This is the highest figure ever recorded for the property type, overtaking yields on houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), which reached 9%.
Yields on non-standard properties compare favourably to ‘vanilla’ buy-to-let properties, which achieved an average 6.3% in quarter four 2014, up from 5.9% in the third quarter.
David Whittaker, managing director of Mortgages for Business, said: “Rental yields for HMOs and MUFBs are typically higher than those for vanilla buy-to-let.
“For a multitude of reasons, not least stagnant wage growth for half a decade, many tenants simply can’t afford an enormous flat with a spare bedroom.
“As such, the attraction for many of renting a room rather than whole property will ensure that there is a steady yield-boosting demand for HMOs over 2015.”
The only property type which saw yields fall was semi-commercial, as yields stood at 6.4% in quarter four compared to 9.7% in the third quarter.
Average loan to values fell to 64% on MUFBs, 64% on HMOs and 63% on vanilla buy-to-let in quarter four 2014.
Whittaker added: “While property prices have slowed a little in recent months, landlords have on the whole seen enormous price growth compared to the indecisive direction of property prices a few years ago.
“Looking ahead, this might spur some landlords to expand their existing portfolios further and diversify as a result of the high yields on non-standard properties.”
