Purchasing a buy-to-let property can be an excellent investment, but being a landlord entails a lot of responsibility. While the buy to let lending market is fruitful, landlords must seek tax implications and how structuring a buy-to-let can affect lending rates. Having the experience of being a homeowner can provide you with an invaluable insight into what you may encounter as a landlord. Most people who apply for a buy-to-let mortgage are typically landlords with multiple properties in their portfolios. Securing your first buy-to-let mortgage can prove to be difficult if you are also a first-time landlord. A large percentage of lenders require borrowers to own residential property for at least six months before they are eligible. The main reason that buy-to-let mortgages can be complex for first-time buyers is that lenders often deem first-time buyers’ high risk.
Gross buy-to-let lending is increasing to reach £40 billion in 2021 and £41 billion in 2022. IMLA expects 2021 to perform better than any other year since 2016, with £13 billion of house purchase buy-to-let lending.
Case Profile
Our client was a first-time landlord who sought our services after struggling to find a lender willing to offer a 65% LTV (loan to value) on a buy-to-let mortgage. With no landlord or commercial experience, traditional lenders were wary to take the risk on.
Solution
Using our global network of over 200 lenders, Associate Director Mark Pattanshetti placed the deal with a specialist lender who was willing to take a more holistic approach to assessing the project’s commercial viability, rather than focusing principally on the applicant’s financial stability. Our lender assessed the overall rental income and history of lettings for the property.
The specialist lender deemed the client high risk due to their lack of experience in property and increased the rate by 1.00%, but this was acceptable to the client, given the high yield of the property. The first-time landlord was delighted with the mortgage secured. The commercial project is expected to put our first-time landlord in a strong position for the future.
If you’re struggling to secure a mortgage a buy-to-let property, talk to our experts in large and specialist finance. We have access to solutions you can’t find on the high street, and we take a bespoke and tailored approach to every client case.
