FAQ's

You are classed as a portfolio landlord once you own four or more mortgaged buy-to-let properties. This applies whether they are held in your personal name, jointly with someone else, or inside a limited company. The definition was introduced by the Prudential Regulation Authority in 2017 and applies across all mainstream lenders.

Yes, absolutely. Being a portfolio landlord does not stop you getting a mortgage. It just means the application process is more detailed and not all lenders will be suitable.

Both. Lenders assess the property you are buying or remortgaging, but they also review your entire portfolio. They look at the aggregate loan to value across all your properties, the overall interest cover ratio and how the portfolio performs as a whole. This is why having a well prepared property schedule before you apply is so important.

A property schedule is a document listing every buy to let property you own, with the address, current market value, outstanding mortgage balance, lender and monthly rental income for each one. Every portfolio landlord application requires one. We prepare this for our clients as part of our service so you do not have to worry about it.

Yes. Many portfolio landlords hold their properties inside a limited-company or special purpose vehicle for tax efficiency reasons. We arrange limited company buy to let mortgages regularly and can advise on the mortgage side of this structure. For advice on whether a limited company is right for you from a tax perspective, we always recommend speaking to an accountant.

Most portfolio landlord lenders will lend up to 75% on individual properties and most also want the aggregate loan to value across your whole portfolio to be no more than 75%. Some lenders are more flexible on this than others. We check what is achievable for your specific portfolio before recommending any lender.

You have two main options: a product transfer with your existing lender, which is quicker and usually involves no full affordability reassessment, or a remortgage to a new lender which gives you access to the wider market. We compare both options and tell you honestly which one makes more sense for your situation. Contact us at least three to four months before your deal ends.

Yes. Both BM Solutions and The Mortgage Lender are intermediary only, meaning you need a broker to arrange any rate switch or product transfer with them. We deal with both lenders regularly and handle the whole process for you at no cost.

Individual lenders have their own limits on how many properties they will lend to, but there is no overall legal maximum on how many properties you can own. Some lenders will lend to portfolios of 100 or more properties. We work with landlords at all stages of portfolio growth and advise on the best lender mix as your portfolio expands.

Most lenders class you as a portfolio landlord once you have four or more mortgaged buy to let properties. Some lenders may also consider the total number of properties you own, even if they are mortgage free.

They are more complex, but not necessarily harder to get. Lenders carry out more detailed underwriting and assess your full portfolio. With the right setup and lender choice, many portfolio landlords secure competitive mortgage deals.

Lenders check that your rental income covers your mortgage payments at a higher interest rate than the one you are applying for. This is usually between 125 and 145 percent coverage, depending on the lender and ownership structure.

Many landlords use limited companies for tax efficiency, particularly higher rate taxpayers. However, mortgage options and costs can differ, so it is important to get advice based on your situation.

Yes, portfolio landlords often remortgage several properties together to improve rates, release equity or simplify their finances. This needs to be structured carefully to meet lender criteria.