Banking Giant Teams Up with Samrra – Moneyweb

The growing interest in professionally managed residential rentals in South Africa is attracting the attention of major financial institutions, with Standard Bank recently joining the South African Multifamily Residential Rental Association (Samrra).

This development aligns with Samrra’s report of strong early performance in 2025, as its members enjoy consistently high occupancy rates, solid rental collections, and record leasing activity across their portfolios.

Samrra members collectively manage over 75,000 residential rental units, boasting a total value exceeding R40 billion. The association reports that the sector achieved a weighted average occupancy rate of 95.8% during the first two months of the year, reflecting stability among tenants and consistent demand.

Desirable multifamily living

“The consistently high occupancy rates and quality income streams are not solely driven by demand but also highlight effective management and developments that provide attractive multifamily living,” remarks Samrra CEO Myles Kritzinger.

Standard Bank’s engagement is expected to enhance industry collaboration and support the growth of purpose-built, large-scale rental housing within South Africa’s real estate landscape.

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Bad debt levels across the portfolio have stayed below 1% of billed amounts, indicating strong collections—a performance that stands out favorably against other segments of the property market.

“The promising start to the year is encouraging, not just for our members but for all investors and stakeholders along the value chain.”

“It continually emphasizes that multifamily rental assets remain robust and appealing investments, even in the face of broader macroeconomic complexities,” Kritzinger adds.

Several Samrra members have reported record-high leasing volumes in the first quarter of 2025, signaling an increasing preference among South Africans for rental options that offer security, location, and lifestyle flexibility.

Resilience

As the fundamentals of the sector show resilience amid broader economic challenges, Standard Bank’s partnership with Samrra reflects growing institutional confidence in multifamily rental housing as a viable asset class.

Marlene Pillay, head of real estate finance at Standard Bank, shared her thoughts on the new partnership: “We are excited to join Samrra and contribute to the growth of South Africa’s multifamily rental sector. We believe this asset class is essential in addressing housing needs while offering long-term investment stability.”

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