Taylor Scott International News
Three in 10 landlords in the UK plan to look for additional buy to let lending or to re-mortgage in the next three months, yet many may not gain access to finance, it is claimed. According to the latest report from the National Landlords Association (NLA) some 67% of landlords rely on a buy to let mortgage to fund their portfolio, but one in five, or approximately 300,000, landlords have not been able to expand due to difficulties in accessing buy to let finance over the last year. Furthermore, 59% say that lenders fail to consider their individual circumstances, and 56% that current buy to let lending criteria is too conservative. There are two ways a landlord can obtain a buy to let mortgage, either by going direct to a lender or by using the services of a broker, and the NLA believes it is vital that landlords have access to a wide range of products in order to find the one most appropriate solution for them. ‘A significant number of landlords are having trouble accessing finance and expanding, which is a major concern because the private sector is vital in meeting the ever increasing demand on housing at the moment,’ said Carolyn Uphill, NLA chairman. ‘Many landlords are frustrated as lending criteria is too prescriptive. There’s no one size fits all mortgage, and as the leading landlord association in the UK we understand that landlords need access to a range of products that meet their specific individual circumstances,’ she explained. She pointed out that NLA Mortgages provides a free online buy to let mortgage search facility which sources from over 600 mortgage products to help landlords find the best product to suit their needs. Mortgage schemes that are not available in the general marketplace are also available through NLA Mortgages, all via the NLA website. ‘We urge any landlords who are having difficulty in finding a mortgage that meets their needs to get in touch to see how NLA Mortgages can help,’ she added. The NLA’s research also asked landlords what they would say to lenders if given the opportunity. ‘Mortgage lenders are becoming increasingly difficult to work with. The requirement to produce further information on income is causing delays and becoming problematic…if your income does not fit their box on criteria they say no, which wastes time and slows the process,’ said one. ‘Mortgage lenders should consider each borrower on their own merits, and not impose a blanket ban on lending to individuals earning less than £25,000, regardless of their personal circumstances. Someone who is lucky enough to have no outgoings, servicing a mortgage with personal income of £25,000 a year is more than adequate,’ said another. Taylor Scott International
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