Let-to-buy mortgages

GET MORTGAGE ADVICE

What is a let-to-buy mortgage?

It is despite the name two mortgages in one transaction - a mortgage that enables you to let your current property and potentially withdraw equity if necessary and a second mortgage for the new property. In other words it is a combination of a buy-to-let mortgage and a standard residential mortgage. 

It differs from a normal buy-to-let in that you already own the property and so are undertaking a remortgage to a buy-let-product to let and often to release equity, providing the deposit for the new residential property. In the future, when you remortgage this property, it would be treated more like a normal buy-to-let mortgage if it is still let out.

what is the usual lending criteria for a let-to-buy?

This varies by lenders, but there are some standard criteria across the board:

• A rental value that is higher than the monthly repayments, lenders usually require the rent to cover around 145% of said repayments which include a stress-tested interest rate

• Maximum Loan To Value of usually 75%, but potentially 80%, something that needs to be considered if you are thinking about releasing equity

• Passing individual lenders affordability assessment, i.e. good credit rating and income to back up the residential mortgage

Let-to-buy as a financial planning tool

Let-to-buy mortgages are a great financial planning tool and work perfectly for those with properties that have increased in value in recent years and who are looking to capitalise on this growth and finance the purchase of another house without the deposit. Often facilitating a move to the country or to a dream long-term family home.

What are the best rates available for let-to-buy mortgages?

These tend to be bespoke products depending on your overall circumstances and needs and as such vary dramatically, by lender, property type etc. It is advisable to speak to a consultant to gain the best advice around your specific requirements. 

Things to consider…

It is important to remember that you are buying a second property and as such will be liable for the additional property surcharge in Stamp Duty Land Tax, which depending on the property’s value could mean you need to factor in a significant amount of money to your purchase. However, if you sell your original property within three years of purchasing the second, you can claim the difference between what you paid and the normal home mover rates back.*

To find out how much Stamp Duty Land Tax you could owe use our handy Stamp Duty calculator here.

If you only need to let your current property for a short period on account of moving away for work or while you are trying to sell your property, you may not need to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage as some lenders may grant you consent to let temporarily - buy-to-let mortgages are generally for the long term.

There are a lot of moving parts to a let-to buy mortgage and you may find yourself dealing with two or three different lenders if you attempt to undertake this yourself and this can create issues around completion times, amongst other things. It is one of the more complex mortgage transactions and best handled by an advisor.

To discuss a let-to-buy mortgage, please fill in this form to be put in touch with your relevant Private Finance representative.