Derby
Our home city. The cheapest flats of the eight, family suburbs, and an Article 4 area for shared houses since 2025.
Property investment in Derby → Where we source
Property Investment Locations in the Midlands and the North
Eight cities, chosen because purchase prices still leave room for rent to cover the costs, and because universities, hospitals and large employers keep tenants coming.
Derby is our base. From there we source in Nottingham, Leicester, Birmingham and Coventry in the Midlands, and Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield in the North, plus the towns around them when a brief calls for it.
- Eight cities, one point of contact
- Licensing checked by council
- Fee payable on completion only
- Budgets from £20,000
The eight cities at a glance
Official averages for each city council area: the price of all homes, of terraced houses, and the average monthly private rent.
| City | Average | Terrace | Rent pcm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Derby | £207,000 | £167,000 | £860 |
| Nottingham | £190,000 | £169,000 | £1,014 |
| Leicester | £227,000 | £206,000 | £1,023 |
| Birmingham | £234,000 | £222,000 | £1,099 |
| Coventry | £228,000 | £211,000 | £1,020 |
| Manchester | £252,000 | £255,000 | £1,373 |
| Leeds | £248,000 | £206,000 | £1,145 |
| Sheffield | £220,000 | £199,000 | £931 |
Source: Office for National Statistics house price and private rent figures for each city council area. They are city-wide averages, and the streets we source in can sit well above or below them.
Local rules at a glance
Planning and licensing for shared houses differ more than prices do.
| City | Small HMO conversions | Licensing beyond mandatory HMOs |
|---|---|---|
| Derby | Need permission in the Article 4 area, since May 2025 | None beyond mandatory licensing |
| Nottingham | Need permission anywhere in the city; the council says it is highly unlikely | Additional licensing citywide; selective in designated areas |
| Leicester | Need permission in the Article 4 areas, usually refused | Selective licensing in five wards to October 2027 |
| Birmingham | Need permission anywhere in the city, since 2020 | Additional licensing citywide; selective in 25 wards, to June 2028 |
| Coventry | Need permission in 11 wards, since 2023 | Every HMO licensable, to May 2030 |
| Manchester | Need permission anywhere in the city, since 2011 | Selective licensing in specific streets |
| Leeds | Need permission across much of the city, since 2012 | Selective licensing in parts of six wards, from February 2026 |
| Sheffield | Need permission around the universities; 20% limit | None beyond mandatory licensing |
Mandatory licensing for HMOs with five or more people from two or more households applies in every city. Suburbs under neighbouring councils follow their own rules, and schemes change, so we confirm both for every property.
The cities we cover
Nottingham
Two universities, the tram and four councils across the urban area, each with its own licensing and planning rules.
Property investment in Nottingham →
Leicester
Two universities, three hospitals and a large rented sector, with Article 4 and selective licensing in the inner wards.
Property investment in Leicester →
Birmingham
The largest city we cover, with five universities. Every HMO needs a licence, and a new one needs planning permission.
Property investment in Birmingham →
Coventry
Two universities and Jaguar Land Rover's headquarters. Every HMO is licensable and 11 wards have Article 4.
Property investment in Coventry →
Manchester
The highest prices and rents of the eight, with the rules changing at the Salford and Trafford boundaries.
Property investment in Manchester →
Leeds
Four universities, a large hospitals trust and a new selective licensing scheme from February 2026.
Property investment in Leeds →
Sheffield
Lower rents than Leeds or Manchester, two universities and a 20% limit on new HMOs near them.
Property investment in Sheffield →How we choose where to source
Rent that covers the costs
Purchase prices low enough that the rent can cover the mortgage, running costs and a reserve, not just the headline yield.
More than one kind of tenant
Universities, hospitals and large employers in the same city, so demand does not rest on a single group.
Rules we can work with
Licensing and planning we understand street by street, so a property is checked before it reaches you rather than after.
Within reach of Derby
Every city is within a day's reach of our Derby base, which keeps viewings and local checks practical.
Not sure which city suits you?
Tell us your budget, how hands-on you want to be and the kind of let you have in mind. We will suggest where to start and explain why.
Location questions
Which city is best for property investment?
There is no single answer. Derby and Nottingham have the lowest entry prices of the eight cities we cover, Manchester and Leeds the highest rents, and the rules on shared houses differ in every city. The right choice depends on your budget, the kind of let you want and how hands-on you plan to be, which is what we work out on the first call.
Do you source outside these eight cities?
Yes, in the towns and suburbs around them when a brief calls for it, such as Beeston near Nottingham or Horsforth near Leeds. We stay in the Midlands and the North because that is where we know the markets and where prices still leave room for the rent to cover the costs.
Should I invest in one city or several?
Most investors are better off starting in one city they understand, then spreading out once they own more than one property. Each city has different licensing and planning rules, so a second city also means learning a second set of rules.
Why do the rules on shared houses differ so much?
Each council decides whether to use an Article 4 direction and whether to run additional or selective licensing. Birmingham, Manchester and Nottingham require planning permission for small HMOs across the whole city, Derby only in part of it, and suburbs under neighbouring councils follow their own rules.
How up to date are these figures?
The prices and rents are the latest Office for National Statistics figures for each city council area when this page was written, and they are averages. The planning and licensing summaries come from each council. We recheck both for every property before it reaches you.