Buy-to-let mortgages

Buy-to-let mortgage advice for first-time and portfolio landlords, limited company purchases and remortgages — matched across 100+ lenders by Ernest May.

First property to let, a growing portfolio or buying through a limited company — rental calculations and criteria vary widely between lenders. We find the ones that suit your plans.

Most buy-to-let lenders size the mortgage on expected rent rather than your income, using a stress test that compares rent with the monthly payment at a notional rate. The rate, the coverage ratio and whether they treat you as a basic or higher-rate taxpayer differ from lender to lender, so the same property can support very different loans. We work out which lenders' calculations suit the property before you apply.

• First-time landlords: Plenty of lenders consider applicants letting their first property, though some want you to own your own home first.
• Limited company purchases: Company (SPV) lending has its own stress tests, directors' guarantees and product range, and is priced differently from personal buy-to-let.
• Portfolio landlords: With four or more mortgaged properties, lenders look at the whole portfolio — rent, borrowing and your business plan.
• Buy-to-let remortgages: Releasing equity to buy again, or moving off a reverting rate. We compare product transfers with the wider market.
• HMOs and multi-unit blocks: Houses in multiple occupation and multi-unit freehold blocks need specialist lenders, licensing checks and specific valuations.
• Let-to-buy: Letting your current home while buying a new one needs two applications arranged together.