Property investment opportunity · Draft — unverified

First-floor studio, Bolton

A tenanted studio inside a converted church, close to Bolton train and bus station (per the listing).
Leasehold, 200 years from 2013 · tenant paying £515 a month · EPC B

Asking price£45,000Cardwells · on the market since 29 May
Modelled price£40,50010% under asking · not agreed
Rent£515 pcmTenant in place, per the listing
Value£43,000Latest sale in the building
Two ways to buy

An income purchase. Best bought with cash.

Studio buy-to-let opportunity in Bolton town centre offers a projected 15.3% gross yield and £6,180 annual gross income from a tenant already in place. There is no value to add: the return is the rent.

Option 1

Buy with cash

Purchase at £40,500 and hold, with a letting agent managing.

£49,675initial investment, including the £4,000 sourcing fee
£186/monthnet income after running costs, before tax
4.5%return on cash (£2,233 a year)
4.5%net yield before finance: the same, as nothing is borrowed

Tenancy, lease and service-charge accounts not yet seen.

Option 2

With a 75% mortgage

If a lender will lend on it — in our judgement many won't below £50,000 or on studios.

£21,795initial investment, including a £2,495 lender fee
£47/monthafter £139 interest at 5.5%
2.6%return on cash
−£4a month if interest is 7.5%

No lender has been asked. Three empty months would turn the year to −£983. Not the recommended route.

Downside sensitivity · Net income after all running costs. Cash purchase unless stated.

IfNet a monthNet a year
As modelled£186£2,233
Rent 10% lower£149£1,788
Service charge up 50%£130£1,556
Three months empty (one-off, rent only)—£688
Mortgage route: rent 10% lower£10£117
Mortgage route: service charge up 50%−£10−£115

If you sold

At £43,000 the sale would return −£6,675 on the cash put in (−13.4%), so this is an income purchase, not a capital one. To break even on a sale the price needs to be £35,850 or less.

Evidence

HM Land Registry sales in the building: flat 24 £43,000 (Jul 2026), flat 30 £53,000 (Oct 2025), flat 3 £47,000 (Apr 2024); nearby on Crook Street, The Knave flat 4 (BL3 6DU) £42,500 (Mar 2026). Not adjusted for size or floor.

Investment status: further due diligence required

As it is today

Crook Street, as listed.

Photos from the first-floor listing (Cardwells), taken with the tenant in occupation. No floor plan was published.

The paperwork

Everything you need to decide.

Items marked Coming soon follow the viewing and the agent's papers. They'll appear here, on this same link.

Ready Deal summaryOne page · PDF Ready PhotosFrom the agent's listings
What happens next

Before making an offer

  1. 1

    Tenancy

    See the tenancy agreement, deposit protection and rent history.

  2. 2

    Lease

    Read the lease, service-charge accounts and ground rent review terms.

  3. 3

    Viewing

    View the flat and the building's shared areas.

  4. 4

    Finance

    Cash, or a broker's confirmation that a lender will lend.

  5. 5

    Price

    An offer under £40,000 pays no stamp duty; at £40,500 it is £2,025.

  6. 6

    Your ceiling

    Break-even on a sale is £35,850; above that you rely on the rent.

Ask about this deal

Your question comes straight to Chrissie. Nothing is too small to ask.

Thank you, that's with Chrissie.

She'll come back to you by email, or by phone if you left a number. If it's urgent, call 0161 399 8877.