After you have gained experience in the letting of property, you may be ready for HMOs. An HMO mortgage specialist will be required to help you buy or convert an HMO property. If you currently own a property in a normal buy-to-let mortgage you will need remortgaging to an HMO.
This can give the term "unlicensed HMOS" a negative meaning, suggesting they are illegal or fleecy. Owners, local authorities and lenders call these smaller HMOs multi-lets or "HMOS Not Requiredly To Be Licensed", also known as "nonlicensable HMOs".
There are also some void periods. HMOs can have longer void times than traditional buy-to let. HMOs could also mean higher maintenance costs for landlords than traditional buy and let models. This could be because HMOs share common areas such as living rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms.
These complex properties are not suitable for lenders who are less risk-averse. The ones that are will be able to offer financing will most likely have their own criteria.
HMO properties are sometimes advertised as having irresistible gross yields of 100%+. Who wouldn't love a piece? The HMO sector has a high yield, but you need to be aware of your costs. This includes council tax, insurance costs, utility bills, management fees, rent arrears and any voids. In reality, an HMO can yield an ROI of 8-10% each year, compared to 4-5% for a single-tenancy purchase-to�let.
Once you have some experience in renting property, you might be able to transition to HMO letting. It is possible to either convert an existing property or purchase a new one. However, you will need a specialist HMO loan. If you already own a property with an ordinary buy-to - let mortgage, your lender will want to talk to you about remortgaging it to an HMO.
Multi lets work in the same way as HMOs, except that they are rented to non-related tenants and they share the common areas. The main difference is that multi lets are not licensed.