Draft · not yet secured
2-bed flat · Salford Quays M5 · Rent-to-rent serviced let

A two-bedroom serviced let at Salford Quays, modelled to generate £985 a month at 70% occupancy.

Illustrative financial model, not a forecast or guaranteed return. Occupancy and nightly rates are assumptions, not confirmed trading performance. The proposed serviced accommodation arrangement remains subject to written landlord consent and any required building permissions.

Cash in£7,543Everything, sourcing fee included
Net a month£985Modelled, at 70%
Breakeven40.8%Occupancy that covers every cost
Cash-on-cash156.8%£11,824 a year, modelled

Built on assumptions. The £150 nightly rate and 70% occupancy are modelled, not backed by bookings. AirROI puts Salford-wide short-let occupancy at 36.4%, where this flat would lose £149 a month. No written landlord consent has yet been obtained. All figures are before tax.

The opportunity

Rent a two-bed flat, run it as serviced accommodation, keep what is left after every cost.

The property

A furnished two-bedroom flat on the fourth floor, en-suite to the main bedroom, with a balcony and allocated parking. Advertised at £1,000 a month from 24 October.

The plan

A company let, with the landlord's written consent, run as serviced accommodation for contractors, crews and business visitors. Nothing is bought: the money in pays the first month, the deposit, set-up and our sourcing fee.

The income

At a modelled £150 a night and 70% occupancy (21 nights) the flat takes £3,150. Per-stay costs, the 15% management and channel fee, rent and bills leave £985 a month. Neither the rate nor the occupancy is yet backed by bookings.

The capital

£7,543 goes in: £1,153 is the returnable deposit and £6,390 is spent. At the modelled £985 a month it comes back in about eight months. Income only: there is no asset to sell or refinance, for as long as the lease runs.

The location

Ordsall side of Salford Quays, a short walk from Exchange Quay Metrolink and MediaCityUK (agent's listing). The media and production cluster is why the strategy fits: it is upside, not something the numbers depend on.

The bills

Council tax is modelled at Salford band C (£192 a month). This flat's band is not confirmed: the block has bands A to C. Utilities £55, broadband £55 and insurance £75 a month are set for one-bed units; a two-bed will cost more.

Every month, at 70% occupancy

Revenue, 21 nights at £150£3,150
Rent to the landlord (asking)−£1,000
Per-stay costs, £75 a stay−£315
Management and channels, 15%−£473
Bills: council tax, utilities, broadband, insurance−£377
Net, before tax£985

What goes in

First month's rent£1,000
Tenancy deposit (returnable)£1,153
Sourced sourcing fee£4,000
Letting agent fee£200
Set-up: bedding, clean, kitchen kit, TV, décor£1,190
Total cash in£7,543
What occupancy does to the income

Occupancy decides this deal. Here is the range.

Occ.BasisA monthA year
85%High-occupancy scenario£1,492£17,899
70%Modelled operating scenario£985£11,824
50%Lower-occupancy scenario£310£3,724
40.8%Modelled break-even occupancy£0£0
36.4%Salford city-wide market reference (AirROI)−£149−£1,784
30%Downside scenario−£365−£4,376

The 70% occupancy assumption illustrates the potential return if the property achieves 21 booked nights per 30-day month. It is not an evidenced forecast.

AirROI reports 36.4% occupancy across the wider Salford short-let market. This includes different property types and locations, so it is not a direct comparison with a two-bedroom corporate accommodation property at Salford Quays.

The difference between these figures is material. Achieving the modelled return depends on attracting sufficient corporate and contractor bookings. Property-specific comparable trading evidence is still required to establish how realistic that assumption is.

What could go wrong

What breaks, and what it costs.

01

Landlord and building consent

No written landlord consent has yet been obtained for a company let operating as serviced accommodation. Any required building or freeholder approval must also be confirmed. The opportunity cannot proceed on the proposed basis until the necessary permissions are secured.

02

Occupancy risk

At 70% occupancy, the model generates £985 monthly profit. At the cited Salford city-wide occupancy figure of 36.4%, it generates a £149 monthly loss.

Because the city-wide figure is not directly comparable, it should be treated as a market reference and downside sensitivity, not a forecast for this property.

03

The nightly rate

£150 a night is modelled, not evidenced. At £127.50 (−15%) the profit falls to £584 a month and breakeven rises to 49.2%. At Airbtics' £101 Salford average it falls to about £111 a month.

04

Costs set for a one-bed

The £75 changeover, £1,190 set-up and £55 utilities were set for one-bed units. A two-bed costs more to clean and equip, and short stays use more power. Every extra £100 a month in costs comes straight off the £985.

05

Rules and tax

Serviced use may move the flat from council tax to business rates. How a rent-to-rent company let sits under the Renters' Rights Act rules in force since 1 May 2026 has not been checked. All profit figures are before tax.

06

What you can lose

Nothing is owned, so the downside is the £6,390 spent going in, plus the rent committed for the length of the lease.

The paperwork

Everything you need to decide.

Items marked Coming soon follow the landlord's answer and the due diligence. They'll appear here, on this same link.

Draft Investor packThree pages · PDF
What happens next

We check before you commit.

  1. 1

    Consent

    Ask Northwood Quay Property, in writing, whether the landlord will grant a company let with serviced use, and get the building lease's short-let terms.

  2. 2

    Comparables

    Two-bed booking comparables around Elmira Way and Exchange Quay: nightly rate and occupancy over the last twelve months.

  3. 3

    Costs

    Confirm this flat's council tax band, and get utility and cleaning quotes for a two-bed.

  4. 4

    The agreement

    A solicitor reviews the company-let agreement: term, break clause, permitted use and deposit.

  5. 5

    Your decision

    We re-run the deal calculator on the confirmed figures before any commitment.

Ask about this deal

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