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) | £91,200 |
| Stamp Duty Land Tax (additional-home rates) | £20,400 |
| Legal fees | £1,800 |
| Survey | £600 |
| Bridging fee (2%) | £4,256 |
| Bridging interest (6 months at 0.85% a month) | £10,853 |
| Total cash in | £129,109 |
Stamp Duty Land Tax: £20,400
| £0 – £125,000 | 5% | £6,250 |
| £125,000 – £250,000 | 7% | £8,750 |
| £250,000 – £304,000 | 10% | £5,400 |
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 | £12,780 |
| Mortgage payments (interest only, 5% on £285,000) | −£14,250 |
| Voids (5% of rent) | −£639 |
| Letting and management (10% of rent collected) | −£1,214 |
| Repairs and maintenance (8% of rent) | −£1,022 |
| Landlord insurance | −£350 |
| Cash flow before tax | −£4,695 (−£391 a month) |
- Gross yield
- 4.2%
- Net yield (before mortgage)
- 3.1%
Refinance
| New mortgage (75% of £380,000) | £285,000 |
| Bridging loan repaid | −£212,800 |
| Cash back out | £72,200 |
| Money left in the deal | £56,909 |
Return on the money left in: -8.3% 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 £146,057 or £125,911. 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 £146,057.
- 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