Understanding buy-to-let mortgages and lender assessments

Important information about these guides

Mortgage Bridge acts as a mortgage introducer and provides general information and administrative support. These guides are for educational purposes only and should not be relied upon as mortgage advice, an investment recommendation or an assessment of your eligibility or suitability.

Mortgage Bridge does not assess mortgage suitability, determine eligibility, recommend products or make lending decisions. Any review of enquiry information by Mortgage Bridge is administrative only. Any regulated mortgage advice is provided separately by an adviser acting through a network authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, following an assessment of your individual circumstances.

Rental-income assessment methods, deposit requirements and property criteria differ between lenders. Expected rent, an available deposit or previous landlord experience does not, by itself, establish eligibility. Some lenders may also consider personal income, existing borrowing and other properties owned.

Rental income is not guaranteed. Empty periods, unpaid rent, repairs, management costs, taxes and changes in borrowing costs can affect the money available to meet mortgage payments. Property values can fall as well as rise. Where borrowing is interest-only, interest payments do not reduce the capital, which remains repayable under the agreement.

References to personal or limited-company ownership do not recommend a particular structure or imply a tax saving. Ownership decisions can have legal, tax and financing consequences. Individual tax and legal questions should be considered with appropriately qualified professionals.

The stamp duty calculator provides an illustration within its stated scope, based on its inputs and assumptions. It does not confirm your tax liability or cover every ownership arrangement, relief or transaction. Purchase-tax rules depend on the property's location and the circumstances of the purchase.

The regulatory status and protections applying to buy-to-let borrowing depend on the arrangement. Do not assume that every buy-to-let mortgage is regulated or that a firm's authorisation makes every product it arranges regulated. The receiving firm should explain the status of the proposed borrowing and the services it provides.

Mortgage availability depends on individual circumstances, the property and current lender criteria. Acceptance is not guaranteed. Criteria, products and costs can change. The receiving firm can explain whether it can assist with your enquiry and assess the proposed borrowing as appropriate.

If you make an enquiry, we can provide administrative support and introduce your enquiry to an adviser. Mortgage Bridge has commercial referral relationships and receives a percentage of the commission earned by the adviser on introduced cases that complete. We therefore have a financial interest in those cases completing.

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Any property used as security, including your home, may be repossessed if you do not repay borrowing secured against it.