Bristol Student Property Blog

New anti-money laundering (AML) regulations came into force on 14 May 2025, and they’re already reshaping the rental market—especially for student landlords.

ARLA Propertymark was formed in 2017, when leading industry bodies including ARLA, NAEA, NAVA and more combined to form a single brand with the aim of the raising industry standards, promoting education and helping landlords protect and maximise their investment.

At Abode, we are proud to be part of ARLA Propertymark and were ARLA approved for many years before the new brand was formed. Our commitment to a quality service means we not only abide by, but aim to excel the high standard required to retain ARLA Propertymark membership.

So why should you use an ARLA Property Mark member? There a number of benefits for both landlords and tenants - read our latest blog post to find out more.

Whether you’re a landlord with one House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO) property or a whole portfolio, owning a buy-to-let property is a substantial investment and ensuring you have the right landlord insurance in place is crucial. Having the right landlord’s insurance gives you the safeguards and protection should something happen to the building or your tenants.

There are many different types of specialist landlord insurance and it will depend on your circumstances as to which cover options they build into a policy. This guide will detail some of the key areas to consider, but please speak to your insurance provider as the terms will vary between companies.

With the huge rise in energy costs in the past couple of years, making your HMO property more energy efficient has never been more beneficial to a landlords, especially if rooms are let and include bills.

Student and young professionals, despite their tighter budgets, are still keen to do what they can to reduce their carbon footprint and choosing to rent a more energy efficient property is important to this group, and even more so if bills are not included in the rent.

With the cost of living having increased substantially in the last few years, student tenants and their landlords are feeling the effects. However, there are ways that HMO landlords, letting agents and students can work together to help minimise living costs for tenants.

In this blog we’ll look at 6 key areas where proactive measures could help student tenants and landlords reduce rental costs.

As a landlord you want to maximise your investment in your HMO properties, whilst providing good accommodation for your tenants. With 35% of households living in social or private rented accommodation, there is good demand for rental property, but attracting a certain demographic and investing in your property takes careful consideration to ensure you get a return on your investment.

In this blog we look at the 12 ways landlords can add value to an HMO rental property and appeal to their ideal tenants, whilst keeping an eye on the budget and yield.

Since 2017 the number of limited companies being set up by landlords holding properties has tripled, with 300,000 being recorded in 2022. In fact, it is estimated that 40% of all new buy to let purchases are now made via a company structure.

This change in legal entity for many landlords of student properties was brought about by the alternations in the tax relief system which was announced in 2015, known as Section 24 and changed how landlords were taxed on their rental income.

This blog looks at why landlords with a portfolio of student houses have started switching to owning properties as a limited company and the pros and cons of such a move.

If you're a UK landlord looking to expand your student or HMO property portfolio or simply interested in buying a property to let, you may want to consider purchasing at an auction.

Property auctions can offer great deals and opportunities to buy properties that may not be available through traditional channels.

However, it's also important to be aware of the potential pitfalls and risks involved in buying at an auction so that you can weigh up the pros and the cons.

If you’re a landlord or interested in buying a property to let, the turbulent economic situation of recent months may have put you off investing in this venture.

Inheriting a property or being responsible for a second home can come with the question of whether it should be sold and the cash banked or whether to use it as an investment opportunity and let it out to students as a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).

When letting a new in multiple occupation (HMO) property, deciding the rate to charge students is one of the most important aspects of being a landlord.

Charge too high, and you risk putting potential students off and missing the critical chance to ensure your property is occupied for the new term.

Void periods are without doubt one of the key factors affecting the profitability of HMO (house in multiple occupation) buy-to-let properties.

Of course, no landlord wants to have periods where there are no students in their property as it means missing out on rental income, however rushing to find new tenants without the proper screening procedures often means shorter tenancies and more disputes which is counterproductive in the long term.

Luckily, there are some simple things you can do to minimise and even avoid these frustrating tenancy voids.

Many people explore the student buy-to-let market for a range of reasons, the most common being to make profitable revenue.

While investing in HMOs is a popular way to generate a passive source of income and enable financial freedom, with the many rules and regulations involved, it can be daunting too.

In our guide for first time student landlords, we break down the key considerations for anyone thinking of renting out a property for the first time.

So, whether you’re looking to let out your first student property, or have aspirations of building a HMO portfolio, the following tips and advice can help you manage your property successfully.

We are one of the first letting agents in Bristol to offer this immersive way to view properties without being there physically; properties can be viewed on a computer, mobile phone, tablet or even with a virtual reality headset.

Since 2011, we’ve been letting properties to students and helping landlords manage their properties profitably. In that time, we’ve become one of the larger student property management companies in Bristol; so we like to think we know a thing or two about letting property to students.

Whilst letting property to students can be very profitable, it is not without its complexities. In our latest blog post, we’ll some of the key things you should know before deciding to let your property to students or not.

Two updates on important changes - letting agency fees and a new central Bristol HMO licensing scheme. Whilst they may both impact landlords, it’s not all doom and gloom and there is still time to have your say and help shape the consultations.

There are many advantages to investing in new-build homes. Ellie at Abode explores why buy-to-lets in new properties can be more cost effective & eco-friendly. 

Managing Director, Steve Harris, offers insights and advice for landlords looking to invest in Buy-To-Lets. Plus read all about Steve's investor survival guide.