You’ve found an HMO.
It looks good on paper.
And there’s a voice saying “what if I’m wrong?”
Why not let us walk you through the deal? Line by line, the way we’d look at it if we were buying it ourselves. From award winning HMO investors, named Best HMO Investor at the HMO Summit and Awards 2025.
£499. One property, checked properly, before your money’s on the line.
I’ve sat exactly where you are
I’m Greg. I run Pineapple Living with Stuart. Before that I sourced and refurbished around seventy properties up north, in Manchester, Stoke, Crewe, Liverpool, St Helens and Nottingham, for investors buying from a distance.
Now I own and run HMOs myself, here in the South East. So I know the feeling. The agent’s keen, the numbers on the brochure look lovely, and you’re trying to work out what they’ve left out.
Most of the bad HMO deals I’ve seen weren’t bad houses. They were good houses bought at the wrong price, in the wrong street, with costs nobody mentioned. That’s what the Deal Check is for.
In 2025 we won Best HMO Investor at the HMO Summit and Awards. We manage HMOs every day, so we’re checking your deal against real rooms, real bills and real tenants, not a template.
What you’re really asking
- Am I paying too much for this?
- Will the council let me do what I’m planning?
- What’s this going to cost me before the first tenant moves in?
- Will the rooms actually let, at that price, in that street?
- After every bill, what’s left for me each month?
- What will my HMO be worth at the end of the works, and how will the valuers approach it?
- And if it’s the right one, how do I get the price down?
Why most HMOs listed online are overpriced
They cost a lot to create. Fire doors, alarms, en suites, extra kitchens, the licence. The owner has spent serious money turning a house into an HMO and wants it all back, and then some.
The agent often doesn’t understand HMOs. Plenty of agents have never valued one properly. They don’t know what the rooms really let for or what it costs to run.
The agent has to agree with the owner. If they tell the owner it’s worth less, the owner goes to the agent down the road who’ll say yes. So the asking price is the one that wins the listing, not the one the house is worth.
The premium gets stretched. A good HMO should sell for more than bricks and mortar, depending on its income and condition. But more often than not, the asking price is way past that.
That gap is what you’d be paying for. The Deal Check tells you how big it is before you make an offer.
Every “what if” gets an answer
These are the things that keep buyers up at night. They should. Here’s what we look at for each one, on your property, in your street.
- Worry 1
Am I overpaying?
What we checkAn HMO is valued on what it earns, not just bricks and mortar. We work out the commercial value from the rent it can really achieve, then hold that against the asking price. If you’re paying a premium for income that isn’t there, you’ll know before you offer.
- Worry 2
Will planning let me do it?
What we checkArticle 4, restricted areas, how many HMOs are already nearby, and whether the council is likely to fight you. If you need planning for what you’ve got in mind, we tell you how hard that’s going to be, and what happens to the numbers if it’s refused.
- Worry 3
What licence will I need?
What we checkWhich licence the property needs, what the council will ask for to grant it, and what that means in fire doors, alarms, room sizes and kitchens. Licensing is where a lot of “ready to go” HMOs turn out not to be.
- Worry 4
What will the works really cost?
What we checkWhat has to be done before it can let, what’s worth doing to push the rents up, and a realistic idea of what both are likely to cost. We refurb and maintain HMOs all year round, so we know what things actually cost, not what a brochure says.
- Worry 5
What do I need to put in it?
What we checkKitchenettes or a bigger shared kitchen, en suites, furniture, broadband, the amenities and facilities tenants expect now, and roughly what each one costs. We fit out and run HMOs, so we’ll tell you what earns its keep and what’s money down the drain.
- Worry 6
How do I stand out from the crowd?
What we checkEvery town has rooms that all look the same. We look at what’s around you and help you find your USP, the thing that makes yours the room tenants pick first and pay more for. Standing out is how you fill rooms faster and push the rent.
- Worry 7
Will the rooms actually let?
What we checkRoom rates in that street and the streets around it, from what’s advertised right now. And you get our own data too: what our rooms really let for, how quickly they fill, and where there’s room to push the rent beyond what the portals suggest. Then whether the rent you need is a rent people will actually pay.
- Worry 8
What tenants will I get, and how do I find good ones?
What we checkWho’s actually renting rooms in that area, what they’re looking for, and how to find, vet and keep the right ones. One wrong tenant can cost you the whole house, so we tell you how we pick them.
- Worry 9
What are the running costs?
What we checkBills, broadband, council tax, management, maintenance, compliance, cleaning, voids. All the things that turn a good gross yield into a disappointing net one. Nothing left out because it makes the deal look worse.
- Worry 10
What’s left for me each month?
What we checkYour net cash flow at today’s interest rates, not the rates from two years ago. If the deal only works on a rate you can’t get, it doesn’t work.
- Worry 11
What’s my exit once the works are done?
What we checkHow you get off the bridge or the development finance, and whether a commercial HMO mortgage is the right next step. We explain how a commercial valuation works, how valuers in that area approach HMOs, what they look for on the day and what you need in place before they visit. Then a realistic idea of the value you’re likely to get once the works are finished, and how much of your money that lets you pull back out.
- Worry 12
If it’s the right deal, how do I get the price down?
What we doWe show you how to negotiate. The questions to ask the agent, what to find out before you offer, how to back your figure up with the numbers from the check, and how to present your offer so the vendor takes it seriously. On an HMO, a few percent off the price is tens of thousands of pounds.
What people say
★★★★★Rated 4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot. Read all reviewsIf you’re a HMO owner in Kent, use these guys. They are the best managing agent in the County… Since moving to Pineapple, the phone has stopped ringing with problems, and our tenants are happy.
I was looking to speak to a HMO managing agent in Kent and was advised to speak to Pineapple group… Thank you Greg for being generous with your time and for the amazing insights you shared with me about the HMO market in Kent.
I had the opportunity to have a 30 minute call with Greg regarding setting up an HMO in Kent… Our conversation was incredibly helpful and gave me valuable guidance as I continue my HMO journey.
I brought my first property sourced by Pineapple which was great because the property was perfect for what I wanted… Using Pineapple gave me the confidence to invest and I couldn’t recommend them enough.
Dealing with Pineapple Living has been a pleasure… The property is excellent and maintained to a high standard. The whole process from application to moving in went very smoothly.
Greg and Stuart has been an invaluable sourcing agent for me in completing a UK property purchase in a short time frame.
I was a tenant with Pineapple for over a year, and it was one of the best properties I’ve stayed in… Any issues that came up in the property were resolved very quickly.
Great people to work with. The team at Pineapple do exactly what they say they are going to do, exactly when they say they are going to do it! How Refreshing!
Very helpful professional advice.
A great agent who truly know the market and simultaneously care about both the landlord’s property and the tenants needs!
I was initially expecting a short call, but Greg went above and beyond giving me advice and pointing out things which I hadn’t considered.
I had a recent telephone meeting with Greg where he gave me excellent advice, helping me navigate the HMO market. His knowledge surrounding all things HMO is incredible.
He went past the call of duty to explain the ins and outs of UK property investment and advise me on a project I was already considering. His help was invaluable in my decision making.
I met with Greg at Pineapple Investment Group who thoroughly guided me through the whole process. The team were fantastic from start to finish.
They were able to guide me through the process with professionalism and quick responses… They even saved me a huge sum of money on sales tax by picking up on something that others missed!
Good sound advice and a clear sensible approach along the whole value chain.
Greg gave me some amazing advice and guidance… I felt listened to and that he understood my individual needs.
10/10 on communication, always someone to talk to if you have questions.
As an overseas buyer, I’ve bought several houses in the UK. One of them is with Pineapple Investment Group. They are definitely the best! They are very responsive and helpful throughout the process.
Their customer service was exceptional—so friendly, responsive, respectful, and understanding.
A trusted partner who helped me manage the renovation project remotely on time and within budget.
From start to finish, Anne, Stuart and Greg were absolutely fantastic. They went above and beyond…
The people are extremely knowledgeable and the resources they offer are the best I’ve seen in the industry.
I was looking to speak to a HMO managing agent in Kent and was advised to speak to Pineapple group… Thank you Greg for being generous with your time and for the amazing insights you shared with me about the HMO market in Kent.
We help you buy it for less
Finding out a deal works is only half of it. The other half is not paying a penny more than you need to. So we show you exactly how to negotiate it.
The questions to ask the agent
Why it’s for sale, how long it’s been on, what offers they’ve had, what’s included, and what the vendor really needs. The answers tell you where the room to negotiate is.
Your number, backed up
We help you set your offer from the check itself. The works, the licensing, the real room rates. Evidence an agent can take back to the vendor, not just a lower figure.
How to present your offer
What to say, what to put in writing, how to come across as a serious buyer, and when to hold your ground or walk away.
Knock 5% off a £400,000 HMO and you’ve saved £20,000.
That’s what the negotiation help alone can be worth. The check costs £499.
A straight answer, in writing
You send us the deal
The listing, the asking price, and what you’re planning to do with it. Anything the agent’s given you helps too.
We go through it
Value, planning, licensing, works, fit out, your USP, room rates, tenants, running costs, cash flow and exit. Every one of them, on your property, with our own rent data behind it.
You get the report and a call
A written Deal Check you can take to your broker, plus a call to go through it. If it’s right, we help you negotiate it down. If it’s not, you walk away knowing why.
Successful deals
Block of flatsTonbridge RoadMaidstone · off market
6 bed HMOHolland RoadMaidstone · off market
8 bed HMOUpper Fant RoadMaidstone · off market
8 bed HMOCharles StreetMaidstone
7 bed HMOFisher StreetMaidstone
9 bed HMOHayle RoadMaidstone
Existing 11 bed HMOHayle RoadMaidstone
8 bed HMOCollege AvenueGillingham
6 bed HMOBoundary RoadChatham
Block of flatsBerkley RoadGravesend
10 bed HMOBerkley RoadGravesend
Block of flatsParrock StreetGravesend
8 bed HMOHeathfield RoadCroydon · off market
6 bed HMOClive WayCrawley
Block of flatsBower TerraceMaidstone
BeforeAfterBlock of flatsSaltdean Park RoadSaltdean
Block of flatsClaremont GardensSurbiton£499. Cheaper than one bad decision.
Overpay by ten grand, miss a licensing condition, or buy in a street where the rooms won’t let at the rent you need, and you’ll lose far more than this in the first year alone.
If you buy it and we manage it for you, the £499 comes off your management. So if the deal’s right, the check ends up costing you nothing.
Pay below and we’ll be in touch to get the details of the property.
Before you book
What do you need from me?
The listing or the agent’s particulars, the asking price, and what you want to do with it. Keep it as it is, add rooms, change the use. If you’ve had a survey or the agent’s sent figures, send those too.
Do you only look at HMOs?
Yes. It’s what we buy, own and manage every day, so it’s where our numbers are worth something. If it’s a single let, ask us first and we’ll tell you honestly if it’s worth your £499.
Where do you cover?
Sussex and Kent, where we manage rooms ourselves and know what they let for. Maidstone, Medway, Gravesend and Crawley especially. If your deal is somewhere else, WhatsApp us before you pay.
What if you tell me not to buy it?
Then the £499 has done its job. Walking away from the wrong house is the cheapest result you’ll ever get in property.
Do I get the £499 back if you manage it?
Yes. If you buy the property and bring it to us to manage, the £499 is credited against your management. So if the deal’s right, the check ends up costing you nothing.
Won’t you just tell me to buy it, so you get to manage it?
No. If it doesn’t stack, we’ll tell you straight. We don’t need you to buy that one. We’d much rather you walked away and bought one of the deals we source that does work, than bought a bad one with our name on it.
Are you trying to sell me something else?
No. If the deal’s good and you want someone to run it, we’re here. If you’d rather manage it yourself, the report is still yours. We’d rather you bought a good one than a bad one with us attached to it.
Let’s make sure it stacks
You’ve done the hard part and found one. Spend £499 making sure it’s the right one.