Young families
What they look for
Outstanding primary schools, riverside walks, off street parking, garden space.
Property fit
Three bedroom semi or detached, two reception rooms, garage useful.
Investing in
village stock.
A working guide to buying a buy to let in Brampton, Huntingdon, Godmanchester and the surrounding villages. Finance, structure, yields, the tenant pools you'll be marketing to, and where the Renters' Rights Act 2026 changes the calculus.
Know the tenant before the property.
Most investment mistakes start with the property and try to find a tenant afterwards. Reverse the order: decide who you want to let to, then buy the property they'll most want to live in.
Commuter professionals
What they look for
Five minute walk to the station (Huntingdon to King's Cross in 50 min) or guided busway to Cambridge.
Property fit
Two bedroom flat or terrace, modern kitchen, in property utilities.
Downsizers
What they look for
Single level living, walking distance to the high street, low maintenance garden.
Property fit
Two bedroom bungalow, ground floor flat with private outdoor space.
RAF families and defence contractors
What they look for
Proximity to RAF Wyton, RAF Alconbury and the Brampton garrison.
Property fit
Three or four bedroom family homes, furnished or unfurnished.
What the local numbers look like.
Indicative gross yields based on recent sales prices and our own agreed rents over the last twelve months. Net yields are typically 2 to 3 percentage points lower after management, compliance, voids and a sensible maintenance reserve. Use as a directional guide, not a prospectus.
| Area & stock | Typical purchase | Achievable rent | Gross yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntingdon, two bedroom flat | £190,000 | £995 pcm | ~6.3% |
| Brampton, three bedroom terrace | £325,000 | £1,500 pcm | ~5.5% |
| Godmanchester, three bedroom semi | £395,000 | £1,650 pcm | ~5.0% |
| Buckden, four bedroom detached | £575,000 | £2,150 pcm | ~4.5% |
| St Ives, two bedroom cottage | £275,000 | £1,200 pcm | ~5.2% |
Six things to get right.
01
Define what you're optimising for
Pure yield, capital growth, or a mix? A two bedroom flat in central Huntingdon will yield well; a family home in a popular village will appreciate well; you can't have the absolute best of both. Decide first, then look for stock.
02
Get a mortgage agreement in principle
Speak to a buy to let broker before viewing. Lenders assess BTL applications on rental cover (typically 125% to 145% of mortgage interest at a stressed rate) rather than your salary alone. You'll know your real ceiling before you fall in love with a property you can't quite stretch to.
03
Budget for stamp duty
There's a 5% surcharge on second homes and buy to let purchases on top of standard SDLT. On a £300,000 purchase that's £20,000 in SDLT total, a meaningful line in your spreadsheet, and a reason many investors prefer to hold in a limited company structure.
04
Decide on ownership structure
Personal name, joint personal, or limited company. Each has tax and inheritance implications. A specialist tax adviser is worth the consultation fee; what you spend on them you'll typically save many times over.
05
Plan the legal and compliance budget
On top of purchase costs, allow £1,500 to £2,500 for conveyancing on a typical Cambridgeshire BTL, plus EPC, gas safety, EICR and our setup fee (£795 + VAT) before a tenant moves in. Build a 5% contingency for surprises uncovered during legals or survey.
06
Refurbish smart, not lavish
Spend on the kitchen, the bathroom, the flooring and the front door, the four things every viewer notices. Don't spend on bespoke joinery, designer lighting or anything bespoke to your taste. Tenants want a blank canvas.
The bits HMRC cares about.
Personal name BTL rental profit is taxed as income at your marginal rate. Since the Section 24 reforms, mortgage interest is no longer deducted from rental income; instead, you get a 20% tax credit on the interest paid. For higher and additional rate taxpayers this materially changes the maths and is the single biggest reason investors move properties into limited company structures.
Capital gains tax applies on sale: 18% for basic rate taxpayers, 24% for higher rate, with an annual exempt amount that has shrunk materially in recent years. A specialist property accountant will earn back their fee many times over within your first tax return; we can introduce you to local firms we work with regularly.
This page isn't tax advice. We're happy to walk you through the shape of the decision, but for your own circumstances always consult a qualified accountant or tax adviser.
Investor questions, answered.
What deposit will I need on a buy-to-let mortgage?
Most BTL lenders require a minimum 25% deposit; the best rates typically begin at 35% to 40%. So on a £300,000 purchase you'd be putting down £75,000 to £120,000 depending on which rate you want to access. Higher loan to value products do exist but you'll pay materially more in interest, which compresses your yield.
What's a realistic gross yield in Cambridgeshire villages?
Across the local market we see 4.5% to 6.5% gross depending on property type and area. Town flats yield highest, large village houses yield lowest but appreciate fastest. Net yield (after management, compliance, voids and maintenance) is typically 2 to 3 percentage points lower than gross; a realistic 6% gross will net you around 3.5% to 4%.
Should I hold the property in my own name or via a limited company?
It depends on your marginal income tax rate, the number of properties you intend to own, and your inheritance objectives. As a rule of thumb: a single property held by a basic rate taxpayer is usually simpler in personal name; three or more properties, or any property held by a higher or additional rate taxpayer, often makes sense in a limited company structure. We can introduce you to local tax advisers who specialise in property; they'll model it for your specific numbers.
How does the Renters' Rights Act 2026 change the case for buy to let?
The Act extends the time it takes to remove a non paying tenant and tightens the grounds you can use, which makes tenant selection materially more important. It does NOT cap rents, ban evictions on valid grounds, or fundamentally undermine the model; it makes it more like the European norm. Strong properties in strong locations let to strong tenants will still perform; speculative buys at the margin of affordability will not. Pick well.
What's the best property type to buy as a first BTL locally?
For a first time investor we'd typically recommend a two or three bedroom terrace or semi in Brampton, Godmanchester or Huntingdon, under £350,000, walking distance to amenities, with off street parking and a small garden. Stock like this lets quickly, attracts long term tenants, and is easy to remarket. Avoid leasehold flats with high service charges, anything over 100 years old without recent works, and anywhere a tenant would need a car to reach a shop.
Are there areas you'd avoid?
We'd be cautious about new build apartment blocks where the developer's pricing has run ahead of resale comparables, and anywhere a single employer (a particular factory, a particular military base) is the dominant tenant pool. Diversified tenant demand makes for a more resilient investment over the long run.
What ongoing costs should I budget for beyond the mortgage?
Management fee (10% to 15% + VAT depending on tier), annual gas safety (£85 to £100 + VAT), five yearly EICR (£200 to £250 + VAT), 10 yearly EPC (£95 + VAT), insurance (landlord buildings plus contents, typically £250 to £400 a year), maintenance reserve (we recommend setting aside 1 month of rent per year as a maintenance fund), and a vacancy reserve (allow 2 to 4 weeks per year between tenancies).
Can I buy a property with a tenant already in place?
Yes; these are sometimes called 'tenanted purchases'. You inherit the existing tenancy on the same terms, including the assured periodic regime from 1 May 2026. Make sure the seller's solicitor passes you the full file: the agreement, deposit protection certificates, gas/EICR/EPC, the inventory, and any compliance records. We can review the file before you exchange if you'd like.
Do you offer a property sourcing service?
We don't operate a paid sourcing service, but we keep an eye out for stock on the market, and quietly, off market, that fits the brief of every investor on our buyers list. Tell us your budget, target yield, and what you're trying to optimise for and we'll keep you posted on relevant homes as they come up.
Looking at a buy to let purchase?
Send us the Rightmove link and we'll give you a same day written view on achievable rent, likely tenant profile, and whether the numbers stack up, completely free of charge, even if you don't end up letting it through us.