Scottish Property Podcast, Author at Scottish Property Podcast

Rent Controls Backfired — And Landlords Changed Their Strategy

Scottish Property Podcast on August 12, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode of The Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven are joined by Dr John Boyle to discuss rent controls in Scotland, why they have backfired, and how landlords have changed their strategy in response. They also look at what this means for the wider private rental sector, tenants and property investors. In addition, the conversation touches on housing supply, build-to-rent, student accommodation and whether current policy is helping or making the rental market more difficult.

The conversation also touches on housing supply, build-to-rent, student accommodation and whether current policy is helping or making the rental market more difficult. As a result, this episode gives a practical look at how rent controls in Scotland, wider regulation and market conditions can shape long-term property investment strategy.

Overall, this episode gives a practical look at how rent controls in Scotland, wider regulation and market conditions can shape long-term property investment strategy.

Episode Highlights

What Scotland’s housing emergency actually means, and why homelessness and temporary accommodation are increasing
Why housing costs of around 25%–30% of gross income are generally considered affordable
How annual housebuilding has fallen from around 25,000 homes before the financial crash to fewer than 20,000
Why Scotland’s 2026 house-price growth forecast was revised from 3.5% to around 0%
Why Dr John Boyle does not believe the 18-year property cycle will cause a house-price crash in 2026
How Aberdeen’s property market changed so dramatically, and why transactions are now beginning to recover
Why landlord registration figures may not give a reliable picture of landlords leaving the sector
How rent controls encouraged landlords to raise rents to market value between tenancies
Why the 8% Additional Dwelling Supplement affects new landlords while producing record tax revenue
Why rent controls caused institutional build-to-rent investment in Scotland to stall
How student accommodation and co-living could provide alternative housing options

Episode Timestamps

00:00 – Meet Dr. John Boyle
01:08 – Scotland’s housing emergency explained
04:04 – Why Scotland is not building enough homes
07:08 – The rising cost of social housing
10:55 – Scotland’s property-market outlook
14:32 – Will the 18-year property cycle cause a crash?
18:25 – What could trigger the next property crash?
21:39 – What happened to Aberdeen’s property market?
25:31 – Finding growth areas and interpreting property data
30:28 – Are landlords really leaving Scotland?
35:23 – How the 8% ADS is affecting investors
37:47 – Why rent controls caused rents to rise
40:11 – The future of rent-control zones
44:57 – Build-to-rent and institutional investment
53:03 – Why build-to-rent schemes are struggling
56:47 – Is Glasgow building too much student accommodation?
59:49 – Could co-living help address the housing shortage?
01:00:52 – Where to connect with Dr. John

Useful Links

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Do you think Scotland is heading for a property crash, or will the housing shortage keep prices resilient? Let us know in the comments below

Bridging, BRR and Property Sourcers — Your Questions Answered

Scottish Property Podcast on August 3, 2026

Episode Overview

What would Nick and Steven do with £40,000 to invest—and would they choose a vanilla buy-to-let over stocks and shares?

In this listener Q&A episode, Nick reveals that he currently owns 12 buy-to-lets and is still aiming for a portfolio of 20 producing around £5,000 in net monthly cash flow. Steven explains why he focuses less on the number of properties he owns and more on cash flow, loan-to-value and paying down debt.

They also discuss first-time buyer advantages, what makes a BRR deal stack up, how bridging finance works, whether 5.7% is a reasonable refinancing rate, and how to find trustworthy property sourcers.

Episode Highlights

Nick’s goal of owning 20 buy-to-lets producing approximately £5,000 in net monthly cash flow
Why Steven focuses on cash flow, loan-to-value and debt reduction instead of property numbers
Houses versus flats—and why tenant turnover, factor fees and capital growth matter
What Nick and Steven would do with £40,000 to begin building a property portfolio
How first-time buyers can use low deposits, house hacking and live-in flips to their advantage
Their five and ten-year plans for acquiring properties and reducing portfolio debt
The discounts, added value and refurbishment costs needed to make a BRR deal work
How bridging finance works, including arrangement fees, monthly interest and exit costs
How to check a property sourcer’s track record, compliance and investment figures
Why tenanted properties require due diligence on both the building and the tenant

Episode Timestamps

00:00 – Nick and Steven answer listeners’ questions
01:15 – Portfolio targets and monthly cash-flow goals
04:03 – Houses versus flats
06:12 – BRR versus buying quality property
08:21 – Loan-to-value and paying down portfolio debt
10:52 – Prime Property Auctions
13:09 – Buy-to-let versus stocks and shares
20:49 – What would they do with £40,000?
23:03 – The advantages of being a first-time buyer
25:56 – Nick and Steven’s property-buying criteria
30:23 – Their five and ten-year property plans
36:18 – How to borrow, buy and recover your investment
38:32 – How bridging finance works
42:47 – Is 5.7% a reasonable refinancing rate?
46:10 – Kitchen versus bathroom refurbishment
49:56 – How to find a trustworthy property sourcer
55:28 – Nick and Steven’s perfect day

Useful Links

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If you had £100,000 to invest, would you choose buy-to-let or stocks and shares? Let us know in the comments

Diagnosed With Cancer at 27 — Then Property Changed Her Life

Scottish Property Podcast on July 27, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode of The Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven are joined by Ally Wilkes to discuss property refurbishment in Scotland, BRR deals, project management and how property changed the direction of her life.

After being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at 27, Ally began to rethink time, security and the future she wanted to build. She went on to complete a flip that made just under £30,000, used the BRR strategy to build her own portfolio and eventually left the NHS to run ACG Property, managing renovation projects for investors.

Episode Highlights

How a cancer diagnosis at 27 changed Ally’s outlook on work, security and life
The numbers behind her first flip: bought for £81,000, spent around £17,000 and sold for £135,750
How that first project produced a profit of just under £30,000
Her first BRR: bought for £66,000, refurbished for around £30,000 and revalued at £130,000
What happened when her first buy-to-let tenant trashed the property after only eight weeks
Leaving the NHS and adjusting to the lack of routine that comes with self-employment
Why Ally charges 15% of the refurbishment cost for project management
Why Ally budgets roughly £15,000–£20,000 for a good two-bedroom refurbishment with kitchen and bathroom upgrades, excluding electrics, windows and boiler or heating work
The hidden problems investors cannot always spot before work begins, including thermal bridging
Why Ally prioritises good-quality assets instead of growing a portfolio for appearances

Episode Timestamps

00:00 – Meet Ally Wilkes
01:47 – Wanting to work in property from a young age
06:38 – The cancer diagnosis that changed everything
15:37 – Why property became Ally’s next chapter
18:27 – The numbers behind her first flip
21:49 – Moving from flipping to BRR and buy-to-let
22:16 – A £66,000 purchase revalued at £130,000
22:53 – The nightmare first tenant
27:23 – Leaving the NHS for property full-time
33:26 – How networking brought Ally her first clients
35:42 – Building a personal brand by being authentic
38:19 – Why investors use a project manager
39:27 – Project-management fees and realistic budgets
43:17 – What a two-bedroom refurbishment costs today
45:09 – Thermal bridging and other hidden problems
48:12 – Kitchens, bathrooms and timeless design
51:53 – Managing a refurbishment for a remote investor
53:23 – Ally’s plans for ACG Property and her portfolio
55:29 – Where to connect with Ally

Useful Links

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Would you leave a secure career to pursue property full-time? Let us know in the comments

How an Architect Spots Hidden Value in Property Deals

Scottish Property Podcast on July 20, 2026

Episode Overview

Most investors look at a floor plan and see a two-bed. Ross McIlvean looks at the same layout and sees hidden value in property deals that others might miss.

In this episode of The Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven are joined by Ross McIlvean of LTJ Architecture to discuss how architecture, planning knowledge and practical design can help investors unlock value. Ross shares his route into property, his first flip, building a portfolio in Dunfermline, solving an illegal attic conversion and using layout changes to turn two-bed properties into three-beds.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 Intro: Ross McIlvean joins the podcast
00:34 Ross’s background and route into architecture
01:22 Why buildings and local architecture matter
04:35 Architecture that adds commercial value
05:11 Ross’s first step into property investing
06:17 Property education and learning the basics
07:49 Ross’s first flip in Cowdenbeath
10:26 Why flipping is harder in today’s market
11:45 Using architecture to unlock hidden value
13:13 Pricing refurbs and understanding project costs
17:48 How architects price their work
19:57 Building a portfolio after the first flip
21:12 Turning two-bed properties into three-beds
23:52 Removing chimneys and changing layouts
26:34 Minimum bedroom sizes and practical layouts
28:51 Solving an unofficial attic conversion problem
31:13 Undoing bad work to make a property compliant
33:44 Rental growth in Dunfermline
35:39 Ross’s static caravan investment
38:37 Moving from employment to self-employment
42:13 Working with Jay Alexander and the Flour Mill project
45:36 Starting LTJ Architecture during Covid
48:34 Planning delays and the council process
49:50 Planning permission vs building warrant
52:01 Retrospective building warrants and why they’re risky
54:21 Building control inspections and completion certificates
55:12 Ross’s role through the design and approval process
56:20 AI, architecture and design visuals
59:57 What’s next for Ross and his portfolio
1:04:56 How to connect with Ross
1:05:47 Final thoughts

Useful Links

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Listen to more episodes of The Scottish Property Podcast and explore conversations with investors, landlords and industry experts across Scotland. Browse Episodes

Would you buy everything in one street like Ross? Drop it in the comments

The Property Accountant With 54 Buy-to-Lets

Scottish Property Podcast on July 13, 2026

Episode Overview

He’s your accountant by day and a 54-unit landlord by night. And he charges less than you’d spend on a Friday night out. 🏠

In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Matt Herbert — qualified property accountant and 54-unit investor across Aberdeen and Edinburgh. Matt covers everything from his dad being made redundant and discovering property by accident, to doing refurbs after work in his finance job, building a 54-unit portfolio, and why he’d rather help investors structure their businesses properly than charge a fortune for it.

If you’ve ever wondered what a property accountant actually does for your portfolio — this is the episode to watch.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to Matt Herbert — accountant and 54-unit investor
00:14 – Qualified property accountant at the Glasgow networking events
00:28 – 54-unit buy to let portfolio across Aberdeen and Edinburgh
00:52 – Why Aberdeen is controversial — and Matt’s take on it
01:30 – Growing up: dad moved from Wales to Aberdeen for oil and gas
02:06 – Dad made redundant and retrained as a teacher — the lesson it taught Matt
05:54 – Dad’s first property: rented to his girlfriend
06:54 – Oil and gas crash 2015 — everyone made redundant
10:40 – First investment property — and the finance stories
12:41 – The First Home Fund: government equity stake explained
14:03 – Planning to buy a bigger home — and how it changed
15:30 – First refurb: doing it himself after work in Edinburgh
16:59 – What clients actually want: financial freedom and passive income
21:45 – Ex-council and social housing stock — what to know
24:27 – Aberdeen market deep dive — buying flats under £40k
24:43 – Partnering with Aiden — sourcing and project management
26:39 – Finding deals at offers over £45k and getting them down
27:57 – Target ROI: 20–25% on all capital invested
28:42 – Aberdeen pitfalls: what to watch out for
28:52 – Structural issues in Aberdeen stock — the same problems everywhere
37:43 – The condemned street nobody saw coming
40:34 – Porous concrete explained — and why it’s a serious problem
42:38 – Net cash flow reality: why Aberdeen yields aren’t always what they seem
48:41 – Edinburgh: inflated rents and the Alex Walker connection
55:33 – Shareholder structure: getting the limited company right from day one
57:40 – Year end tax planning: what to do when the bill hits £50k
1:00:15 – Mortgage strategy: 75% LTV, five-year fixes
1:00:33 – Set and forget — why Matt loves boring, stable assets

Useful Links

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Listen to more episodes of The Scottish Property Podcast and explore conversations with investors, landlords and industry experts across Scotland. Browse Episodes

Would you do your own refurb to save money? Drop it in the comments

From Managing 70 Short Term Lets to Building a New Boutique Hotel Brand

Scottish Property Podcast on July 6, 2026

Episode Overview

He built a short term let business to 70 units and 20 staff — then walked away at 29 to start from scratch. The very next day he went to view a hotel.

In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Laurence Malyon — founder of Moment aparthotel brand — for one of the most wide-ranging conversations they’ve had on the show. Laurence covers everything from running concerts for the neighbours at age 5 and rebranding his family’s fire suppression business at 15, to building Donnini Apartments with his uni flatmate Jake, exiting after seven years, and launching a hospitality brand that just did a £2.325 million deal on Edinburgh’s George IV Bridge.

This one is packed with lessons on business partnerships, aparthotel strategy, STL licensing, commercial funding, and why Glasgow and Edinburgh are completely different beasts.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome back to Laurence & what he’s been building since
01:08 – Exiting Donnini & launching Moment hotel brand the very next day
01:58 – Growing up in a rundown farmhouse near Beattock
02:59 – The family fire suppression business
03:36 – Rebranding the family business at 15
05:15 – Why London and Dubai are the real competition
07:41 – Running concerts for the neighbours at age 5
09:01 – Selling fruit and veg to teachers for profit
10:39 – First flip at uni with Jake
13:47 – Discovering Airbnb as it was becoming a thing
14:10 – Touchstone / Progressive property training
16:59 – The rent to rent model that started it all
17:26 – STL legislation: why serviced accommodation is so much harder now
19:40 – Planning consent: licences, planning, or both
28:45 – The plan to go beyond Edinburgh and Glasgow
33:25 – Becky, the business conversation that changed everything
34:22 – The Moment trademark — what it means and why he owns it
35:00 – 12 George IV Bridge Edinburgh — the flagship deal
38:07 – £2.325 million on practical completion
39:39 – RBS as main lender — the journey to get there
40:22 – Oak North bank and how they got funding over the line
47:28 – First hire CJ — building the team
50:00 – Remote team in the Philippines
52:41 – 18% management fee — how it’s structured
59:01 – Sonder went bust: lessons from the big operators
1:01:18 – Stay Cool: what the brand offers and why it’s different
1:03:40 – Expansion plans: Lisbon, Paris and beyond

Useful Links

Join our monthly property networking events across Scotland and connect with investors, landlords and industry experts. View Upcoming Events

Know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 by introducing them to Prime Property Auctions. Visit Prime Property Auctions

Listen to more episodes of The Scottish Property Podcast and explore conversations with investors, landlords and industry experts across Scotland. Browse Episodes

Would you have walked away from 70 units to start again? Drop it in the comments

Pension Funds Are Buying Rental Homes — So Is Buy-to-Let Really Dead?

Scottish Property Podcast on June 29, 2026

Episode Overview

Pension funds are quietly buying up rental homes across Scotland. If buy-to-let was dying, nobody told them.

Nick and Steven are back with the June market update — running on two hours sleep after Scotland vs Brazil — covering the Prime Minister change, house prices, the rental market, the LHA rate freeze that’s about to hit 45,000 households, and a £10.8 million build to rent deal in Edinburgh backed by your pension fund. Yes, yours.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 – Intro: Scotland vs Brazil, two hours sleep, six episodes to record
01:25 – What’s coming up: PM change, house prices, rents, LHA & build to rent
01:50 – House prices & rental market overview
01:58 – Local housing allowance — why it matters to landlords
02:36 – Build to rent & pension funds flooding into Scottish property
03:27 – Keir Starmer resigns — what happened
04:18 – Andy Burnham likely next PM — and his history with rent freezes
04:28 – Rent controls in England: why Scotland is one step ahead
05:21 – Capital gains tax: what a new Labour leader could mean for landlords
14:20 – Fred Harrison’s 18-year cycle — five months left for the 2026 crash prediction
15:36 – SpaceX IPO: Elon Musk becomes a trillionaire
20:01 – First Home Fund launched this week — will it empty in days again?
21:56 – Land Registry data: Scotland up 2.2%
23:57 – Bitcoin at $59k — down 50% from its peak
31:15 – LHA rate freeze: 87 of 90 regions can’t cover the bottom 30% of rents
34:30 – Scotland’s discretionary housing payment — sticking plaster or real solution?
35:52 – 45,000 households and 31,000 children affected
35:57 – Scotland puts in £8.7m in support
36:43 – Avant Homes sells 41 Edinburgh homes to Thriving Investments for £10.8m
37:52 – £263k per home — and who’s actually funding it
38:19 – Is mid-market rent exempt from rent controls? The question nobody can answer

Useful Links

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Listen to more episodes of The Scottish Property Podcast and explore conversations with investors, landlords and industry experts across Scotland. Browse Episodes

Do you think Andy Burnham will target landlords? Drop it in the comments

800 Units Under Management | The Steelworker’s Scaling Strategy

Scottish Property Podcast on June 22, 2026

Episode Overview

He had $300 to his name, sleeping on a mate’s floor in Perth, Australia. Then a stranger in an empty pub changed everything — and 23 years later he owns 46 properties and manages 800 more. 🏠

In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with David Lamb — founder of Orange Sales and Lettings in the North East of England. David’s journey takes in steelworks apprenticeships, delivering tea bags with a wicker basket, a commercial conversion that doubled in cost during Covid, backpacking through Southeast Asia on passive income, and a chance meeting with a stranger in a pub that got him his first offshore job.

This one’s got everything — the crashes, the lessons, the laughs, and a masterclass on building a letting agency from zero to nearly 1,000 properties under management.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome & David’s story in numbers
01:01 – Growing up in Billingham, Teesside
01:36 – Private school, kicked out, and finding his feet
03:01 – Walking out on his business teacher after 6 weeks
04:19 – Delivering tea bags door to door with a wicker basket
07:17 – First flip: bought for £52k, made £26k, slept on the floor
10:13 – The 2008 crash — and two new builds he’d just completed on
11:39 – Why new builds off plan was his biggest property mistake
15:03 – Zero knowledge of leverage — the lightbulb moment
16:46 – 46 personal properties: the buy to let foundation
17:05 – Converting 17 offices into 11 apartments
22:44 – Made redundant from the steelworks
23:30 – Backpacking Australia & Southeast Asia
23:51 – $300 left, Perth, and an empty pub
24:29 – The stranger who bought him a pint and changed his life
25:21 – Email Paul Gordon — one message, one offshore career
29:53 – Earning offshore and feeling passive income for the first time
32:33 – Rich Dad Poor Dad, all the books, and going property shopping
34:58 – The 17-office business centre: bought for £450k
35:24 – Covid hits — £450k becomes £750k
37:10 – Starting Orange from a portacabin on site
47:04 – First hire Charlotte — and building the team
49:37 – First agency acquisition
51:01 – Asset purchases vs share purchases explained
51:48 – How David structures every agency deal
51:54 – The deal that’ll take Orange over 1,000 properties
53:22 – Why relationships are the real currency in business
54:09 – David’s sole role at Orange now: buying agencies
1:00:15 – Business rates, national insurance & the real costs of running a team
1:00:25 – AI in property management — what David is integrating right now
1:03:44 – Why AI will never replace emotions in property
1:05:44 – The bank conversion: planning, apartments & serviced accommodation
1:07:07 – Wrap up & Marbella plans

Useful Links

Join our monthly property networking events across Scotland and connect with investors, landlords and industry experts. View Upcoming Events

Know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 by introducing them to Prime Property Auctions. Visit Prime Property Auctions

Listen to more episodes of The Scottish Property Podcast and explore conversations with investors, landlords and industry experts across Scotland. Browse Episodes

Would you have sent that email to Paul Gordon? Drop it in the comments

The Hidden Stress of Scaling a Property Portfolio

Scottish Property Podcast on June 15, 2026

Episode Overview

A complicated miscarriage. A goodbye in a hospital room. Two years of everything going wrong. Then they bought their first property — Claire eight months pregnant, the world in lockdown. 🏠

In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Claire and Dan MacDonald of Cladan Property — a husband and wife team who started investing in 2020 with no strategy and a sold car, and have quietly built a portfolio of 24 properties in five years.

This one isn’t about overnight success. It’s about a slow, steady, intentional approach — two young kids, a teaching job, a brand new mortgage advisory business, and a portfolio that’s just gone through its biggest and most challenging growth phase yet.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to Claire and Dan
02:02 – Growing up in the Highlands & how they met
06:39 – The honeymoon that sparked the business idea
07:54 – One-day property events & the financial advisor who said don’t bother
14:05 – Claire’s teaching career & the stress behind it
17:59 – The difficult years: loss of Dan’s mum
24:26 – The complicated miscarriage & why it changed everything
00:20 – Claire starts investing eight months pregnant in lockdown
19:06 – First deal: analysis paralysis & what pushed them through
19:14 – Analysis paralysis & the first purchase
21:23 – Releasing equity to fund deals three and four
22:07 – Selling the car to fund the second property
32:13 – Working with Jillian and Darren Green — mindset & clarity
33:36 – The vision: cash flow number, lifestyle goals & what they’re building toward
34:36 – Dan’s civil engineering background & the move into property
39:11 – The pivot to short-term lets & the Highland cottage
41:04 – The cottage flat STL in Cardonald
41:14 – 8 months to get the STL licence — what they learned
43:26 – Winter cash flow struggles & the unpredictability of STL
43:40 – The Joseph Todd liquidation post & what it meant for the market
49:25 – Speaking at the April networking event — how it led to two portfolio deals
49:31 – Direct to vendor: the portfolio acquisitions that changed everything
53:31 – Tenanted portfolio — when the cracks started appearing
55:59 – Butting heads as a couple & how they’re working through it
1:00:56 – Dan’s mortgage advisory business & where to find them

Useful Links

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Listen to more episodes of The Scottish Property Podcast and explore conversations with investors, landlords and industry experts across Scotland. Browse Episodes

Are you investing as a couple? Drop your experience in the comments

The Homeless Landlord With 12 Properties. Isaac Cross tells all.

Scottish Property Podcast on June 8, 2026

Episode Overview

He owns 12 properties. He lives in his mate’s spare room. And he accidentally bought a Chinese restaurant from an airport while flying back from Japan.

In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Isaac Cross — a former offshore worker and CERN technician who saved £140k, came off the Scottish Property Podcast course in January, and went all in on property faster than almost anyone they’ve had on the show.

This one is raw, honest, and genuinely funny. Isaac doesn’t just talk about the wins. He talks about the bridging nightmare on five properties at once, the deals he overpaid for, the sourcing fees that didn’t add up, the solicitor with 98 problems to solve — and what he’d do differently if he were starting again.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to Isaac Cross & the 52 properties in 52 weeks goal
02:04 – Growing up between Aberdeen and Lanarkshire with a single mum
04:35 – ADHD diagnosis as a kid — and how it shapes the way Isaac works
05:21 – Wanting to go offshore like his dad
06:28 – Electrical apprenticeship & how he was the only one who applied
10:55 – Life offshore: earning £90k in his early 20s
16:20 – Moving to Switzerland for the CERN job
16:29 – The best job title, the most boring job
18:59 – First property: Holytown two-bed at 20
21:14 – Bad mortgage advice, blowing the profit, starting over
26:16 – The power of a good power team
33:24 – The Dennistoun flat — bought at home report in peak Covid
35:04 – Social media, personal brand & why Isaac went all in on content
36:38 – The January networking event that flipped the switch
44:04 – First deal in Aberdeen on a plane to Australia
52:07 – Five properties on one bridge — and 98 problems to solve
1:00:19 – The Chinese restaurant accident
1:02:53 – Bidding at auction from Heathrow flying back from Japan
1:06:45 – The community hub plan for the Carluke commercial unit
1:11:55 – First private investor on board & what comes next

Useful Links

Join our monthly property networking events across Scotland and connect with investors, landlords and industry experts. View Upcoming Events

Know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 by introducing them to Prime Property Auctions. Visit Prime Property Auctions

Listen to more episodes of The Scottish Property Podcast and explore conversations with investors, landlords and industry experts across Scotland. Browse Episodes

Would you have bought the Chinese restaurant? Drop it in the comments

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