Behind the business
James Coupland / 15 Mar 26
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👋 Hey!
A big milestone this week — you’re reading the very first issue of Your Buy-to-Letter. Something I’ve been wanting to launch for a while, and it’s finally here.
We also have the JP retreat happening this Sunday in Thailand. Kate and Kate are flying out to Koh Samui tomorrow with the rest of the team joining in a few weeks. We’ve had this in the diary for a while and it’ll be great to finally get everyone together on the island. Unfortunately I’ll miss their arrival — Kush, Roman, and I are flying to Dubai at 17:00 today. Long story short, Kush needs to fly every six months to renew her residency so we’re making the trip while we can. We’re back in Samui on Tuesday, which gives the team a couple of days to settle in and get over the jet lag.
And yes — we got a puppy. Meet Woody, our new golden retriever. The family is growing. 🐶
Right — let’s get into it. 👇
This week’s lesson — social housing explained
The MisconceptionMost investors assume social housing means their property gets trashed, they lose control, and they’ll never get market rent. It puts a lot of people off before they’ve even looked into it properly. |
The Correct FrameworkWhen you work with the right housing providers, the reality is the complete opposite. You hand the property over on a Full Repairing and Insuring (FRI) lease — the provider handles all maintenance, repairs, and management. You receive guaranteed rent regardless of occupancy. No voids. No tenant calls. No management headaches. It operates under a C3(b) use class, bypassing HMO planning and licensing entirely. The closest thing to a truly passive property income that actually exists. |
Worked ExampleTake this week’s deal as a real example. Purchase price £75,000 — bought with a 25% deposit of £18,750 through a BTL mortgage. Add £15,000 for the refurb and you’re into the deal for approx. £33,750 (plus buying costs e.g., stamp duty etc). The social housing provider takes the property on a 3-year contract paying guaranteed rent. Over that period you collect £24,024 with zero voids, zero management, and zero maintenance costs. The provider handles all of that under the FRI lease. Your job is done at the point you sign the contract. |
See you next week with another topic!
James x
PS: JPU launches 27th June. If you want to learn more, join the waitlist here and lock in your 20% discount code before anyone else.
Bought my first property at 19.
I've been investing in UK property for twelve years. I started with one house in Goole, East Yorkshire, figured out the process the hard way, and built a portfolio across HMO, social housing, BTL, and serviced accommodation.
Now I help others do it faster.