Specialist buy-to-let mortgages are available up to 75-80% LTV, with rates from the mid-4% range in 2026 and rent typically needing to cover interest by 125% to 145%. Limited companies, HMOs, portfolios and first-time landlords are all lendable, with the right lender.
The high street likes simple landlords: one property, personal name, salaried job, vanilla terraced house. If that’s you, lovely. If you’re buying through a limited company, taking on an HMO, juggling a portfolio, or earning income a mainstream underwriter finds confusing, you need specialist buy-to-let mortgages and a broker who arranges them every week.
That’s us. We place buy-to-let cases with lenders that aren’t available to every broker, from single lets to multi-unit blocks, for individuals, SPVs, expats and everyone the high street quietly declines. You get straight answers on what you can borrow, what the stress test means for you, and what it will cost. We’re clever like that.
Plenty of landlords sail through a mainstream application. These are the ones who don’t, and where the right lender makes all the difference.
Most new buy-to-let purchases now go through a company structure, and Paragon Bank’s 2026 landlord research found 63% of landlords plan to buy their next property through one, rising to every single landlord surveyed under the age of 35. Lenders treat SPV applications differently: expect specific SIC codes, personal guarantees and company paperwork. We know which lenders price SPV cases fairly and what they’ll ask for before they ask.
Houses in multiple occupation and multi-unit freehold blocks earn more rent and more underwriting attention. Room sizes, licensing, valuation basis (bricks and mortar or investment value) all change the lender shortlist. We check licensing requirements at the start, because finding out at offer stage is expensive.
Own four or more mortgaged rentals and lenders assess your whole portfolio, not just the new purchase. Stress rates on background properties shifted again in 2026, with some lenders tightening portfolio stress testing mid-year. We run the portfolio numbers upfront so you know your real borrowing ceiling before you offer on anything. It also means one properly packaged portfolio schedule instead of six versions of the same spreadsheet, which your underwriter will quietly thank you for.
No landlord experience? Self-employed with retained profits? Paid in a currency your bank has to look up? None of these are deal-breakers, they just narrow the lender list. We’ll tell you which lenders say yes to your profile, and what evidence gets the case through underwriting first time.
Every case is priced on the property, the rent and your structure. Here’s the range:
If the property needs work before it can be let, a bridge now and a buy-to-let exit later often beats waiting. Our bridging finance page explains how that works. And if you’re weighing up mixed-use or semi-commercial property, that usually sits under a commercial mortgage instead; we arrange both, so you won’t be bounced between departments.
This is the question that decides how much you can actually borrow, so here’s the plain-English version. Lenders don’t assess a buy-to-let on your salary. They test whether the rent covers the mortgage interest with room to spare, called the interest coverage ratio (ICR).
Most lenders want rent to cover between 125% and 145% of the interest, calculated at a stressed rate above the pay rate. Basic-rate taxpayers and limited companies usually sit at the 125% end; higher-rate taxpayers get tested at up to 145%. A five-year fixed rate is often stress-tested more gently than a two-year, which is why the “cheapest” product isn’t always the one that lets you borrow enough.
If the rent falls short, top slicing can rescue the case: some lenders count your personal income to plug the gap. Rates themselves moved around sharply through 2026 before easing in early summer, with limited company five-year fixes from mainstream-adjacent lenders landing around the 5% mark and specialist products pricing to risk. Lenders reprice weekly at the moment, which is a decent argument for a broker who watches the market daily. We model your ICR at the outset and show you the alternatives, so there are no surprises at underwriting.
Most buy-to-let mortgages complete within 6 to 8 weeks once the valuation and legals are moving. Portfolio and multi-unit cases can take longer, and we’ll say so upfront rather than let a date drift quietly.
Send us the property type, the amount you want to borrow, the expected rent and any quirks. We'll come back within 24 business hours with the likely structure, the realistic lender shortlist and what the stress test means for your number.
We secure your decision in principle, instruct the valuation and set out any conditions in plain English you can actually act on.
We keep the legal work moving and update you at every stage. If a date shifts, you hear it from us first, with a new date attached.
£412k at around 73% LTV on a 6-bed licensed HMO; lender accepted historic credit blips with clean conduct since; completed in 5 weeks.
£265k at around 75% LTV; developer incentives disclosed; let agreed before completion; smooth offer after upfront documents.
5 units on one title valued on an investment basis; £1.02m facility releasing capital for the next acquisition.
(Anonymised; figures indicative.)
It depends on your tax position, your plans and how long you'll hold the property, so speak to an accountant on the tax side. From the lending side, SPV products used to price at a hefty premium; the gap has narrowed as company lending has become the norm. We'll show you both routes costed side by side so the decision is made with real numbers.
Work backwards from the ICR: at 125% coverage with a 5.5% stress rate, roughly every £100,000 of borrowing needs around £573 a month in rent. At 145% coverage it's nearer £665. These are illustrations rather than quotes, but they show why your tax band changes what you can borrow. We'll run your exact figures before you commit to anything.
Yes. A good number of lenders accept first-time landlords, usually with closer checks on your income, deposit and the property type. Owning your own home helps but isn't always essential. Expect slightly fewer product options rather than a closed door.
Yes, this is the standard bridge-to-let route: buy or refurbish on a bridge, then refinance onto a buy-to-let mortgage once the property is lettable. We arrange both ends, and we'll check the exit mortgage works before you take the bridge, not after.
They can if left late. Minimum room sizes, mandatory or additional licensing and Article 4 areas all affect which lenders will play. We review this at the start, and where a licence is required it usually needs to be in place before completion.
A specialist group of lenders is comfortable with expat and foreign national landlords. Expect extra identity and source-of-funds checks, and some country restrictions. We confirm your residency is acceptable to the lender before anyone spends money on valuations.
Most landlords choose interest-only for cash flow and repay the capital on sale or refinance. Repayment costs more monthly but builds equity. There's no universally right answer; we'll set out the long-term cost difference for your case and let you decide.
Usually at least 20 to 25%, so 75 to 80% LTV, with the sharpest rates sitting at 65% LTV and below. Up to 85% is possible on standard cases with the right lender. HMOs and multi-unit blocks tend to want a little more equity.
Planning to buy your next rental under the hammer? Our auction finance page covers how to fund a purchase inside the 28-day deadline and exit onto a buy-to-let mortgage afterwards.
Send us a quick enquiry and we’ll come back within 24 business hours with a realistic route forward, your stress-tested borrowing figure and a lender shortlist that fits your structure.
No fees until we’ve found you a solution, and you’ll speak to an advisor from the first call, not a triage team. Complicated is fine. That’s usually where we’re most useful.
Email us directly with your enquiry by clicking here or using our email [email protected].
