How to become a landlord: what you need to know before taking on tenants

Bricks and mortar have been a pillar of British retirement plans ever since the birth of the buy-to-let mortgage more than 26 years ago.

It’s a tried and true strategy which – if done properly – gives investors two sets of returns; rental income and capital growth of their underlying asset. More than half of landlords have invested in property as part of their retirement plans, according to the English Private Landlord Survey.

But property investment is not without its pitfalls, and recent tax and regulatory changes have triggered an exodus of landlords from the sector.

Becoming a landlord is not for the faint hearted; research is vital to ensure your investment remains a good one. In this guide we will cover:

• Getting a buy-to-let mortgage
• How much deposit do I need?
• How much should I put aside for maintenance?
• How often can I increase rent?
• Can I easily evict a tenant?
• Becoming a landlord FAQs

Getting a buy-to-let mortgage

Most landlords who don’t earn their rental properties outright will need to get a buy-to-let mortgage to cover their borrowing.

The way in which lenders assess affordability for a buy-to-let mortgage differs from a typical homeowner loan. A borrower with a homeowner mortgage will be assessed for affordability on their income, but a buy-to-let borrower will be assessed using an interest-coverage ratio (ICR).

This metric requires basic-rate taxpayers to have a rental income on the property at least equal to 125pc of the monthly mortgage interest – this rises to 145pc for higher-rate taxpayers.

A lender will use rental valuations on similar properties in the same area when assessing affordability on a new buy-to-let purchase.

Nicholas Mendes, of broker John Charcol, said most lenders will also require buy-to-let borrowers to be earning a minimum of between £15,000 and £20,000 outside any rental income.

He said: “Banks do not want to lend to a borrower who will become dependent on rental income straight away. They want to make sure you could still afford payments if you were relying solely on your own income, if there were ever any gaps in the rent.”

Most landlords choose to pay their mortgage on an interest-only basis to keep monthly costs down, so if you sell the property you will still need to repay the initial loan amount.

How much deposit do I need?

Most lenders require a deposit of 25pc of the property’s purchase price, although some will accept 20pc.

As with a normal mortgage, borrowers who put more equity into a property are less risky customers for lenders and will qualify for better interest rates.

In addition to a deposit, you’ll also have to factor in the higher cost of stamp duty. There’s a 5pc surcharge for second homes and buy-to-let properties, which means someone buying a £300,000 investment property in England or Northern Ireland would have to pay £17,500 in tax, compared to £2,500 if you were a homemover.

Our stamp duty calculator shows how much you should be prepared to pay. Properties in Scotland and Wales will be subject to similar taxes, but these have different rates and thresholds.

The exception to this rule would be if a landlord were also a first-time buyer. They would not incur the second home stamp duty surcharge, but nor would they qualify for any first-time buyer tax relief, and instead pay standard rates.

Be aware that buying an investment property as a first-time buyer might also cause issues with mortgage lenders, who prefer buy-to-let borrowers to already have their own property.

Mr Mendes said: “If you are a first-time buyer applying for a buy-to-let mortgage, some lenders will either decline it or require an additional party on the mortgage who isn’t a first-time buyer.”

How much should I put aside for maintenance?

Prudent investors will also need a cash reserve for maintenance costs and unexpected gaps in rental income, says Robert Jones of Property Investments UK.

He said: “We recommend investors have a separate pot for surprise costs. In the best case scenario this would be enough for six months of mortgage payments on top of maintenance and repair costs.

“A middle ground would be enough to cover unexpected repair and maintenance costs, without enough to cover mortgage payments in the event of a rental void.”

As a rough guide, landlords should set aside 1pc of the property’s value to cover annual repairs and maintenance. So in the case of an average £213,000 rental property, ring-fence £2,130 for upkeep each year.

The initial cash injection in an investment property will be higher if it requires renovation or has a poor Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating. While EPC requirements were shelved by the previous government, Labour is planning to require all rental properties to achieve at least a “C” grade by 2030.

How often can I increase rent?

There are strict rules on how often a landlord can increase rent – and they’re due to get even stricter.

Currently, fixed-term tenancies can include rent increases at the end of the term, or earlier if agreed with the tenant. If rent rises aren’t part of the contract, landlords can issue a Section 13 notice when they want to raise it.

For a periodic tenancy, which rolls month-to-month or week-to-week, rent can be increased once a year, unless agreed otherwise.

A minimum one month’s notice must be given if a tenant pays rent weekly or monthly and six months’ notice given for a yearly tenancy.

Regardless of the type of tenancy in place, some golden rules apply to rent increases. Writing any rent clauses into the tenancy agreement will help avoid any disputes further down the line and any increases should be fair and in line with local averages. Good communication with tenants will help keep both parties happy.

Tenants can dispute rent increases, but only after they’ve been enforced.

This is all set to change, however. Under Labour’s planned rental reforms, landlords will only be allowed to raise rents once a year, and only to the market rate.

The Government has said it will “ban” in-tenancy rent increases from being written into contracts in legislation set to come in by next summer.

Can I easily evict a tenant?

As with rent changes, there are important steps landlords must follow to ensure an eviction is legal.

It is likely you will have an assured shorthold tenancy with your tenant – these are the most common rental agreements.

However, the rules around eviction in England are changing. The Renters’ Reform Bill aims to scrap Section 21 evictions in a bid to give tenants greater protection. Serving a Section 21 notice under the Housing Act 1988 allows landlords regain possession of the property once the fixed term ends, without having to give a reason, following two months’ written notice.

It will continue to be possible to evict a tenant using a Section 8 notice, which can be served before the end of their fixed term if they have breached the terms of the rental agreement – for example, if they have rental arrears or are disturbing neighbours with antisocial behaviour.

If a tenant refuses to leave, the landlord will need to escalate the repossession to the courts – but these are bogged down with chronic delays, so the process is often far from simple.

Becoming a landlords FAQs

Do I have to get a buy-to-let mortgage?

In most cases, you will need a buy-to-let mortgage for a rental property.

Whether you’ve purposely set out to be a landlord, or you’ve become an accidental landlord, risk the wrath of their mortgage lender if they fail to get their explicit permission before letting out a property.

While it might seem like a small inaccuracy, renting without your lender’s knowledge is a breach of contract and constitutes mortgage fraud. However, you might be able to carry on with your residential mortgage in certain circumstances.

Is it expensive to be a landlord?

Being a landlord can be expensive – particularly as various tax and regulatory changes have restricted the tax relief you can claim, and increased the things you need to pay out for. 

In theory, the rent you receive should provide you with a profit after the various maintenance and expenses you need to pay out for, and the capital appreciation of the property is expected to add to this profit when you come to sell – but the margins have grown tighter over the years.

Is being a landlord hard work?

Being a landlord can be hard work – but it depends how “hands on” you want to be. It’s possible to instruct a lettings agency to take on many landlord responsibilities, from finding tenants to organising boiler services, and fixing any issues with the property. 

However, this can be expensive and will put a squeeze on already-reduced rental returns, so you need to weigh up whether you’d rather do more of the hard work yourself and keep more of the profits, or pay out to have an easier life.