Indian developer Xrbia to offer affordable homes for £80,000

Founded in 2012, Xrbia has already made an impact on the Indian market and uses modern methods of construction to reduce build times to six months.

All utilities are delivered via renewable sources, with water, electricity and sewage recycled and controlled through customers’ smartphones.

Meanwhile, Internet of Things technology powers a customer portal, access, security and billing systems.

In India, Xrbia’s standard product is a seven-storey building with apartments of 40 square meters. In London, Xrbia is setting out to deliver these ‘micro’ homes at a cost of around £80,000 and will support them with numerous finance packages, including a rent-to-own facility.

The firm has built over 15,000 homes in India, has a pipeline of 100,000 and aims to deliver 100 future-ready cities by 2030.

By bringing its affordable house building proposition to the UK, it is seeking joint venture opportunities with UK property developers that have social housing experience and local market expertise.

Xrbia founder, Rahul Nahar, said: “We have been researching western markets in depth and, given the extent of the housing crisis in the UK and dearth of affordable accommodation, feel our low-cost and technology-led construction model could have a very positive impact on the volume and type of homes being built.”

He added: “We are looking to work with forward-thinking social housing developers who have moved on from the legacy approaches that are holding back a number of more established players. To build the number of homes the UK needs is not just about bricks and mortar, but fundamental changes in philosophy and process.”