What we offer

Membership of AREF gives people in our industry the opportunity to get involved in maintaining and improving the industry, its reputation for integrity, and the business environment in which it operates.

Full membership benefits

Our Full Membership is seen as the gold standard for real estate funds.  Those members who comply with our Code of Practice and achieve the highest standard of transparency and corporate governance will receive the AREF Quality Mark.  Member funds may use the AREF logo, the Quality Mark and refer to the Code in their documentation.

Through our Committees and Working Groups, manager representatives can participate in the lobbying and consultation work that we undertake, to the direct benefit of their funds.

Highly important for most, member funds are entitled to participate in the quarterly produced, AREF/IPD UK Property Fund Index and AREF/IPD Property Fund Vision publication.

Each fund also has its own page on this site, where high level information about the fund can be maintained and a link to the fund’s, or manager’s web-site is included.

Lastly, all member representatives receive our newsletter, invitations to seminars and social events and access to other, member only, areas of this web-site.

The application process

Membership applications are approved by our Management Committee which meets quarterly.

• Fund submits Full Member Application Form
• AREF Secretariat undertakes a Compliance Audit of Fund Documentation to confirm compliance with the AREF Code of Practice. 
• Compliance Audit report and Secretariat recommendation submitted to Management Committee
• Approval of membership application confirmed
• Membership commences upon the date of approval and on payment of the fee
• The revised annual membership fees, which will take effect as at the next renewal date of 1st November 2018, are as follows:
  NAV<= £250m £8,500
  NAV> £250m and <= £1 bn £10,000
  NAV> £1 bn £12,500

Our full members

Our current Full Members include real estate funds promoted and managed by most of the UK’s leading fund managers. Fund representatives are drawn from the many functions within the relevant investment house.

Fund structures include many forms of Unit Trust, (APUTs, EPUTs, GPUTs, JPUTs) plus OEICs and ICVCs, Limited Partnerships, Common Investment Funds, Unit Linked Funds and Unit Linked Pension Funds.

Funds may be domiciled in any jurisdiction, as long as the significant investment management or investment advisory functions are conducted in the British Islands.

Funds may be invested in any type of real estate; e.g. commercial, residential, agricultural, leisure, healthcare.

Funds may invest in physical assets as well as listed securities, joint ventures, other funds, debt and derivatives, providing that the underlying asset base is real estate.

Fund investors can be of any type and any nationality.

For further information on our membership, please email us at info@aref.org.uk.

What we offer

Membership of AREF gives people in our industry the opportunity to get involved in maintaining and improving the industry, its reputation for integrity, and the business environment in which it operates.

Affiliate membership benefits

Membership of AREF is recognised by many firms as a great opportunity to contribute to the well-being of our industry, as well as an opportunity to showcase their expertise to current and potential clients.

Through our Committees and Working Groups, Affiliate representatives can participate in the lobbying and consultation work that we undertake, to the direct benefit of their fund clients and to their own firms in the interaction with other individuals across the industry.

That interaction is also highly important for most affiliate firms through the events that we promote ourselves, where firms are often pleased to provide venues and speakers, and also through co-promoted events which we can promote to our membership.

Affiliate Members have a link from this site direct to their own web-site and additionally, we will shortly start to publish selected pieces by member firms on topics of interest to our members through this site.

Lastly, all member representatives receive our newsletter, invitations to seminars and social events and access to other, member only, areas of the web-site.

The application process

Membership applications are approved by our Management Committee which meets quarterly.

• Firm submits an Affiliate Member Application Form
• AREF Chief Executive meets with firm representatives to ensure that the firm is willing to engage actively with AREF, and to explain our activities and membership benefits.
• Report of meeting and recommendation submitted to Management Committee
• Approval of membership application confirmed
• Membership commences effective from the date of approval on payment of the fee
• The revised annual fee for Affiliate membership, which will take effect as at the next renewal date of 1st November 2018, is £5,000 per annum, pro-rated monthly.
• The membership year commences 1^st November.

Our affiliate members

Our Affiliate Members include many of the leading advisory and support firms that provide fund-related expertise to fund managers. 

Firms currently involved include lawyers, accountants, fund administrators, valuers, asset managers, and building consultants.