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Year 5 disposal
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0/ 100
Weak
5.31% return before costs — market rent unverified, verify rent + comps locally.
Why it works
Why to be cautious
- EPC D — must hit C by 2030 (~£3,000–£7,000)
- Auction lot — bridging-only finance, 28-day completion
- Floor area 330 sqft — small for the type
- Monthly profit −£374/mo — significantly negative — real recurring drain
Property research tool — not a regulated financial service. Numbers are point-in-time estimates; how we decide →
Monthly cashflow
−£374/mo
You top up £374/mo
Price vs market
Above comparable sales
+36% vs 12 sold
Return · IRR
-3.8%/yr
Loses money over 5 years
Cash to get in
£131K
Deposit + fees + refurb
Price £360KReturn before costs on price 5.31%5-yr return on cash -11%Rent est. £1,593 (£1,593–£1,593)
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: £1,593–£1,593/mo · n=5
Financing
DepositYour cash in — the rest is the mortgage25% · £90,000
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 (£4,627–£8,637 range), VAT-inclusive
Legal + survey (£)
Standard house — £1,400 legal + £750 survey
Mortgage fees (£)
2% product fee on £270,000 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 £200K–£400K
Maintenance (£/mo)
Semi/flat: £67/mo proxy
Leasehold costs
Result · Rent it out
Monthly profit
-£374
after mortgage, operating costs & tax
Rent in£1,593/mo gross
£1,532/mo collected · £61/mo lost to voids
Where it goes
£1,463Mortgage£443Costs
Outgoings exceed rent — you top up £374/mo
Mortgage£1,463
Costs£443
Management£159
Maintenance£67
Insurance£28
CapEx reserve£80
Voids + council tax£5
Ltd co. accounts£104
Tax—
Shortfall−£374
Returns
Return before costs on price5.31%
Cash return on cash-3.43%
Gross margin£1,088
Cash needed£130,719
Monthly profit paybackn/a (monthly loss)
Data confidence
Lender stress test
Rent-covers-mortgage check @ stress1.05
Rent-covers-mortgage check FAIL · stress 6.5% (need ≥ 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 | £19,116 | £5,321 | £17,550 | £0 | £0 | -£3,755 | -£3,755 |
| Year 2 | £19,689 | £5,481 | £17,550 | £0 | £0 | -£3,341 | -£7,096 |
| Year 3 | £20,280 | £5,645 | £17,550 | £0 | £0 | -£2,915 | -£10,011 |
| Year 4 | £20,889 | £5,814 | £17,550 | £0 | £0 | -£2,476 | -£12,486 |
| Year 5 | £21,515 | £5,989 | £17,550 | £0 | £0 | -£2,023 | -£14,510 |
Disposal gain (gross)-£6,787
CGT£0
Net Disposal proceeds£387,532
What we verified
What we verified
42064 ok · 2 caution · 0 fail · 6 unknown
Legal & planning
LeaseholdFreehold
Tenure & planningFreehold
Legal & planning
1 checks- TenureFreehold
Council planning restrictionUnknown
Council planning restrictionRent by the room conversion gatePlanning data
Rent by the room restriction
C3 to C4 conversion
Unknown
Confidence
low
Source
No LPA data for this prefix
Rates as of May 2026
Building condition
Energy ratingD
EPC& 2030 deadlineEPC register
▼
ABCDEFG
Current rating
From listing descriptionBand D
MEES 2030 compliance
C required for new tenancies
FAIL
Upgrade to C
estimated cost
£3k–£7k
EPC band from listing · verify certificate before exchanging
Find EPC certificate →Cladding safety certificateNot stated on the listing
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 profileFamily let
Tenant profilelikely cohortCO1 2SP · 4 bed
Primary profile
Family let
Secondary profile
HMO / sharers
Nearest university
for student-let assessment
University of Cambridge · 65.4 km
Reason
4-bed house in a suburban area — family-let demand dominates; larger property may also work as a sharer HMO.
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
4-bed · 2-bath · 330 sqft
£16k–£33k
£ per sqft
building cost only
£50–£100
Per-item breakdown (4 lines)
- Kitchen · Full unit replacement£3,840–£8,640
- 2 × bathroom · Full strip + retile£6,650–£13,300
- Paint + decor£2,310–£4,290
- Flooring · Carpet on bedrooms + LVT/laminate downstairs£3,630–£6,930
Guide rates · UK May 2026
Tier-based bands — get a builder quote before exchanging.
Rent by the room licensingStandard rules
HMO licensing5-year licenceCouncil
Licence fee
5-year mandatory
£825–£1,500
Scheme type
Check council
The council's HMO page lists the current mandatory fee plus any additional / selective scheme that catches smaller HMOs.
Mandatory licensing applies to 5+ sharer HMOs (Housing Act 2004)
Find council HMO page →Price & sale history0d on marketno cuts yet
Strategy matrix
Rent it out wins — -£374/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 | 5.31% | -£374 | £130,719 | -11.1% | Low | Feasible |
| Housing-benefit rent | 4.16% | -£733 | £130,719 | -26.9% | Med | Feasible |
| Council lease | 4.16% | -£477 | £130,719 | -19.1% | Low | Feasible |
| Refurb & refinance | 5.31% | -£374 | £151,187 | -9.6% | Med | Feasible |
| Short-stay let / Airbnb | — | — | — | — | — | Disabledno local short-let data |
| Buy, improve & sell | 0.00% | -£199 | £396,787 | 8% | Med | Feasible |
| Rent by the room | 8.67% | -£431 | £130,719 | -7.0% | — | Feasible |
Housing-benefit (LHA) scheme detailBRMA Colchester · cap £1,247/mo
Housing-benefit rent scheme detail
- Rental Market Area (BRMA):
- Colchester
- LHA monthly cap:
- £1,247
- Scheme type:
- PSL
- Premium:
- +0% premium over LHA cap
- Management:
- management covered by council
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
-£77/mo cash flow vs Rent it out if converted to Rent by the room
8.00% Return before costs on price converted vs 5.31% as-is
As-is Rent it out
Monthly profit-£316
Return before costs on price5.31%
Cash needed£101,898
If converted to Rent by the room
Monthly profit-£394
Return before costs on price8.00%
Cash needed£117,898
Δ vs Rent it out Monthly profit-£77
Show conversion detail
Conversion cost estimate
£30,000
Range: £24,000 – £38,000
Fire safety, plumbing, partitioning, licensing.
Rates as of Apr 2026
£31,590–£59,630full refurb + room split
What's in this cost
- Kitchen£8,640–£17,280
- 2 × bathroom£11,400–£20,900
- Rewire£1,320–£2,310
- Replumb£990–£1,980
- Windows£3,300–£5,940
- Paint + decor£2,310–£4,290
- Flooring£3,630–£6,930
Comparables
sold within 0.5 miWide · CV 20.9%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
- OutstandingSt Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, ColchesterPrimary · Academy converter · CO1 2QB
- GoodSt James the Great Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · Academy sponsor led · CO1 2RA
- Not ratedKendall Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · Voluntary controlled school · CO1 2HH
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£19,116
Section 24 credit£0
Annual tax due£0
Post-tax Monthly profit annual-£4,490
Exit costs
Projected sale price (5y · 2%/yr growth)£397,469
Capital gain (pre-CGT)£37,469
Sale costs (~2.5%)£9,937
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-£14,510
Rates as of Oct 2024
Acquisition costs
£130,719cash neededPurchase price£360,000
Deposit (25%)£90,000
Stamp duty+5% additional-property surcharge£26,000
Refurb£6,169
Legal + survey£2,150
Mortgage fees£6,400
Total cash neededdeposit + costs (loan covers the rest)£130,719
Green = verified data. Amber = market typical. Red = our estimate — verify before offering.
About this propertydescription · zoopla
Description& agent copyZoopla
For sale by auction on Wednesday, 21 Oct 2026 at 10:00
Venue: Livestream Auction
Two freehold houses with planning permission granted for an additional dwelling to be erected between them
A vacant two bedroom semi-detached house with planning permission to erect a new dwelling to the party wall plus a two bedroom end terrace house currently let and achieving a rental income of £950 per calendar month. The properties are located close to Essex University and Colchester Hyth…
Floor plans
Listing metazoopla · Auction House East Anglia
About this listing
ZooplaPrice history
5-year price trend
Monthly profit
−£374
Cash needed
£131K
Return after costs
-3.43%
IRR
-3.83%
173-175 Greenstead Road, Colchester, Essex CO1
semi-detached · 4 bed · 330 sqft
£360,000
est £1,593 · 5.31% gross
EPC D
1 / 21
0/100
Marginal
5.31% — verify the rent + comps locally.
Energy rating D — must hit C by 2030 (~£3,000–£7,000)
Price
£360K
36% above sold comps
Return before costs
5.31%
est rent £1,593/monot enough comparables
Bedrooms
4
— bath
Energy rating
D
Energy rating
Deal flags2 issues
Auction
Guide price — assume +20-30% in the room
EPC D — upgrade by 2030
Must reach EPC C by 2030 to let on a new tenancy
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: £1,593–£1,593/mo · n=5
Financing
DepositYour cash in — the rest is the mortgage25% · £90,000
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 (£4,627–£8,637 range), VAT-inclusive
Legal + survey (£)
Standard house — £1,400 legal + £750 survey
Mortgage fees (£)
2% product fee on £270,000 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 £200K–£400K
Maintenance (£/mo)
Semi/flat: £67/mo proxy
Leasehold costs
Result · Rent it out
Monthly profit
-£374
after mortgage, operating costs & tax
Rent in£1,593/mo gross
£1,532/mo collected · £61/mo lost to voids
Where it goes
£1,463Mortgage£443Costs
Outgoings exceed rent — you top up £374/mo
Mortgage£1,463
Costs£443
Management£159
Maintenance£67
Insurance£28
CapEx reserve£80
Voids + council tax£5
Ltd co. accounts£104
Tax—
Shortfall−£374
Returns
Return before costs on price5.31%
Cash return on cash-3.43%
Gross margin£1,088
Cash needed£130,719
Monthly profit paybackn/a (monthly loss)
Data confidence
Lender stress test
Rent-covers-mortgage check @ stress1.05
Rent-covers-mortgage check FAIL · stress 6.5% (need ≥ 1.45)
Housing-benefit (LHA) scheme detailBRMA Colchester · cap £1,247/mo
Housing-benefit rent scheme detail
- Rental Market Area (BRMA):
- Colchester
- LHA monthly cap:
- £1,247
- Scheme type:
- PSL
- Premium:
- +0% premium over LHA cap
- Management:
- management covered by council
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 | £19,116 | £5,321 | £17,550 | £0 | £0 | -£3,755 | -£3,755 |
| Year 2 | £19,689 | £5,481 | £17,550 | £0 | £0 | -£3,341 | -£7,096 |
| Year 3 | £20,280 | £5,645 | £17,550 | £0 | £0 | -£2,915 | -£10,011 |
| Year 4 | £20,889 | £5,814 | £17,550 | £0 | £0 | -£2,476 | -£12,486 |
| Year 5 | £21,515 | £5,989 | £17,550 | £0 | £0 | -£2,023 | -£14,510 |
Rent by the room upside
What we verified
4306
Legal & planning▾
Article 4HMO restriction lookupUnknown
Rent by the room licensingMandatory if 5+ unrelatedCheck LPA
TenureTenure typeFreehold
HeritageListed building / conservation areaNot stated on the listing
Building condition▾
EPC~£3,000–£7,000 to upgrade to CD
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 / Rent by the room
Rent by the room feasibilityMin 3 beds for C4 routeFeasible
Sale typeGuide price — assume +20-30% in the roomAuction
Comparables
sold within 0.5 miWide · CV 20.9%Med confidence
Loading nearby sold…
Location & transport
Tax & exit
Tax bandLtd Co 25%
Mortgage-interest tax rule credit£3,510
Annual rental tax£0
CGT yr 5£0 · company level
5y net total-£14,510
Acquisition costs
25% deposit£90,000
Stamp duty£26,000
Refurb£6,169
Legal + survey£2,150
Mortgage + broker£6,400
Cash needed£130,719
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
For sale by auction on Wednesday, 21 Oct 2026 at 10:00
Venue: Livestream Auction
Two freehold houses with planning permission granted for an additional dwelling to be erected between them
A vacant two bedroom semi-detached house with planning permission to erect a new dwelling to the party wall plus a two bedroom end terrace house currently let and achieving a rental income of £950 per calendar month. The properties are located close to Essex University and Colchester Hyth…
Floor plans
Listing
Sources: Rightmove · HM Land Registry · Ofsted · EA Flood Zones
Estimates not financial advice
Estimates not financial advice