For investors living in Australia
Analyse UK property from Australia. Every number, before you buy.
Anyone selling you UK property has a reason to make it look good. We don't. See the real cost and return of any UK investment property in Australian dollars, with stamp duty, expat mortgages and tax built in. Free to analyse. No account needed.
Buying from the UK? Analyse any deal as a UK resident →
Simple Yield is an analysis tool. We don't sell property or arrange purchases.
Expat mode
Living in AustraliaA$129k in → A$744k
after 25 years
7.3% annual return
Cash needed today
A$128,881
£67,750
Cash flow (Y1)
A$3,988
£2,096 a year
Limited company · 6.2% interest only · 10% management · non-resident stamp duty · £1 = A$1.9023
Open the full analysis →Where the yield goes
The yield on the listing. What actually reaches you.
Most calculators stop at the first number. We go to the last one, with the non-resident surcharge, the expat mortgage rate and the result in Australian dollars. Move the sliders above and every step updates.
Gross yield: the rent on the listing
£14,4008.2% of price
Less: Empty months and letting fees
8% voids, 10% management
-£2,477-1.4% of price
Less: Maintenance, insurance and service charges
-£1,740-1.0% of price
Net yield, before the mortgage
£10,1835.8% of price
Less: Mortgage interest
6.2% on 70% of the price
-£7,595-4.3% of price
Less: Corporation tax
-£492-0.3% of price
Cash flow after tax
£2,0961.2% of price
What actually reaches you
3.1% a year on the £67,750 (A$128,881) you put in: £2,096 (A$3,988) after tax in year one.
The steps above are shown against the purchase price, so they read as yields and add up. This last figure is against the cash you put in: deposit, stamp duty and buying costs (including £13,250 stamp duty, £3,500 of it the non-resident surcharge). Before any growth in the property's value.
Why the UK, and why not
Australia's closed to many of you until 2029. The UK isn't, but it isn't free either.
What pushes people towards the UK
- Established homes in Australia are closed to many.
- Temporary residents can't buy an established home until 30 June 2029, with limited exceptions.1
- New homes carry a heavy surcharge.
- A temporary visa holder buying a new home in NSW usually pays 9% surcharge purchaser duty on top of standard duty, and may pay a land tax surcharge every year after.2
- The UK has no ban on overseas buyers.
- Whatever your visa or nationality, you can buy.
What it costs you
- Non-resident stamp duty.
- An extra 2% in England and Northern Ireland: £3,500 on a £175,000 purchase.3Scotland and Wales have no non-resident surcharge, but it isn't that simple: on the same purchase Scotland charges £14,600 because of its 8% supplement on additional properties, and Wales £8,750.
- Expat mortgages cost more.
- Lenders usually want a 25% to 40% deposit from overseas borrowers and charge roughly 0.7 to 1.2 points more than UK residents pay.
- The currency cuts both ways.
- A 10% move in the pound changes the cash you need by about A$12,888 on this example, and your rent is worth 10% more or less when you bring it home.4
- You manage it from 17,000km away.
- A letting agent does the day-to-day, for about 10% of the rent, and you rely on people you can't easily check on.
Rents by city
What UK rents actually are.
| City | 2-bed | 3-bed |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol | £1,543 | £1,757 |
| EdinburghLothian area | £1,329 | £1,702 |
| Manchester | £1,216 | £1,410 |
| GlasgowGreater Glasgow area | £1,092 | £1,339 |
| Cardiff | £1,068 | £1,187 |
| Newcastle | £997 | £1,182 |
| Birmingham | £993 | £1,121 |
| Leeds | £964 | £1,125 |
| Nottingham | £908 | £1,043 |
| Sheffield | £832 | £956 |
| Liverpool | £826 | £950 |
London is published borough by borough: the average 2-bed runs from £1,517 a month in Bexley to £3,335 in Kensington and Chelsea. The analyser finds the local figure from any UK postcode, for 335 areas across all four nations.
Who it's for
Living in Australia. Looking at UK property.
- Brits living in Australia
- UK savings, an inheritance, or a former home now let out, and a tax system you half remember.
- Other expats and visa holders
- On a 482, 491 or similar visa and barred from buying an established home in Australia until 2029.
- Planning to move back
- Heading home in a few years and want a foothold, and an income, in the UK first.
- Australians looking at the UK
- Curious whether UK rental yields stack up once every cost and the currency are counted.
Living in the UK? The analyser works just as well for UK residents →
On your side of the table
Questions to ask anyone selling you UK property.
- Who pays you?
- Only you, for the services you choose. Never a developer, seller or agent.
- Do you sell property?
- No. We have no stock, and no commission riding on whether you buy.
- Will I see the working?
- Yes. Every figure comes from a published method you can check line by line.
- Will you tell me a deal doesn't work?
- Yes. That's most of the point.
- Do you give mortgage or tax advice?
- No. Take our numbers to a regulated broker and a cross-border accountant.
- Do you earn referral fees?
- Not today. If we ever do, you'll be told in writing before any introduction.
How we can help
When the analyser isn't enough.
The PlaybookComing soon
A step-by-step guide from first idea to a let property, written for people buying from Australia.
Deal reviewOpening soon
A written second opinion on a specific UK property before you commit.
Portfolio reviewComing soon
Is it performing, and should you restructure, refinance, hold or sell? The numbers on each option, side by side.
Can I buy UK property while living in Australia?+
Yes. The UK has no ban on overseas buyers, whatever your nationality or visa. In England and Northern Ireland non-UK residents pay an extra 2% stamp duty. Scotland and Wales have no non-resident surcharge, but both charge more for additional properties such as a buy-to-let: Scotland adds an 8% supplement on the whole price, and Wales uses higher rates starting at 5%. The analyser works out the total for each.
What does expat mode do?+
Switch the analyser from UK resident to Living abroad and it adds the 2% non-resident stamp duty where it applies, applies typical expat mortgage terms (a bigger deposit and a higher rate than UK residents get), and shows your cash needed and returns in Australian dollars, US dollars or euros at today's rate, with the pound 10% weaker and stronger. Switch back and your UK figures return.
Why is the year-one cash flow so low?+
Because that's how UK buy-to-let usually works: after the mortgage, running costs and tax, year-one cash flow is often only a few per cent of the cash you put in. Most of the return comes from the property's value growing over time, which is why we show a 25-year return, a full mortgage term, next to it. Growth isn't guaranteed: the analyser also shows the return if prices don't rise, so you can test a lower rate.
Where does the exchange rate come from?+
The European Central Bank's daily reference rate. Banks and transfer providers add a margin, so you can type in the rate you'd actually get.
Can I get a UK mortgage from Australia?+
Usually, through lenders that work with overseas borrowers. Expect to need a 25% to 40% deposit and to pay a higher rate than a UK resident would. A specialist expat mortgage broker can tell you what you'd qualify for; we don't give mortgage advice.
Should I buy personally or through a limited company?+
It depends on your tax position in both countries and whether you'll draw the income or reinvest it. The analyser shows both side by side, including the tax on drawing profit out of a company. A cross-border accountant should confirm which suits you.
What about tax in Australia?+
Your Australian tax position depends on your residency status, and it can change when you get permanent residency. The analyser covers UK tax only. Speak to an accountant who knows both systems before you buy.
What is a deal review?+
A written second opinion on a specific UK property you're considering: the rent, the costs, the tax, the financing and the risks. The fee is agreed in writing before any work starts. Reviews are opening soon; register your interest to hear first.
Do you sell property or act as a buying agent?+
No. We don't sell property, take commission from sellers or developers, or act as a buyer's agent. We analyse deals and explain the rules; the decision, and the purchase, stay with you.
Is the analyser really free?+
Yes. Free to analyse, no account needed, and no limit on how many deals you run. Create a free MySY account to save and compare deals. Every formula is published on our methodology page.
Register interest
Tell us what would help.
Tick what you're interested in and we'll email you when it launches. In the meantime, the analyser is free to use.
Nothing on this site is financial, tax, or investment advice.