Question

What does it actually cost to be a landlord?

Answered

More than the mortgage, and the gap is where most first time landlords get caught out.

The predictable ones are insurance, safety certificates, letting agent fees if you use one, ground rent and service charge on a flat, and accountancy. The unpredictable ones are repairs, void periods and the occasional bad month.

A common rule of thumb is to set aside a fixed slice of the rent every month for maintenance and voids rather than treating the whole lot as income. What slice depends on the age and type of the property.

Tofta counts the dates in answers like this one.

Gas safety, electrical safety, EPC, insurance, licensing, and the end of your fixed rate. One iPhone app, still being built.

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