:: Buy to Let Mortgage
Mortgage providers' traditionally only offered loans for people buying homes. An increasing number are offering loans for a property you want to "buy to let", (ie not to live in as your home, but to rent/let out to tenants).
Getting income from the rent is seen as a good investment by some and is becoming more commonplace.
It's particularly popular for retirement planning because of the growing concerns about the inadequacies of traditional pensions. The old saying "There's nothing more solid than bricks and mortar" is more relevant than ever.
If you're interested in renting to students in a university town or to commuters in suburbia, the Council of Mortgage Lenders has two leaflets 'Buying to Let' and 'Thinking of Buying a Residential Property to Let' You can order them by phone on 020 7440 2255.
The fears over the past couple of years that the market was overheated seem to have been incorrect. However make sure that your buy to let property is in an area which is likely to have a demand.
There is a wealth of information on buying property to let. Just make sure if you're paying for it that it's been written by someone with direct experience in the field.