buy-to-let
Your first rental, or your fifteenth — funded well.
Buy-to-let lending works differently from a normal residential mortgage, and the rules seem to shift every other year. We keep on top of all that so you don’t have to — a real, named adviser who knows the landlord market inside out, explains every step in plain English, and does the heavy lifting for you.
Award-winning
Paula Bingham
Director & Senior Mortgage & Protection Adviser
“Bring us the property details — we’ll tell you straight whether the numbers work.”
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
The FCA does not regulate some forms of Buy to Lets.
two things landlords want
A competitive deal, and someone who’ll do the heavy lifting.
Most landlords come to us wanting exactly that. Will the rent pass the stress test? How big a deposit will I need? Which lenders will like the property? These are the right questions — and you don’t need the answers before you talk to us. The mortgage side is our job; if it’s a personal-vs-limited-company question, we’ll tell you straight that it’s one for your accountant first.
Because we’re a small, local firm, you’ll deal with the same friendly face from first chat to completion. No call centres, no being passed around — just honest guidance from people who do this every day.
you’re in safe hands
A small, genuinely human firm — where a named adviser actually answers.
Yorkshire-rooted, working with landlords right across the UK.
309+
five-star reviews from landlords and homeowners we’ve looked after
Award-winning
advice — including a win at the Personal Finance Awards
Named
advisers who know your portfolio and pick up the phone
100+
lenders and 1,000s of buy-to-let deals searched — personal, SPV and portfolio
We can’t promise any particular outcome — no honest broker can, and your circumstances, the property and the lender’s criteria always have the final say. What we can promise is that we’ll be straight with you, do the legwork, and explain every option clearly.
who we help
Landlords at every stage.
If your situation isn’t on the list, talk to us anyway. We’ve seen most things, and we’ll tell you honestly where you stand.
First-time landlords
Buying your first rental, often while keeping your own home. We’ll point you to the lenders most likely to say yes.
Experienced landlords
Remortgaging or releasing equity to grow your holdings — we’ll find the deal that suits the next move. How remortgaging works.
Portfolio landlords
Four or more mortgaged buy-to-lets? We know which lenders are genuinely portfolio-friendly and what they’ll want to see.
Limited company landlords
Buying through an SPV (special purpose vehicle)? We arrange limited company buy-to-let mortgages all the time.
Accidental landlords
Ended up letting a property you used to live in? We’ll sort the right mortgage for your changed circumstances.
Investors
Weighing up a new purchase and want the numbers to stack up first? Let’s look at what’s realistically possible.
why use a broker
What we actually do for you.
We look across over 100 lenders and thousands of deals to find an option that fits your property, your plans and the way you’re holding it — then we run the application for you.
We search over 100 lenders
Personal buy-to-let, limited company and portfolio deals — thousands, matched to your property and plans, not one bank’s shelf.
We work the stress test in your favour
Rental cover rules vary hugely between lenders. We match your property to the lender whose calculation works best for you.
We handle the paperwork and the chasing
Applications, property schedules, lender queries — we do the heavy lifting so you can keep running your properties.
We translate the jargon
Rental cover, SPVs, interest-only, ICR — explained in plain English so you understand the deal you’re getting.
We’re honest about fees
We always explain any fees clearly and upfront, before you commit to anything.
in short
A knowledgeable friend who does this every day.
in plain english
How buy-to-let lending is different.
If you’ve had a residential mortgage before, the buy-to-let process will feel familiar in places and quite different in others. Here’s what tends to surprise people.
Lenders care about the rent, not just your income
The main question is whether the rent comfortably covers the mortgage — the rental cover or stress test. Under the Bank of England’s buy-to-let underwriting standards (PRA SS13/16, in force since 2017), lenders work to a minimum rental cover of 125% of the mortgage interest, tested against a higher “stressed” rate to make sure the numbers hold up if rates rise — and in practice most lenders test higher-rate taxpayers at around 145% (Bank of England, 2023). The exact calculation still varies between lenders and depends on your tax position. Matching you to the right one is where a broker genuinely earns their keep.
Deposits are usually larger
Buy-to-let mortgages generally need a bigger deposit than residential ones — often around 25% of the property value. That’s the norm across the market: the Bank of England reported in 2023 that the majority of new buy-to-let loans sit below 75% loan-to-value. A larger deposit can open up a wider choice of deals, but it isn’t always essential. We’ll show you the realistic options for your budget.
Many buy-to-let mortgages are interest-only
It’s common for landlords to choose interest-only, where your monthly payments cover just the interest and the original loan is repaid when you eventually sell or refinance. It keeps monthly costs lower, but you’ll need a credible plan for repaying the capital. We’ll talk this through properly so you go in with your eyes open.
structure
Buying personally or through a limited company?
Many landlords now hold buy-to-lets through a limited company; for others, owning personally still makes more sense.
The honest bit
The right answer depends on your tax position — and that’s not something we’re qualified to advise on. Tax planning sits with a qualified tax adviser or accountant, not your mortgage broker. We’d always recommend you take that advice before you decide how to buy.
For some landlords, particularly higher-rate taxpayers or those building a larger portfolio, a limited company structure can be more favourable. For others, personal ownership wins. It’s a conversation worth having with the right professional first.
What we can do
Once you and your accountant have settled on the structure, we’ll find lenders who’ll work with it — whether that’s a personal buy-to-let or a mortgage for your limited company or SPV.
We arrange both all the time, so there are no surprises on our end. You bring the decision; we bring the lenders and run the application.
And we’re happy to work closely with your accountant — in partnership, sharing what lenders will need — so the mortgage side and the tax side pull in the same direction.
portfolio landlords
Four or more properties? We’ll take it off your plate.
With four or more mortgaged buy-to-lets, lenders treat you as a portfolio landlord, and the application becomes more involved. Expect them to look at your portfolio as a whole — not just the property you’re buying — and to ask for a property schedule, business plan and cash-flow forecast.
It sounds like a lot, and it can be. This is exactly the sort of thing we take off your plate. We know which lenders are genuinely portfolio-friendly, what they’ll want to see, and how to present your portfolio so the application runs as smoothly as possible.
Talk through your portfolio
when your deal ends
Remortgaging your buy-to-let.
Buy-to-let deals come to an end just like residential ones — and when yours finishes, doing nothing usually means drifting onto the lender’s standard variable rate, which eats straight into your rental profit. The good news: you can normally line up a new deal up to six months before your current one ends, so there’s no last-minute scramble.
It’s also the natural moment to step back. Has the rent moved? Has the property’s value grown enough to release some equity towards your next purchase? Would a different lender’s rental calculation suit you better? We’ll look at the whole picture — including staying with your current lender — and recommend the route that fits your plans. (As above, most buy-to-let mortgages are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.)
Curious how the process works? See our remortgaging page — the steps are much the same.
common questions
Answered, honestly.
Do I need a bigger deposit for a buy-to-let mortgage?
Usually, yes. Buy-to-let mortgages often require a larger deposit than a residential mortgage, commonly around 25% of the property value — the Bank of England reported in 2023 that the majority of new buy-to-let loans sit below 75% loan-to-value. It still varies between lenders and depends on your circumstances, and a bigger deposit can give you access to more deals, but it isn’t always essential. We’ll go through the realistic options for your budget.
What is a rental stress test, and will my rent be enough?
A rental stress test is how lenders check that the expected rent will comfortably cover the mortgage, usually tested against a higher “stressed” interest rate to make sure the numbers still work if rates rise. Under the Bank of England’s underwriting standards (PRA SS13/16, in force since 2017), lenders work to a minimum rental cover of 125% of the mortgage interest, and in practice most test higher-rate taxpayers at around 145% (Bank of England, 2023). Because the exact calculation still differs by lender and tax position, it’s well worth letting an adviser match you to a lender whose test works in your favour.
Should I buy through a limited company or in my own name?
That depends on your individual tax situation, and it’s a decision for a qualified tax adviser or accountant, not a mortgage broker. We can’t advise on tax. What we can do is arrange the mortgage once you’ve decided on the structure, whether that’s a personal buy-to-let or a limited company (SPV) mortgage. We work with both regularly.
Can I get a buy-to-let mortgage as a first-time landlord?
Yes, plenty of landlords start somewhere. Some lenders are more comfortable with first-time landlords than others, and a few prefer that you already own your own home. We’ll point you towards the lenders most likely to say yes for your situation and explain exactly what they’ll need from you.
Are buy-to-let mortgages regulated by the FCA?
Most buy-to-let mortgages are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, because they’re treated as a business investment rather than a personal home. A small number of buy-to-let mortgages, such as those let to a close family member, can be regulated. We’ll tell you clearly which type yours is before you commit to anything.
Can I remortgage my buy-to-let?
Yes — buy-to-let deals end just like residential ones, and when yours finishes you’ll usually drift onto the lender’s standard variable rate unless you act. You can normally line up a new deal up to six months before your current one ends. The lender will look at the rent and the property again, so it’s worth reviewing whether your current setup still works — and whether releasing some equity towards your next purchase makes sense. We’ll compare deals across over 100 lenders, including your current one.
ready to talk it through?
First rental or fifteenth — let’s make it work.
Whether you’re buying your first rental, growing a portfolio, or just want to know what’s possible, we’d love to help. No pressure, no jargon — just a friendly chat with someone who knows their stuff.