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Landlord guides
Running a rental property profitably means understanding yields, financing costs and tax at the same time. These guides are written for UK landlords — from those assessing their first buy-to-let to those managing an existing portfolio and reviewing their mortgage strategy.
What determines a landlord's real return
Rental yield is only the starting point. Gross yield (annual rent divided by property value) tells you how a property compares to others on paper, but net yield — after mortgage interest, letting agent fees, insurance, maintenance, void periods and licensing costs — is what actually lands in your account. Since mortgage interest relief for individual landlords was restricted to a 20% tax credit, ownership structure has become a genuine financial decision rather than a formality: many landlords, particularly higher-rate taxpayers with multiple properties, now buy through a limited company to retain full interest deductibility.
Compliance costs also eat into returns and are easy to underestimate — gas safety certificates, EICRs, deposit protection and, for HMOs, licensing fees are all recurring obligations rather than one-off costs. For a full breakdown of every legal requirement, see the Landlord Compliance Hub, and for scaling beyond a single property see the Buy-to-Let Hub and HMO Investing Hub.
Articles
Is buy-to-let still worth it?
Yields, ROI, costs and tax in the current market — an honest view.
What is a good rental yield UK?
Gross vs net yield, what investors target and how to compare properties.
Repayment vs interest-only for landlords
Which mortgage type suits a buy-to-let strategy and why.
Stamp duty on a second home
The 5% surcharge, how it applies and how to calculate your SDLT.
Rental yields in Birmingham
City-level yield data and what drives returns in Birmingham.
Rental yields in Liverpool
Liverpool rental market benchmarks by area and property type.
Rental yields in Leeds
Leeds rental data and how it compares to the national average.
Rental yields in Bristol
Bristol yield benchmarks for landlords and investors.
HMO trend report UK
Data on HMO market growth, licensing changes, and what the numbers say about the sector.
Landlord maintenance planning UK
How to budget for and schedule property maintenance — avoiding reactive costs.
Landlord calculators
Buy-to-Let Yield Calculator
Net yield after mortgage, management and voids
Rental Yield Calculator
Gross yield from rent and property value
Property ROI Calculator
Return on your initial cash invested
Mortgage Affordability Calculator
Stress test your portfolio financing
HMO Calculator UK
Full financials for a house in multiple occupation
HMO Yield Calculator
Gross and net yield using room-by-room rental income
HMO ROI Calculator
Return on capital invested in an HMO property
Buy-to-Let vs HMO Calculator
Compare single-let and HMO returns side-by-side
HMO Mortgage Calculator
Monthly payments and stress test for HMO financing
BRRR Calculator UK
Model the Buy, Refurbish, Refinance, Rent strategy
Property Deal Analyser
Full appraisal: purchase, refurb, yield and ROI
Cash Flow Calculator for Landlords
Net monthly cash flow after all costs and voids
Rental Portfolio Calculator
Aggregate yield and cash flow across your portfolio
Landlord Mortgage Stress Test
Check whether your portfolio passes lender stress tests
HMO Renovation Budget Calculator
Plan and cost a full HMO refurbishment project
HMO Management Costs Calculator
Estimate ongoing HMO management and compliance costs
HMO Startup Cost Breakdown
Total upfront costs to set up and licence an HMO
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About the author
✓ Editorially reviewed — all Poqet guides are checked for factual accuracy before publication and updated when UK rates or legislation change. Editorial Policy