Civitas Social Housing PLC Acquisition (3655P)

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RNS Number : 3655P

Civitas Social Housing PLC

31 August 2017

31 August 2017

CIVITAS SOCIAL HOUSING PLC

("Civitas" or the "Company")

GBP17.8m Acquisition of a Portfolio of Specialist Supported Living Properties

The Board of Civitas Social Housing PLC is pleased to announce the Company has completed the purchase of a portfolio of specialist supported living properties for a total consideration of GBP17.8 million, comprising the freehold interest in 23 properties and leasehold interest in 3 properties, with 182 tenancies, in North West England. The portfolio is immediately income generating with an initial net yield in line with the Company's expectations and was sourced off-market by Civitas Housing Advisors Limited ("CHA"), the Company's Investment Manager.

Each property is subject to a 25-year lease with a specialist Housing Association - Harbour Light Assisted Living CIC ("Harbour Light") - focused around specialist supported living, with rents established by the relevant local authority and adjusted annually in line with CPI+1% over the full period. Harbour Light is the 10th Housing Association to partner with Civitas.

Harbour Light is a Registered Provider, regulated by the Homes and Communities Agency ("HCA") specialising in providing specialist supported living homes for individuals with learning disabilities and mental health illness in partnership with appropriate care providers. Harbour Light is based in Liverpool from where they manage properties predominantly across the North West region of England (Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley and the Wirral).

The portfolio was funded through the Company's cash resources. In due course, it is intended that leverage will be applied in accordance with the Company's stated policy and it is expected that this will further enhance the yield achieved from this investment.

Civitas targets the objective of delivering sustainable returns to its shareholders by making socially relevant investments within the regulated social housing sector in England and Wales.

For further information, please contact:

Civitas Housing Advisors Limited

   Paul Bridge                            Tel: [phone] 
   Andrew Dawber                   Tel: [phone] 

Cenkos Securities PLC

   Sapna Shah                            Tel: [phone] 
   Tom Scrivens                        Tel: [phone] 

Pagefield

   Philip Dennis                         Tel: [phone] 
   David Leslie                           Tel: [phone] 

Notes:

Civitas Social Housing PLC is the first Real Estate Investment Trust offering pure play exposure to social housing in England and Wales. The Company is managed by Civitas Housing Advisors Limited. The Company is listed on the premium listing segment of the Official List of the Financial Conduct Authority and was admitted to trading on the main market for listed securities of the London Stock Exchange in November 2016

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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August 31, 2017 02:00 ET (06:00 GMT)