Why buy one flat when you can buy five?

An historic building on a main road through Maidstone is to go under the auctioneer's hammer next month.

No 139 to 141 Upper Stone Street has been given a guide-price of £200,000 to £220,000.

Divided into five studio flats, each with their own front door, the purchaser would have to be looking for a long-term investment opportunity, since all the homes are currently occupied by residents with assured short-term tenancies.

They pay rents totalling £2,650 month.

The building, with its second floor overhang storey and its stucco frontage, is a Grade II listed property which has been issued with a repair and improvement notice from Maidstone council requiring the owner to restore it to a decent standard.

The property is one of 130 being offered by Clive Emson Auctioneers, at their sale on Wednesday, May 4.

According to the Varbes online property website, the building last exchanged hands in 2007 for £180,000.