Local Housing Allowance here
West Pennine rates, 2026–27, a month: shared room £311 · 1 bed £400 · 2 beds £450 · 3 beds £505 · 4 beds £763. 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) | £37,200 |
| Stamp Duty Land Tax (additional-home rates) | £6,200 |
| Legal fees | £1,800 |
| Survey | £600 |
| Bridging fee (2%) | £1,736 |
| Bridging interest (6 months at 0.85% a month) | £4,427 |
| Total cash in | £51,963 |
Stamp Duty Land Tax: £6,200
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 | £8,352 |
| Mortgage payments (interest only, 5% on £116,250) | −£5,812 |
| Voids (5% of rent) | −£418 |
| Letting and management (10% of rent collected) | −£793 |
| Repairs and maintenance (8% of rent) | −£668 |
| Landlord insurance | −£350 |
| Cash flow before tax | £310 (£26 a month) |
- Gross yield
- 6.7%
- Net yield (before mortgage)
- 4.9%
Refinance
| New mortgage (75% of £155,000) | £116,250 |
| Bridging loan repaid | −£86,800 |
| Cash back out | £29,450 |
| Money left in the deal | £22,513 |
Return on the money left in: 1.4% 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 £95,451 or £82,286. 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 £95,451.
- 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