Student lettings agency loc8me has expanded into its 20th UK city after acquiring Lancaster-based Mighty Student Living.
The deal adds more than 1,100 student beds to loc8me’s management portfolio. It also brings more than 350 properties across Lancaster and Galgate into the business.
All 19 Mighty Student Living employees will transfer to loc8me. Founder Peter Charnley will also remain involved during the transition.
The acquisition follows a series of deals and portfolio expansions by Loughborough-founded loc8me over the past year.
Earlier in 2026, the agency added more than 1,100 beds in Liverpool. It also increased its Nottingham portfolio from around 600 to 1,500 beds.
The Lancaster deal takes its property management operation to 20 university cities.
Acquisition expands student lettings portfolio
Loc8me founder Raffaele Russo said: “Twenty cities feels like a real landmark for loc8me.
“When we started the business in Loughborough in 2008, the ambition was to build something that really understood student housing and could eventually take that expertise into university cities across the country.”
Russo also backed the longer-term prospects for student HMOs.
“We remain incredibly confident about the future of the student HMO market,” he said.
“There is still a huge role for high-quality shared student homes, and we want loc8me to continue investing in the people, businesses and university cities that make that market successful.”
Mighty Student Living team retained
Mighty Student Living has grown its operation to more than 350 properties across Lancaster and Galgate.
Charnley said retaining the existing team and landlord relationships was an important consideration when selling the agency.
“When considering the future of the business, finding the right home for the team and our landlords was much more important to me than simply completing a deal,” he said.
“Mighty Student Living has been built on local relationships and knowing the Lancaster student market, and those aren’t things you want to lose as a business grows.”
He added: “For our landlords and students, there will still be familiar people here in Lancaster looking after them.”
The acquisition continues a period of consolidation in the student lettings sector, with loc8me using acquisitions and portfolio purchases to expand its presence across university markets.
