By Rachel Haymes, head of conveyancing at Ratio Law

Since 6 April 2015, people aged 55 and over have been able to access as much of their savings from their defined contributions pensions as they want. The new pension freedom reforms mean people can now take a lump sum payment and there are estimates that more than one in ten intends on cashing in their entire pension pot, with 16 per cent planning on reinvesting the cash into property.

Property may seem like a safe investment and an easy way to make money, but there are a number of points to consider. Firstly, it’s been suggested that many people fail to think about the costs associated with renting out properties. A recent study estimates that when you add up all the costs such as maintenance and repairs, marketing, mortgage interest and letting agent fees, you’re looking at an average of £8,359 a year – a figure which will make a serious dent in most buy-to-let landlords’ profits.

And the financial considerations don’t stop there. There are significant tax and financial consequences for people cashing in their pensions to become a buy-to-let landlord and you should also consider taking financial advice if you will need amortgage to fund the purchase. There have been reports of some mortgage lenders offering anyone up to the age of 70 a 35-year-old loan – meaning they wouldn’t pay it off until they were 105-years-old!

Secondly, landlords have a lot of legal responsibilities – and these are changing all the time. Adhering to the Energy Act 2011, ensuring properties meet new safety legislation and making sure you treat tenants fairly and legally [insert link to revenge evictions blog] are just some of the points landlords need to consider.

Despite the potential drawbacks, the life of an ‘amateur’ landlord is appealing to many. In July last year, the National Landlords Association released figures which showed part-time landlords made up more than 70 per cent of the sector – its highest ever level.

Like with any business venture and investment, if you research the market well, understand your legal obligations, appreciate you will have to invest time and money in making it a success and have professional help at hand to provide reliable and trustworthy advice, then it can be a profitable venture. But remember – house prices can fall and interest rates can rise, so investing in buy-to-let is never a completely safe bet.

If you’re considering becoming a buy-to-let landlord and want some advice, contact Ratio Law.

Tags: Buy-to-let, commercial property, landlords, property