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. 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 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 - maintenance costs for the property.

• Letting agent's fees - letting agents can charge a percentage of the monthly rent for finding and vetting tenants with possibly some additional cost if you require a full management service.
 

• Ground rent / service charges - applicable to leasehold properties.

• Legal insurance - to cover costs from evicting tenants in the event of non-payment, very important, as this can be very expensive.
 

• Insurance - building insurance and contents insurance for the items provided as part of the rental agreement.
 

• Furnishings - the purchase of any furniture. If the property is to be let furnished, make sure you are covered for this by your home insurance.

• Gas / electrical appliances - cost of maintaining appliances and ensuring they comply with any regulations such as safety tests.
 

• Decorating costs - the property may require work ranging from painting, to a new bathroom suite before it is suitable for letting to tenants.

When choosing a property to let, it is wise to take advice from local letting agents to determine; what types of properties are in need and which parts of the town are best or most wanted. They can tell you if there is a University in the town, and if students are looking for somewhere to live.

Initial consultation is free. Broker fee for mortgage advice and application processing is up to £450 and will depend on your personal circumstances and the amount of administration required. We will confirm the exact amount at the initial meeting. The fee is non-refundable. We offer discounts for re-mortgage transactions.

Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage(s).

In general, Buy to Let mortgages are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority