.avif)
-
17/12/25 3:30 pm
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Landlord Adam Lawrence admits he prefers first-time buyers to investors when selling his properties, as he reveals: “They’re often flaky and will try tricks to get better deals.”
Lawrence, who has built up a significant portfolio of between 600 and 700 properties since starting out in 2008 as an accidental landlord, began offloading properties to “demonstrate flexibility” in 2021 and says some have sold at 15-20% more than expected. He’s now sold about 100 properties while also rebalancing loan to values, moving the target from 60% to 50%.
He’s actively buying as well and now has a number of HMOs in his largely residential portfolio, leased to different social housing providers to dilute risk. He’s also branched into temporary accommodation and tells LandlordZONE: “I feel much better about social properties rather than just providing PRS.”
While he previously bought mainly derelict, uninhabitable homes, Lawrence – who started the Propenomix Podcast - says since 2022 prices for refurbs have nearly doubled, making them less attractive.
However, buying tenanted properties from ‘old school’ landlords can be ethically more problematic, admits Lawrence, because some of their tenants have had an unspoken agreement about not raising the EPC or the rent, meaning that the property won’t be compliant going forward.
“Are we doing the wrong thing by making them compliant and thereby putting rents up?” he wonders. “Sometimes the tenant is totally surprised that we’ll fix problems when they ask – while others say they can’t afford any more rent.”
A background in wealth management means Lawrence is a whizz with figures and understands that many lower effort and lower risk investment alternatives might tempt landlords to sell, but says on the flipside, he sees many investors still looking to get into the secondary market, particularly when they find poorer returns in build-to-rent.
Although he acknowledges the sector badly needs social housing, he’s adamant there’s still a need for rented properties and while he believes he’s doing some good, has no plans to retire.
But he names his biggest concern with the Renters’ Rights Act as the increased use of Section 8 grounds. “You’ll end up with more CCJs, and more people on the local authority list…and who will house them?”
Tags:
.avif)
Comments