it is able to the SFO in pursuing its investigations.”
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