Standard buy-to-let
One household, one tenancy, let at the open-market rate through a managing agent. Lower income than a lease, better capital growth, and complete flexibility over what you do next.
We still believe buy-to-let is the right answer for most investors. It is simple, lenders understand it, the exits are wide open, and you can sell to a family rather than only to another investor. Our own portfolio is mostly ordinary houses for exactly that reason.
This suits Manchester and the stronger parts of Greater Manchester better than the cheapest parts of Liverpool. Where purchase prices are very low, the compromise usually shows up in the tenant — which is precisely the risk a provider lease is designed to remove.
You carry the void risk and the arrears risk, and you are relying on a managing agent doing their job. For an investor living several time zones away, that is the main reason we would point you at a lease instead.
Where it works
- The simplest structure to finance and to understand
- Widest lender choice and the best rates
- Easiest to sell, including to an owner-occupier rather than an investor
- Faster capital growth than an HMO, because any family might want it
- Complete flexibility — you can put it on a provider lease later
The trade-offs
- You carry the void risk and the arrears risk
- A letting agent takes a percentage every month
- One tenant means one point of failure on the income
- More moving parts to follow from abroad than a lease
Is standard buy-to-let right for you?
Tell us your budget and how involved you want to be, and we'll tell you straight which of the three routes fits.