Group Finance Director

Unite Group PLC
2 April 2001

Embargoed until:                               2 April 2001
To be issued at:                                0700hrs





UNITE APPOINTS GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR



The UNITE Group plc, the UK's leading specialist provider of accommodation
services for students and NHS key workers, today announced the appointment to
its Board of Simon Bernstein as Group Finance Director.  The appointment will
take effect immediately following the Annual General Meeting of the Company to
be held on 27th April 2001.



Bernstein, 37, joins UNITE from UBS Warburg, where he was an Executive
Director in the bank's Corporate Finance department.  He joined UBS Warburg in
1996, since which time he has advised a number of companies including
consortia bidding for PFI projects such as the MoD Married Quarters Estates
and DSS Prime.



He qualified as a Chartered Accountant at Price Waterhouse in 1988 and was
seconded to the Department of Energy as a member of the team responsible for
the £8bn flotation of the 12 Regional Electricity Companies.  Between 1991 and
1996 he worked in the Corporate Finance Department of Price Waterhouse, where
his work included early PFI schemes in the NHS.



Commenting on the announcement, Geoffrey Maddrell, Chairman of UNITE said:



'We are delighted that Simon is joining UNITE at this exciting stage in the
Group's development.  UNITE has recently announced record results and plans to
increase the number of beds under its control from 10,450 at the end of last
year to 60,000 over the next three years.  Simon brings with him particularly
relevant and valuable experience. We look forward to working with him as a
member of the board and management teams in delivering our important growth
plans.'



Simon Bernstein added:



'UNITE is a highly regarded company operating in a growing and dynamic sector.
I look forward to working with them to maximise the full potential of the
business over the coming years.'



The appointment enables David Ransome, who currently holds the dual roles of
Group Finance Director and Chief Operating Officer, to focus on his
increasingly demanding role as Chief Operating Officer.



ENDS



Press Enquiries to:

Emma Kane, Chief Executive               Tel:   [phone]
Redleaf Communications Ltd               Mob:  [phone]



Nick Porter, Chief Executive             Tel:   [phone]
UNITE



Notes to Editors:



(-)         UNITE was founded in 1991 by Nick Porter.

(-)         UNITE is fully listed on the London Stock Exchange and is
currently capitalised at £150 million.

(-)         The Group recently reported record final results with pre tax
profits up 260% to £3 million.

(-)         UNITE is the UK's leading specialist provider of accommodation
services for students and NHS key workers.

(-)         Further information is available at the Company's website at
www.unite-group.co.uk

(-)         www.bunk.com is a comprehensive, on-line accommodation service for
university students launched by UNITE in September 2000.