Buy-to-let property investors will benefit from a new government initiative on higher education.

The government has set out plans to create 20 new higher education centres across the UK in the next six years.

Around 10,000 student places will be created, meaning large student populations will be looking for rented accommodation in many parts of the country.

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has pointed out that buy-to-let investors will benefit greatly from the new centres.

"For those landlords who specialise in students, this is good news," said John Socha, vice chairman of the NLA.

"Any [landlord] who does it at any sort of volume finds that they''ve got a cycle, unlike everybody else in the lettings market.

"That''s why it attracts some people to it. There''s a regular flow to it every year. As long as the position of your house is right - it''s got to be on the college bus route, or near the college, as well as near entertainments," he continued.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors recently revealed that rental yields increased in the final quarter of 2007.