CREI is a commercial property company that seeks to deliver a strong income return by investing in a diversified portfolio of smaller regional properties across the UK. The company’s portfolio consists of industrial, office and retail assets, with rental income underpinning a dividend yield in excess of 6%.

In this interview, manager Richard Shepherd-Cross discusses how the company’s diversified, income-focused approach has helped it outperform the wider sector this year; why rental growth is key to property investing success in an inflationary environment, and the importance of environmental building upgrades in driving rental uplifts; the outlook for key property asset classes, and why he’s currently more optimistic about the commercial property market than he has been for 18 months.