Buy to Let

Becoming a private landlord should not be seen as an easy way of making money. It can be riskier and more complicated. It can also be very time consuming, more than most forms of investment, and there is no guarantee that house prices will rise. That said, having a second property to let to tenants could reap considerable financial rewards over time.

There are 3 main differences in buy to let mortgages: Rent Potential — the decision as to whether or not a mortgage will be offered is usually based on the rent you will earn as well as your income, and in some cases your income is not ever considered. Interest Rate — buy to let mortgages have slightly higher interest rates. Larger Deposit — typically a minimum of 20% or 25% of the property's value is required as a deposit.

When buying a second property to let, you will need to decide whether your primary objective is income or capital growth. In other words, are you looking to make a profit month on month or are you looking to make a profit through increased equity from the second property if it increases in value over time? The decision may affect the type of property you purchase, and the location.

When you manage a property there are many costs involved in addition to the monthly mortgage repayments. As a guide, you should be aiming to achieve a gross rent of about 135% of the rental property's interest only mortgage repayments in order to cover your costs should anything go wrong.

These additional costs include: property upkeep; letting agent's fees (around 10% of the monthly rent for finding and vetting tenants, with an additional cost of around 5% if you require a full management service); ground rent / service charges for leasehold properties; legal insurance to cover costs from evicting tenants in the event of non-payment; buildings and contents insurance; furnishings; gas / electrical appliance maintenance and safety testing; and decorating costs.

When choosing a property to let, it is wise to take advice from local letting agents to determine what types of properties are in demand and which parts of the town are best or most wanted — for example whether there is a university nearby and students looking for somewhere to live.