Returns for property investors
The same property, a higher return.
A buy-to-let is usually judged on its rental yield. Changing how the property is let changes the income without buying anything new. These are the figures from two apartments we manage, set against the rent a letting agent quoted for each.
Actual results
Income from two managed apartments against traditional rent.
Gross income over the managed period
Cobham, Surrey · April to August 2026
+£4,508, 53% more
Birchington-on-Sea, Kent · 14 May to October 2026
+£7,291, 109% more
Average gross income per month
Cobham, Surrey
+£902 a month
Birchington-on-Sea, Kent
+£1,306 a month
View the figures as a table
| Property | Period | Short-term let | Traditional rent | Difference | Occupancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobham | Apr to Aug 2026 | £13,008 | £8,500 | +£4,508 (+53%) | 73% |
| Birchington-on-Sea | 14 May to Oct 2026 | £13,988 | £6,697 | +£7,291 (+109%) | 86% |
Short-term let figures are gross booking revenue, before management fees, cleaning, utilities and platform fees. Traditional rent is the agent estimate (£1,700 a month in Cobham, £1,200 in Birchington-on-Sea) for the same period, before letting agent fees. Both periods cover spring and summer, which are the strongest months of the year.
Portfolio calculator
What a higher income does to your portfolio yield.
Enter your own figures. The starting numbers are examples, and the uplift is your assumption, not a forecast.
Annual gross income across the portfolio
For reference, the two apartments above earned 53% and 109% more than traditional rent during spring and summer. A full year includes quieter winter months, so a year-round uplift is likely to be lower than those figures. This calculator shows gross income before fees and running costs and is an illustration only, not financial advice.