How brokers can help landlords pursue yield where it’s strongest – Rubins

That’s not to say the capital no longer has its place. It remains one of the world’s most stable and investable markets, with liquidity, long-term capital appreciation and enduring international demand. But when you run the numbers as they are today – not historical assumptions, but real rent against real debt – it’s easy to see why many landlords are now casting their nets further North, and why brokers are playing such a pivotal role in helping them do so.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the average monthly rent in London was £2,249 as of May 2025, while recent Land Registry data shows the average London house price at approximately £562,000 in June 20252. That equates to a gross yield of around 4.8%. Now, for many investors, particularly those with established portfolios, that may still align with their longer-term view, but for those whose strategies are built more squarely around income and who are mindful of elevated borrowing costs, the limitations of the London yield become much harder to ignore.

Yields tell a clear story and the numbers are moving North

By contrast, the picture in places like Leeds tells quite a different story. According to market analysis, gross yields across the city are typically falling between 5.5% and 8%, with areas such as Headingley returning as much as 7.2% on well-let houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). It’s a striking differential, and when you factor in the broader regeneration that’s underway, along with strong tenant demand and comparatively lower purchase prices, it’s not difficult to see why landlords are moving their attention. Even a two-percentage-point uplift in yield can materially alter the income profile of a portfolio, particularly where gearing is involved and every fraction of margin counts.

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Regeneration brings momentum to regional markets

What’s happening in Leeds is, of course, mirrored in other regional centres. Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham are all reporting yields in the 6-7% range, and in each case we are seeing not just numbers, but real momentum. Infrastructure investment, civic regeneration and tenant demand are all pulling in the same direction. For landlords, that means there is more than just short-term upside. There is also the prospect of long-term sustainability – provided, of course, that the finance is fit for purpose.

The importance of acting while value still exists

At the same time, we must acknowledge that these opportunities rarely wait. Properties sold at auction, distressed assets, off-market acquisitions – all of them favour the investor who is ready to act, not the one waiting for a traditional mortgage to complete. And that is where bridging finance continues to serve its function, not just as a mechanism for speed, but as a funding tool shaped to reflect how investors actually acquire, refurbish and exit in the real-world scenarios.

Why structuring matters just as much as speed

We are often asked how quickly bridging finance can be arranged, and while timelines vary, the key is that it is structured to move at the pace of the opportunity. A landlord acquiring a three-bed terrace in Leeds – with plans for a modest internal refurbishment and an onward refinance within six months – needs a facility that is not only quick but flexible, able to stage funds in line with the build programme, respond to changes on site, and dovetail neatly with the eventual term funding or sale.

That is where brokers can add particular value. It is one thing to source a facility. It is another to ensure that the facility is shaped around the project’s cash flow, timeline and eventual exit. We’ve seen, time and again, how well-structured bridging, backed by a broker who understands the full picture, enables investors to act quickly without compromising the long-term viability of their plan. Whether it’s a semi-commercial refinance in London or a revolving overdraft facility in North Yorkshire, the principle is the same. The finance must work in context.

Supporting brokers who enable landlords to act

At Alternative Bridging, we’ll continue to structure bridging finance with that urgency and realism in mind. We know that projects evolve and that outcomes are often shaped by what happens in the margins. And so we work closely with brokers, across the country, to ensure our funding reflects the market as it is, not as a spreadsheet assumes.

Put simply, if landlords are turning to Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool in search of stronger yield, it’s brokers who are making that possible, not just by sourcing finance, but by ensuring that finance arrives precisely when it’s needed.