Q: What made you start looking at HMOs as an investment?
My wife and I had been exploring HMOs for a while. We’d done a few BTLs previously, but we were aware HMOs can be quite complex to get right, especially with the extra regulation and legislation involved.

Q: What stood out about Habiti compared to other options you looked at?
What stood out with Habiti was that they had a clear process and seemed to take a more joined-up approach than others we looked at. The network they have—from architects through to legal—has been really valuable.

Q: How has your experience been working with them so far?
Working with them so far has been straightforward. Communication has been great, and we’ve had a clear sense of progress, which is important when you both have full-time jobs and aren’t on the ground every day.

Q: Have there been any challenges or things you’ve learned along the way?
I think the main thing has been understanding just how many moving parts there are in an HMO project. It’s definitely given us a better appreciation for what’s involved behind the scenes. Having that structure in place has made a big difference.

Q: What gave you the confidence to move forward with the investment?
They come across as both commercially minded and operationally capable, which gave us confidence to move forward.

Q: Would you invest with Habiti again?
Based on our experience so far, we’d be happy to invest with them again. For us, the goal is to build a portfolio, and having a partner who can manage the process end-to-end makes that feel much more achievable.

— Rupert - Portsmouth (Queens Road) 2025 completion