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Year 5 disposal
BMV -15%
⊞ View all 7
47/ 100
Caution
7.89% return before costs — market rent unverified, verify rent + comps locally.
Why it works
- 7.89% return before costs — above-market
- Priced below market -15% vs 12 nearby sold (last 12 mo) — instant equity
- Stress Rent-covers-mortgage check PASS at 6.5% rate stress — lender-friendly
- EPC C — MEES compliant
Why to be cautious
- Leasehold 83yr — verify at solicitor
- Service charge unknown — could swing £100-300/mo
- Monthly profit −£162/mo — mildly negative — equity build may cover
- -3.0% 5y IRR — capital outlay disproportionate to returns
Property research tool — not a regulated financial service. Numbers are point-in-time estimates; how we decide →
Monthly cashflow
−£162/mo
You top up £162/mo
Price vs market
Below market value
-15% vs 12 sold · interior unseen
Return · IRR
-3.0%/yr
Loses money over 5 years
Cash left in
£41K
Stays in after refinancing at value
Price £165KCash to buy £62KReturn before costs on price 7.89%5-yr return on cash -8%Rent est. £1,085 (£1,044–£1,128)
How we define each return: On price — gross yield = annual rent ÷ purchase price. On cost — net yield ÷ total project cost (price + refurb + fees). On cash — cash-on-cash & ROI ÷ the actual cash you put in (deposit + costs).
What-if calculator
Rates as of 20 May 2026Buy-to-Let. Standard rental on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy. Single household, market rent, paid monthly direct to landlord (or via agent). (hover any strategy tab for pros + cons)
Offer (£)
Monthly rent (£)
Local comp range: £1,044–£1,128/mo · n=55
Financing
DepositYour cash in — the rest is the mortgage25% · £41,250
Standard 75% LTV for BTL
Mortgage rate5y fixed5.8%
5-year fixed at 75% LTV — 5.75% (as of 2026-05-20).
Mortgage term (years)
Stress rate6.5%
BoE base + 2pp stress (6.5%)
Acquisition costs
Refurb (£)
Per-property refurb estimate from the element rate-card model (£4,813–£8,984 range), VAT-inclusive
Legal + survey (£)
Leasehold flat — £1,500 legal + £500 survey
Mortgage fees (£)
2% product fee on £123,750 loan + £1,000 booking fee
Running costs
Management10%
Typical BTL agency rate
Void weeks
Typical voids for BTL
Insurance (£/mo)
Typical BTL building+landlord cover for sub-£200K
Maintenance (£/mo)
Semi/flat: £67/mo proxy
Leasehold costs
Result · Rent it out
Monthly profit
-£162
after mortgage, operating costs & tax
Rent in£1,085/mo gross
£1,043/mo collected · £42/mo lost to voids
Where it goes
£670Mortgage£535Costs
Outgoings exceed rent — you top up £162/mo
Mortgage£670
Costs£535
Management£109
Maintenance£67
Insurance£20
CapEx reserve£54
Voids + council tax£7
Service charge + ground rent£175
Ltd co. accounts£104
Tax—
Shortfall−£162
Returns
Return before costs on price7.89%
Cash return on cash-3.13%
Gross margin£508
Cash needed£62,192
Monthly profit paybackn/a (monthly loss)
Data confidence
Lender stress test
Rent-covers-mortgage check @ stress1.56
Rent-covers-mortgage check PASS · stress 6.5% (target 1.45)
Year-by-year Monthly profit (5-yr horizon)
Net Monthly profit after tax. Rent + costs compound at their growth rates; mortgage principal amortises year-by-year for repayment loans.
Mortgage paydownRent profitbefore price growth
Full year-by-year breakdown
| Year | Gross Rent | Op Costs | Mortgage | Equity Built | Tax | Net | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | £13,020 | £6,425 | £8,044 | £0 | £0 | -£1,449 | -£1,449 |
| Year 2 | £13,411 | £6,618 | £8,044 | £0 | £0 | -£1,251 | -£2,700 |
| Year 3 | £13,813 | £6,816 | £8,044 | £0 | £0 | -£1,047 | -£3,747 |
| Year 4 | £14,227 | £7,021 | £8,044 | £0 | £0 | -£837 | -£4,584 |
| Year 5 | £14,654 | £7,231 | £8,044 | £0 | £0 | -£621 | -£5,205 |
Disposal gain (gross)-£4,848
CGT£0
Net Disposal proceeds£177,619
What we verified
What we verified
33053 ok · 3 caution · 0 fail · 5 unknown
Legal & planning
Leasehold83 yr
Tenure & planning83 yr
Legal & planning
2 checks- TenureLeasehold
- Lease lengthUnknown
Building condition
Energy ratingC
EPC& 2030 deadlineEPC register
▼
ABCDEFG
Current rating
From listing descriptionBand C
MEES 2030 compliance
C required for new tenancies
PASS
EPC band from listing · verify certificate before exchanging
Find EPC certificate →Cladding safety certificateNot stated on the listing
EWS1& cladding statusListing signal
OKInfoVerifyCritical
Severity
Inferred from listing text
Verify
Lender impact
No EWS1 / floor info in description. Buildings > 11 m need EWS1 or PAS 9980 — confirm height + status with the agent before offering.
Verify with lender
A1/A2 = mortgageable · B1 = mortgageable with plan · B2 = remediation required
RICS EWS1 guidance →HeritageNot stated on the listing
Heritage& planning constraintsNHLE register
We don't ingest the NHLE bulk register, so we can't flag listed-building or conservation-area status for this address from our data alone. Use the official registry to verify before exchanging.
Area
Flood riskChecking…
FloodriskEA
Crime riskChecking…
Crimeriskpolice.uk
SchoolsChecking…
Schools& Ofsted catchmentGIAS register
No schools indexed for this postcode sector.
Investor
Tenant profileMixed demand
Tenant profilelikely cohortHP2 6AH · 1 bed
Primary profile
Mixed demand
Nearest university
for student-let assessment
University College London · 35.2 km
Reason
Mixed-demand area without a single dominant tenant cohort. Local lettings agent can clarify.
Heuristic from postcode + bedrooms + nearest-university distance · verify locally
Refurb costEstimate ready
Refurb cost& works budgetQ1 2026 rates
New kitchen + bathroom + light replumb + decor.
Total estimate
1-bed · 1-bath · 630 sqft
£19k–£37k
£ per sqft
building cost only
£29–£58
Per-item breakdown (4 lines)
- Kitchen · Full unit replacement£3,840–£8,640
- 1 × bathroom · Full strip + retile£3,325–£6,650
- Paint + decor£4,410–£8,190
- Flooring · Carpet on bedrooms + LVT/laminate downstairs£6,930–£13,230
Guide rates · UK May 2026 · sqft auto-estimated from beds
Tier-based bands — get a builder quote before exchanging.
Rent by the room licensingN/A
Price & sale history0d on marketno cuts yet
Strategy matrix
Rent it out wins — -£162/mo · level with Refurb & refinance
| Strategy | Return before costs on price | Monthly profit | Cash needed | 5y Return on your cash on cash | Risk | Feasibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐ Rent it out | 7.89% | -£162 | £62,192 | -8.4% | Low | Feasible |
| Housing-benefit rent | 6.89% | -£336 | £62,192 | -23.0% | Med | Feasible |
| Council lease | 0.00% | -£1,036 | £62,192 | -102.2% | Low | Feasible |
| Refurb & refinance | 7.89% | -£162 | £73,009 | -7.1% | Med | Feasible |
| Short-stay let / Airbnb | — | — | — | — | — | Disabledno local short-let data |
| Buy, improve & sell | 0.00% | -£366 | £185,034 | 6% | Med | Feasible |
| Rent by the room | — | — | — | — | — | Disabledneeds 3+ beds |
Housing-benefit (LHA) scheme detailBRMA South West Herts · cap £947/mo
Housing-benefit rent scheme detail
- Rental Market Area (BRMA):
- South West Herts
- LHA monthly cap:
- £947
Ready to move on this deal?
Generates an offer pack with your numbers & sources — take it to the agent.
Pro analysis — outcome range, stress tests & portfolio impact
Local lettings demanddays-to-let · supply now · trend
Rent by the room conversion upside
+£271/mo cash flow vs Rent it out if converted to Rent by the room
17.45% Return before costs on price converted vs 7.89% as-is
As-is Rent it out
Monthly profit+£27
Return before costs on price7.89%
Cash needed£53,148
If converted to Rent by the room
Monthly profit+£298
Return before costs on price17.45%
Cash needed£69,148
Δ vs Rent it out Monthly profit+£271
Show conversion detail
Cannot Rent by the room:Only 1 bed — too small for an HMO (3+ unrelated tenants from 2+ households) without major reconfiguration.
Comparables
sold within 0.5 miWide · CV 34.3%Med confidence
Loading nearby sold…
Location & area intelligence
Transport score100 / 100
On the map
- Registered HMOs
- Approved HMO conversions
- Pending HMO applications
Schools & catchment3 schools nearby
Nearby schoolsOfsted-rated, nearest first3 of 5
- GoodGaddesden Row JMI SchoolPrimary · Community school · HP2 6HG
- Not ratedRedbourn Park SchoolNot applicable · Other independent special school · HP2 6BH
- Not ratedAycliffe Drive Primary SchoolPrimary · Community school · HP2 6LJ
Ofsted · postcode-area match. Catchment areas vary year to year — verify with the local council before relying for school admissions.
Tax treatment
Annual gross rent£13,020
Section 24 credit£0
Annual tax due£0
Post-tax Monthly profit annual-£1,950
Exit costs
Projected sale price (5y · 2%/yr growth)£182,173
Capital gain (pre-CGT)£17,173
Sale costs (~2.5%)£4,554
CGT due (Ltd Co 25%)£0
No personal CGT — the gain is taxed at the company level (corporation tax) when the SPV disposes of the property.
Net 5y Monthly profit after CGT-£5,205
Rates as of Oct 2024
Acquisition costs
£62,192cash neededPurchase price£165,000
Deposit (25%)£41,250
Stamp duty+5% additional-property surcharge£9,050
Refurb£6,417
Legal + survey£2,000
Mortgage fees£3,475
Total cash neededdeposit + costs (loan covers the rest)£62,192
Green = verified data. Amber = market typical. Red = our estimate — verify before offering.
About this propertydescription · zoopla
Description& agent copyZoopla
Offered for sale with no onward chain, this well-presented one-bedroom apartment in Hemel Hempstead provides practical and well-proportioned accommodation in a convenient location. The property comprises a reception room with space for living and dining, a separate bedroom and a bathroom.
Hemel Hempstead town centre is within easy reach, offering a variety of shops, supermarkets, cafés, restaurants and leisure facilities, including a cinema and gyms. Nearby parks and green s…
Floor plans
Listing metazoopla · Your Move - Hemel Hempstead
About this listing
ZooplaPrice history
5-year price trend
Monthly profit
−£162
Cash needed
£62K
Return after costs
-3.13%
IRR
-3.01%
Livingstone Walk, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire HP2
flat · 1 bed · 1 bath
£165,000
est £1,085 · 7.89% gross
Leasehold 83yrEPC C
Priced below market
1 / 7
47/100
Caution
7.89% — verify the rent + comps locally.
Priced below market -15% vs 12 nearby sold (last 12 mo)
Stress Rent-covers-mortgage check PASS at 6.5% rate stress
7.89% Return before costs — above-market
Lease 83 yrs — extend before exit
Price
£165K
15% below sold comps
Return before costs
7.89%
est rent £1,085/monot enough comparablesRange £1,044–£1,128/mo (Q1–Q3)
Bedrooms
1
1 bath
Energy rating
C
Energy rating
Run the numbers
What-if calculator
Rates as of 20 May 2026Buy-to-Let. Standard rental on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy. Single household, market rent, paid monthly direct to landlord (or via agent). (hover any strategy tab for pros + cons)
Offer (£)
Monthly rent (£)
Local comp range: £1,044–£1,128/mo · n=55
Financing
DepositYour cash in — the rest is the mortgage25% · £41,250
Standard 75% LTV for BTL
Mortgage rate5y fixed5.8%
5-year fixed at 75% LTV — 5.75% (as of 2026-05-20).
Mortgage term (years)
Stress rate6.5%
BoE base + 2pp stress (6.5%)
Acquisition costs
Refurb (£)
Per-property refurb estimate from the element rate-card model (£4,813–£8,984 range), VAT-inclusive
Legal + survey (£)
Leasehold flat — £1,500 legal + £500 survey
Mortgage fees (£)
2% product fee on £123,750 loan + £1,000 booking fee
Running costs
Management10%
Typical BTL agency rate
Void weeks
Typical voids for BTL
Insurance (£/mo)
Typical BTL building+landlord cover for sub-£200K
Maintenance (£/mo)
Semi/flat: £67/mo proxy
Leasehold costs
Result · Rent it out
Monthly profit
-£162
after mortgage, operating costs & tax
Rent in£1,085/mo gross
£1,043/mo collected · £42/mo lost to voids
Where it goes
£670Mortgage£535Costs
Outgoings exceed rent — you top up £162/mo
Mortgage£670
Costs£535
Management£109
Maintenance£67
Insurance£20
CapEx reserve£54
Voids + council tax£7
Service charge + ground rent£175
Ltd co. accounts£104
Tax—
Shortfall−£162
Returns
Return before costs on price7.89%
Cash return on cash-3.13%
Gross margin£508
Cash needed£62,192
Monthly profit paybackn/a (monthly loss)
Data confidence
Lender stress test
Rent-covers-mortgage check @ stress1.56
Rent-covers-mortgage check PASS · stress 6.5% (target 1.45)
Housing-benefit (LHA) scheme detailBRMA South West Herts · cap £947/mo
Housing-benefit rent scheme detail
- Rental Market Area (BRMA):
- South West Herts
- LHA monthly cap:
- £947
Year-by-year Monthly profit (5-yr horizon)
Net Monthly profit after tax. Rent + costs compound at their growth rates; mortgage principal amortises year-by-year for repayment loans.
Mortgage paydownRent profitbefore price growth
Full year-by-year breakdown
| Year | Gross Rent | Op Costs | Mortgage | Equity Built | Tax | Net | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | £13,020 | £6,425 | £8,044 | £0 | £0 | -£1,449 | -£1,449 |
| Year 2 | £13,411 | £6,618 | £8,044 | £0 | £0 | -£1,251 | -£2,700 |
| Year 3 | £13,813 | £6,816 | £8,044 | £0 | £0 | -£1,047 | -£3,747 |
| Year 4 | £14,227 | £7,021 | £8,044 | £0 | £0 | -£837 | -£4,584 |
| Year 5 | £14,654 | £7,231 | £8,044 | £0 | £0 | -£621 | -£5,205 |
Rent by the room upside
What we verified
3306
Legal & planning▾
Article 4HMO restriction lookupUnknown
Rent by the room licensingMandatory if 5+ unrelatedN/A
TenureLeasehold years remaining83 yr
HeritageListed building / conservation areaNot stated on the listing
Building condition▾
EPCEnergy efficiency ratingC
EWS1External wall safety (cladding)Not stated on the listing
Refurb costBased on beds + baths + sqftEstimate available
Area▾
Crimepolice.uk · monthlyChecking…
SchoolsGIAS · OfstedChecking…
FloodEA Flood Map · England onlyChecking…
Investor profile▾
Tenant profileBeds + postcode heuristicFamily let
Rent by the room feasibilityMin 3 beds for C4 routeBelow threshold
Comparables
sold within 0.5 miWide · CV 34.3%Med confidence
Loading nearby sold…
Location & transport
Tax & exit
Tax bandLtd Co 25%
Mortgage-interest tax rule credit£1,609
Annual rental tax£0
CGT yr 5£0 · company level
5y net total-£5,205
Acquisition costs
25% deposit£41,250
Stamp duty£9,050
Refurb£6,417
Legal + survey£2,000
Mortgage + broker£3,475
Cash needed£62,192
Green = verified data. Amber = market typical. Red = our estimate — verify before offering.
Make an offer
Pro analysis — outcome range, stress tests & portfolio impact
Your notes
Description& agent copyZoopla
Offered for sale with no onward chain, this well-presented one-bedroom apartment in Hemel Hempstead provides practical and well-proportioned accommodation in a convenient location. The property comprises a reception room with space for living and dining, a separate bedroom and a bathroom.
Hemel Hempstead town centre is within easy reach, offering a variety of shops, supermarkets, cafés, restaurants and leisure facilities, including a cinema and gyms. Nearby parks and green s…
Floor plans
Listing
Sources: Rightmove · HM Land Registry · Ofsted · EA Flood Zones
Estimates not financial advice
Estimates not financial advice