Landlord and HMO property.
Buy-to-lets, licensed HMOs and small portfolios are among the hardest properties to sell on the open market. The obstacles are vacant possession, licensing and lenders’ criteria. We buy them with the tenants in place.
Why HMOs are hard to sell
A house in multiple occupation — broadly, a property shared by people from more than one household — needs a mandatory licence if five or more people from more than one household live there and share facilities. Some councils also require licences for smaller HMOs, or for all rented homes in certain areas.
- Licences don’t transfer. A new owner must apply for their own licence, which takes time and adds uncertainty for a buyer.
- Specialist lending. Fewer lenders offer HMO mortgages, and those that do have strict criteria.
- Planning. In some areas, converting a family home to an HMO needs planning permission, and a buyer’s solicitor will check it was obtained.
We deal with all of this routinely. It doesn’t stop us buying.
Buy-to-lets and portfolios
Whether you have one rental flat or several houses, we can buy with the tenants in place. That avoids possession proceedings, which are now longer in both England and Wales. See landlord exit for how the rules differ between the two nations.
What we buy
- Licensed HMOs, and HMOs where the licence is lapsing or pending
- Single buy-to-let houses and flats
- Small portfolios, bought together or individually
- Properties with arrears, disputes or outstanding compliance work
Thinking about selling your property?
Let’s have a straightforward conversation about your options. Free valuation, no obligation, and no pressure to accept. If a different route would suit you better, we’ll say so.
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