Local Housing Allowance here
Central Greater Manchester rates, 2026–27, a month: shared room £412 · 1 bed £775 · 2 beds £875 · 3 beds £950 · 4 beds £1,350. The most housing support a tenant on benefits can get here; a guide to the bottom of the market.
Cash in
| Deposit (30% of price; bridging loan for the rest) | £62,400 |
| Stamp Duty Land Tax (additional-home rates) | £12,060 |
| Legal fees | £1,800 |
| Survey | £600 |
| Bridging fee (2%) | £2,912 |
| Bridging interest (6 months at 0.85% a month) | £7,426 |
| Total cash in | £87,198 |
Stamp Duty Land Tax: £12,060
| £0 – £125,000 | 5% | £6,250 |
| £125,000 – £208,000 | 7% | £5,810 |
Additional-home rates, as checked in October 2026. Buying through a company, or replacing your main home, can change this. Stamp duty calculator
A year of letting after refinancing
| Rent | £15,444 |
| Mortgage payments (interest only, 5% on £195,000) | −£9,750 |
| Voids (5% of rent) | −£772 |
| Letting and management (10% of rent collected) | −£1,467 |
| Repairs and maintenance (8% of rent) | −£1,236 |
| Landlord insurance | −£350 |
| Cash flow before tax | £1,869 (£156 a month) |
- Gross yield
- 7.4%
- Net yield (before mortgage)
- 5.6%
Refinance
| New mortgage (75% of £260,000) | £195,000 |
| Bridging loan repaid | −£145,600 |
| Cash back out | £49,400 |
| Money left in the deal | £37,798 |
Return on the money left in: 4.9% a year.
Will a lender agree?
Lenders usually test the rent against interest at a higher “stress” rate, here 7%. Rent covers it by 125% (basic-rate taxpayers and companies): no; by 145% (higher-rate taxpayers): no. The rent supports a loan of about £176,503 or £152,158. Lenders differ.
- The rent may not pass a typical lender stress test: lenders often want rent to cover interest at 7% by 125%, which caps the loan near £176,503.
- Many lenders will not remortgage on a new valuation until you have owned the home for six months.
All figures are before income tax. Individual landlords cannot deduct mortgage interest in full (they get a 20% tax credit instead), so higher-rate taxpayers pay tax on more than their cash flow. This is a calculator, not financial advice. Read the guide