x
By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies to enhance your experience.

TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

Coronavirus concerns: BTL borrowing options have been ‘drastically reduced’

Hundreds of buy-to-let mortgage products have been withdrawn from the market due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to Property Master.

The online buy-to-let mortgage broker warns that buy-to-let landlords will now struggle to get mortgages as the impact of the Coronavirus sees lenders pull product ranges, tighten lending criteria and widen margins.

Angus Stewart, Property Master’s chief executive, commented: “The competitive and attractive buy-to-let mortgage market appears to be going into reverse as the impact of the coronavirus begins to bite.  

Advertisement

“Landlords are finding that their borrowing options are being drastically reduced as lenders respond to this new record low base rate environment and fears of falling house prices by withdrawing entire product ranges.  

“We have had clients mid-way through a mortgage application only to find the process is halted and the product withdrawn before they can reach completion and the release of funds.”

Stewart is urging lenders to continue supporting buy-to-let landlords, especially those who were moving successfully through the mortgage application process and would otherwise have expected to be shortly in receipt of a loan, although he accepts that many mortgage providers are facing major difficulties when it comes to valuing properties and properly pricing risk.  

“Similarly, we would urge banks to stand by the commitment made by the government to provide payment holidays to landlord customers struggling as the current crisis impacts on the ability of tenants to pay their rent,” he added. 

In recent weeks, some lenders have chosen to exit the buy-to-let mortgage market altogether for the foreseeable future.  

Saffron Building Society, which offered a range of mortgages including for portfolio and limited company landlords, currently has no products available saying only that its product range is “under review.”  

The Melton Mowbray Building Society and Vida have followed suit, while Together Money has suspended lending in both the buy-to-let and residential market.  Barclays have withdrawn all their products for portfolio landlords. 

Tracker buy-to-let mortgages, where the rate charged tracks usually the Bank of England rate plus a set percentage, are being taken off the market.  

In recent days The Mortgage Works and HSBC have both withdrawn their tracker mortgages for the foreseeable future.  

Lending criteria are being tightened.  In recent times some lenders have been prepared to lend up to 85% of the value of a buy-to-let property.  Fewer are prepared to do so now as fears grow of falling property prices. Kensington Mortgages, for example, are one of those lenders that have reduced maximum loan to value lending criteria down from 85% to 75%.  

Whilst landlords might expect a lower Bank of England base rate will lead to lower mortgage rates this is not always proving to be the case. 

Lenders concerned about the increased risk of tenants defaulting on rents and falling property prices may well choose to widen their margins and increase the cost of borrowing.  

Some lenders have increased rates despite the 0.65% fall in base rate where margins, as a result, have increased by about 1%. 

Stewart added: “In recent years the buy-to-let market has been characterised by increased competition amongst lenders leading to lower pricing and new, innovative products.  We are urging the banks now to continue in that vein and support landlord customers as they deal with this really difficult situation.”

Want to comment on this story? If so...if any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals on any basis, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.

icon

Please login to comment

MovePal MovePal MovePal
sign up