A MILLIONAIRE businessman is offering to buy homes and let them to his staff at half the market rent.

Tom Oswald, chief executive of the photo sharing site ClickASnap, says people are being “ripped off” by the rental market.

The Wimborne-based businessman says it often takes half people’s salaries and decades of their lives to raise a deposit for a home of their own, with prices at 10 times the average wage.

One of the firm’s 10 employees, 24-year-old Eliza, has been offered a £200,000 budget to find a house, which ClickASnap would buy on an interest-only mortgage. The tenant then pays rent to ClickASnap.

ClickASnap allows photographers to earn money when people look at their work. The site now has more than 22,000 photographers, with a million images viewed a month.

Mr Oswald started the business in 2016 to disrupt a market dominated by Instagram and Facebook, who he said monetise content with no return to the creator. He became a millionaire this year.

He describes himself as an expert problem solver in robotics, engineering and technology and had his first patent at age 14. He built up his business despite suffering from the debilitating condition ulcerative colitis.

“You wake up one day and were diagnosed with a chronic, incurable life changing disease. You have a unique perspective on life that healthy people don’t have,” he said.

“You could wake up tomorrow and be diagnosed with a terminal disease. You’ve literally nothing to lose by diving into that idea and making it work. Remember persistence and grit is what makes a business successful.

“Finally, don’t chase investment. Work on getting paying customers, borrow what you can and investment will likely come to you on your terms. Don’t quit - the disease or the business.”

Mr Oswald also recently donated £5,000 to Wimborne Tennis Club to buy them a tennis ball machine. The sport is one of his stress-relieving hobbies, along with photography, diving and clay pigeon targeting.

Wimborne Tennis Club’s manager and head professional, Phil Loose, said: “ClickASnap donating a tennis ball machine to the club is fantastic in so many ways. It will help us coach more children and adults in group sessions also make it accessible for people that want to practice that don’t have a partner. I’m sure our special needs school across the park will love it too. We are extremely grateful as not many clubs can afford these.”

Mr Oswald also wants to use a significant portion of ClickASnap funds to find a cure for ulcerative colitis.