Investing in student buy-to-let

A steady and buoyant student buy-to-let market is one that still offers the potential of good returns.

Here's why: the government intends to have 50 per cent of 18- to 30-year-olds in higher education by the year 2010; UCAS, the University applications agency, has seen a year-by-year increase in applications; and there is massive student housing shortage and lack of investment in new housing by the universities.

This book will help you to: find the initial investment - by identifying your attitude to risk and finding inventive ways of raising your initial investment; find the right lender - by creating a profile that is most suited to your personal circumstances and attitudes; find the right property - by identifying properties that can give you a significant return on your investment; find the right tenant - by using credit checking, and managing the tenant and rent collection; minimise tax - by avoiding (but not evading) tax in connection with renting a property to students; and operate legally - by using the right contracts and covering the regulations governing residential letting property and the law in general. In addition, Chapter 7 is a one-stop shop of all the university areas, addresses, phone numbers and web sites that you should contact or visit in order to capitalise on the student rental market.

In this book buy-to-let guru Ajay Ahuja applies the same formula that has taken him from an initial investment of GBP 500 to a portfolio of over 100 properties worth over GBP 6m in less than five years.

He is regularly consulted for television and radio programmes, including Radio 4's "Money Programme".