Property Investment Terminology: Complete UK Guide to Abbreviations & Acronyms

Ever looked at a property listing and felt like you're reading a secret code? You're not alone!

The UK property world is packed with strange estate agent abbreviations and confusing property acronyms that can make your head spin. From mysterious letters like 'GCH' in house listings to investment terms like 'BTL', there's a lot to learn.

So whether you're looking to buy your first home, work in real estate, or start investing in property, we've created a simple guide to all those puzzling property terms and abbreviations used across the UK - written in plain English that actually makes sense and where relevant links to further articles or resources that look further in to each topic.

Updated January 2025

Robert Jones, Founder of Property Investments UK

  • by Robert Jones, Founder of Property Investments UK

    With two decades in UK property, Rob has been investing in buy-to-let since 2005, and uses property data to develop tools for property market analysis.

How to Use This Guide

This guide covers three main areas of property terminology:

  1. Estate Agent Terminology- Decode common abbreviations and acronyms you'll see in property listings (like GCH, DG, and FF)
  2. Property Investment Abbreviations - Understand buy-to-let and investment terminology (including BTL, ROI, and HMO)
  3. Property Transaction Terms - Learn the language used during buying and selling (such as SSTC, CML, and EPC)

You can either:

  • Jump straight to a specific letter using the A-Z menu above
  • Use Ctrl+F (or ⌘+F on Mac) to search for a specific term
  • Browse through the full list to build your property vocabulary

Property Abbreviations and Acronyms

A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   U   V

A

AIP Application in Principle
APR Annual Percentage Rate
AS Assisted Sale
AST Assured Shorthold Tenancy
ARLA Association of Residential Letting Agents (know known as Property Mark)
AT Assured Tenancy (Agreement)

B

BMV Below Market Value
BMRV Below Mortgage Redemption Value
BOE Bank Of England
BRMV Broad Rental Market Area
BTL Buy-to-Let
BTS Buy-to-Sell (also known as Flipping)
BTR Build to Rent

C

CGT Capital Gains Tax
CH Central Heating
CML Council Mortgage Lenders
COCR Cash On Cash Return
CPO Compulsory Purchase Order
CRM Capital Repayment Mortgage
CT Council Tax

D

DD Due Diligence
DG Double Glazing
DIP Decision in Principle
DLA Disability Living Allowance
DPC Damp Proof Course
DPM Damp Proof Membrane
DTV Direct To Vendor

E

EA Estate Agent
EDC Exchange with a Delayed Completion
EPC Energy Performance Certificate
ERC Early Repayment Charges

F

FENSA Fenestration Self Assessment Scheme
FH Freehold
FLEEA Fire, Lightning, Earthquake, Explosion, Aircraft (Insurance)
FMV Fair Market Value
FR Fixed Rate
FTB First Time Buyer
FURN Furnished

G

GCH Gas Central Heating
GDN Garden
GDV Gross Development Value
GF Ground Floor
GFCH Gas Fired Central Heating
GP Gross Profit
GR / NR Gross Return / Net Return

H

HA Housing Authority
HB Housing Benefit (also known as Housing Allowance)
HHSRS Housing Health and Safety Rating System
HMO House of Multiple Occupation
HPI House Price Index

I

IFA Independent Financial Advisor
IHT Inheritance Tax
IO Interest-only: A mortgage where capital debt is held off until the end of the term. Interest payments to service the debt are made at regular periods.
IRR Internal Rate Retention / Internal Rate Of Return

J

JV Joint Venture
JVP Joint Venture Partner

L

LH Leasehold
LHA Local Housing Allowance
LIBOR London Interbank Offered Rate
LL Landlord
LO Lease Option
LTB/L2B Lease to Buy
LTL/L2L Lease to Let (Same as R2R)

M

MV Market Value

N

NAEA National Association of Estate Agents (know known as Property Mark)
NHBC National House Building Council Scheme
NLA National Landlords Association
NP
Net Profit
NRLA National Residential Landlords Association

O

OCH Oil Central Heating
OIEO Offers In Excess Of
OIRO Offers In The Region Of
OMV Open Market Value
OO Owner Occupier
OPM Other People’s Money: Using other people’s money to purchase property
OTO Open to Offers

P

PA Per Annum
PBSA Purpose Built Student Accommodation
PCM Per Calendar Month
POA Price on Application
PP Planning Permission
PP Purchase Price
PRS Private Rented Sector
PW Per Week

R

REIT Real Estate Investment Trust
RICS Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors
ROCE Return on Capital Employed
ROE Return On Equity
ROI Return On Investment
ROR Rate of Return
RPI Retail Price Index

S

SA Serviced Accommodation
SARB/SRB Sale and Rent Back
SDLT Stamp Duty Land Tax
SO Standing Order
SPV Special Purpose Vehicle
SSTC Sold Subject To Contract
SV Surveyor Valuation
SVR Standard Variable Rate - Mortgage

T

TB Tenant Buyer

U

UF Unfurnished

V

VP Vacant Possession

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