A Guide to HMO Investing And The New 2018 HMO Regulations
As of 1st October 2018, new House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) rules came into effect in England. If you’re planning to venture in HMO investing, then it’s time to be in the know and get updated.
In today’s episode of Progressive Property Podcast, Peter Jones shares everything you need to know about HMO Property Investing and the new HMO regulations 2018. There are different kinds of HMOs and different types of tenants so Peter gives a quick rundown on the fundamentals. Discover how you could structure your property portfolio to make the maximum return of cash. Know also the pros and cons of having investments on houses of multiple occupations.
And, if you’re one of the HMO owners who have still unlicensed properties then better learn how to update them quickly. Let Peter help you and answer your questions. Connect with him!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Consider the area before HMO investing. Not every local area is the same. Not every tenant is gonna want the same type of property. For example, if you want your HMO to be near the centre, your tenants maybe young professionals or millennials. Do you want it near the commercial area or residential area? Conduct a specific research on the demographics of tenants - what cost can they afford, how near do they want to stay, etc. HMOs are heavily regulated. If not regulated, these properties could be a fire risk or a social problem. As of October 2018, a license is needed if there is more than one family or at least 5 tenants. It can be applied through your local authority. The local authority/city council is also looking if you're fit or competent on investing in the HMOs. Peter advises you to go to an agent to help you show your competency. The local authority/city council is also looking on the property features and amenities your offering. They're strictly following the regulations. If your chosen area is under Article 4, you have to get requirements like a license and a planning consent from your local authority. Article 4 is a planning device given to local authorities from the central government which allows local authorities to regulate the proliferation of HMOs. HMOs are management-intensive. Peter’s advice is to not invest in any HMO in an area where you can’t find a competent agent. Start at finding on the right agent. Go to a specialist HMO mortgage broker to find you the right lender. HMO is a letting business so finding the right lender and valuer can increase commercial valuation on a cash basis – the rental they produced. When creating HMOs, they need certain requirements for shared accommodation. Some people, when they need space, would build a conservatory as an extension. If it’s of the right size, then you don’t need a planning council.BEST MOMENTS
"Be very careful. Make sure you understand the regulations in your area." “The upside of creating an HMO is that the income can be fantastic when all rooms are rented out. The downside is you often find – depending on who your target market is & depending where your HMO is actually located – that the tenants can be rather come and go quickly.” “The reality is if you want to make a decent profit from your property, you want to do the work.”ABOUT THE HOST
Peter Jones is a Chartered Surveyor, an author and a serial buy-to-let property investor. He has been involved in property for over 35 years and now owns 78 letting units. He is still actively involved in buying and renovating property, and regularly flips properties for profit. Peter has written a number of successful property books. The first, An Insider’s Guide to Successful Property Investing, was first published in 2000 and was one, if not the very first, book of its kind which was written for what we’d now call buy-to-let investors.
On the back of its success he was invited to be a guest writer for Property Secrets, and wrote Spanish Property Secrets, French Property Secrets, and Portugal Property Secrets. He has since written a number of other successful titles dealing with UK investing including 63 Common Defects in Investment Property and How to Spot Them, the highly acclaimed The Successful Property Investor’s Strategy Workshopand The Property Renovator’s Workshop, in which Peter describes step-by-step how he built his own property portfolio, starting with virtually none of his own money.
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