Local Housing Allowance here
South West Essex rates, 2026–27, a month: shared room £476 · 1 bed £775 · 2 beds £950 · 3 beds £1,200 · 4 beds £1,500. 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) | £83,100 |
| Stamp Duty Land Tax (additional-home rates) | £17,700 |
| Legal fees | £1,800 |
| Survey | £600 |
| Bridging fee (2%) | £3,878 |
| Bridging interest (6 months at 0.85% a month) | £9,889 |
| Total cash in | £116,967 |
Stamp Duty Land Tax: £17,700
| £0 – £125,000 | 5% | £6,250 |
| £125,000 – £250,000 | 7% | £8,750 |
| £250,000 – £277,000 | 10% | £2,700 |
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 | £15,228 |
| Mortgage payments (interest only, 5% on £259,500) | −£12,975 |
| Voids (5% of rent) | −£761 |
| Letting and management (10% of rent collected) | −£1,447 |
| Repairs and maintenance (8% of rent) | −£1,218 |
| Landlord insurance | −£350 |
| Cash flow before tax | −£1,523 (−£127 a month) |
- Gross yield
- 5.5%
- Net yield (before mortgage)
- 4.1%
Refinance
| New mortgage (75% of £346,000) | £259,500 |
| Bridging loan repaid | −£193,900 |
| Cash back out | £65,600 |
| Money left in the deal | £51,367 |
Return on the money left in: -3.0% 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 £174,034 or £150,030. 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 £174,034.
- 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