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Can I get a limited company buy to let mortgage?

Yes, limited company buy to let mortgages are very common.

Whether you apply in personal name or via a limited company, the only influence this will have is the lenders you can work with, not whether or not you can borrow.

What’s more, your limited company does not have to have been set up for a long time, some lenders will accept applications via newly set up limited companies.

As with buy to let in general, the rent of the property typically needs to be between 125% and 145% of the mortgage payment, some credit issues may impact borrowing, you will need a suitable deposit (at least 15-20% of the property value) and an accurate valuation is important.

If you have questions, chat to our advisors on live chat, via the phone, get a call-back we're here to help.

Buy to let via limited company or personal name?

Investing in buy to let via a limited company is more tax-efficient for some borrowers, particularly those who are higher rate tax payers. To decide whether this is appropriate for you, speak to a qualified tax professional. Read more on this subject below.

Today's limited company buy to let mortgage rates

You can use our limited company buy to let mortgage calculator to compare today’s latest mortgage rates.

Eligibility for a limited company buy to let mortgage

  • First time buyers to experienced landlords
  • You must be over 18 years old
  • Minimum deposit 15% of the property value
  • Upper age limits at application are flexible
  • Low personal incomes are accepted
  • Property, pension and employment income is OK
  • Ready to get started?

    Request a call-back from our expert advisors

How to get the best mortgage rate

There are two ways to invest in property via a limited company.

  1. You could use a limited company that is already trading for some other purpose, for example, you may run your own business via a limited company.
  2. You could set up a limited company just for the purposes of property investment.

Limited company BTL lenders prefer your property investments to be held separately from other business activities.

As a result, there are more mortgages available if you set up a limited company specifically for investing in property. A company set up for a specific purpose is called a Special Purpose Vehicle, or SPV.

Given that SPV mortgages are more commonplace, they tend to offer you the best deals in terms of lowest mortgage interest rates and highest loan to value, than those available to trading limited companies.

We can help you apply for an SPV mortgage or a trading limited company mortgage, get a call-back from an advisor to chat through your options.

Should I use a limited company for buy to let?

Whether or not you should invest via a buy to let limited company is strongly influenced by tax issues.

When mortgage interest tax relief was withdrawn, to be replaced by a 20% tax credit, landlord investors were taxed on all of the rental income they received, rather than just the profit they made after costs. This increased the amount of tax they paid.

Higher rate taxpayers were hit the hardest by the change, due to the higher personal income tax rate they are subject to.

When this legislation (Section 24 of the Income Tax Act 2007) came into force, landlords started to investigate alternative ways to invest, in order to mitigate the impact on their finances.

Investing via a limited company, or SPV (a limited company set up for a specific purpose, such as property investment), meant that corporation tax was applicable, rather than personal income tax, and rental income was fully deductible for tax.

This meant that, for some investors, investing via a limited company was financially beneficial. This is not always the case though.

It is important to note that if you transfer property you own into a limited company you set up, the company is in essence ‘buying’ the property from you, so stamp duty land tax is payable.

Limited company buy to let mortgage rates are similar to mortgages taken out in personal name. You can use our limited company buy to let mortgage calculator to compare rates.

To understand whether you should invest via a limited company you will need tax advice from a qualified tax professional. Our guide “Buy to let – limited company or personal?” is designed to help you ask appropriate questions to get the answers you need.

To get a limited company buy to let mortgage, get in touch with our mortgage advisors today.

We work with a range of over 80 limited company buy to let mortgage lenders, including:

Why choose Commercial Trust?

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Apply with ease by phone

It couldn't be easier to secure a limited company buy to let mortgage with our expert advisors. Ask all your questions and arrange an application on the phone from your sofa.

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World class customer service

We'll find you a great deal and take all the admin work off your shoulders, so you can relax while we get your mortgage completed. All the while giving you progress updates.

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Lender decision in 2 hours

By contacting you by phone and email you can get help more quickly than in-person services. It's possible to get you a lender decision in principle in as little as two hours after our call.

We can help you with...

  • Investing via an SPV,  trading company, LLP or partnership
  • SPV buy to let mortgages at up to 85% LTV
  • Trading limited company BTL at up to 75% LTV
  • Up to 6 directors per application
  • Cases where shareholders will not be party to the mortgage
  • Options without floating charge over company assets
  • Switching from individual to business ownership
  • Scenarios where the source of deposit is a gift to a director
  • Scenarios including gift of equity, if a director sells to the limited company
  • Scenarios where the deposit is from overseas funds with robust audit trail
  • Layered limited companies
  • Flexible affordability calculations
  • Remortgage to like for like loan, or to raise capital
  • Lenders with no upper age limits
  • No minimum income options
  • Cash back, free valuation and other incentives available
  • Unlimited portfolio sizes
  • Houses of Multiple Occupation with unlimited bedrooms
  • Multi-unit blocks with no maximum units
  • Repayment or interest-only mortgage payment options
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"Secure a buy to let mortgage with an existing or new limited company"

Get great limited company buy to let mortgage deals, with lots of flexibility. This product came with no early repayment charges, enabling the clients to exit without penalty. Billy McCluskey, limited company specialist.

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Billy Mccluskey

Costs involved in a limited company buy to let mortgage

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  • Lenders may charge you for the valuation conducted on your property. They often also charge a product fee, sometimes this can be added to the mortgage.

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  • You will need a conveyancing solicitor who will charge fees. Read our guide to choosing a conveyancing solicitor.

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  • We charge a broker fee for our work. You pay in two parts. A booking fee, once we have found you a mortgage deal, at application. The majority of our fee is paid at completion of the mortgage.

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  • Every mortgage comes with monthly mortgage costs based on the mortgage interest rate the lender charges. These are paid on either an interest-only or capital repayment basis.

How to apply for a limited company buy to let mortgage

1

Tell our advisors about the property you are investing in, your needs and circumstances. If you have credit concerns, chat to us about them, so we can put you with the right lender.

2

Your advisor will find the best possible deal from a search of thousands of products. They will get you a lender decision in principle, this requires a soft credit search (occasionally it is a hard credit search).

3

Your advisor will call to discuss the product they have found for you. You will be presented with one mortgage, that is the best match for all your needs and offers you the most cost effective option.

4

On your instruction, your advisor will submit your mortgage application. Your account manager then does all liaison and administrative work to complete the deal, whilst keeping you updated at every step.

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Frequently asked questions

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Yes, buy to let mortgages are available for limited companies, registered in the United Kingdom.

Buy to let mortgages are generally available to limited companies that are set up solely for the purchase of property and related business, such as management and disposal. These are known as Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV).

The majority of buy to let lenders will require your limited company to be an SPV. However, we work with some lenders who will accept applications from trading companies.

SPV stands for Special Purpose Vehicle and is a limited company set up for a specific purpose.

If you invest in buy to let through a limited company, the company is commonly set up through what is called an SPV. Limited companies are registered with Companies House.

There are hundreds of categories that describe what sort of business a company is involved in. They each have a “Standard Industrial Classification” (SIC) code.

Codes relating to the purchase of property and related business, such as management and disposal property, are largely found in Section L on the Companies House website page.

Limited company buy to let mortgages are no longer significantly more expensive than investing in personal name, in fact mortgage interest rates for each are currently very similar. You can review today’s rates using our limited company buy to let mortgage calculator.

The main difference between investing in buy to let property via a limited company or as an individual is related to tax. You also have access to different Ltd co. buy to let mortgage products, depending on which route you choose.

Limited company or SPV buy to let mortgages are an attractive option for some property investors due to the tax efficiencies it can offer some people (typically higher rate tax payers). SPV means special purpose vehicle and describes a company set up for a specific purpose.

Please seek independent advice from a tax professional to determine which investment route suits your circumstances.

Landlords who are looking to purchase a buy to let property may find that doing so via a limited company may be more cost-effective due to tax relief.

Over time the government made changes to tax rules relating to buy to let. Landlords, purchasing through a limited company, are subject to different tax reliefs, than if they purchased it in personal name. This different tax treatment can be financially advantageous for some investors.

Please note Commercial Trust does not offer tax advice, please speak to a qualified tax professional.

As a specialist mortgage broker, Commercial Trust is able to help you get a buy to let mortgage via a limited company for property within the UK.

We’re experts in all types of limited company mortgages and we work with a large panel of over 80 specialist and high-street UK lenders. Our mortgage advisors will be able to help you find a great deal for your circumstances and have access to some of the best rates on offer.

You can either approach lenders yourself to see which offers you the best deal, or use the skills of a specialist mortgage broker like Commercial Trust.

A broker will search all the lenders offering limited company BTL mortgages to find a product that 1) meets your needs and circumstances, and 2) offers you the most cost effective outcome. This service can save you time and, by getting you the most appropriate deal, could save you money.

To submit an application you will need a deposit of at least 15% for SPV mortgages (limited companies set up for a specific purpose, in this case property investment) or 25% for a trading limited company (buying through a business that is already operating in another field). You will need to supply proof of that deposit to the lender.

You will also need to provide company accounts, or bank statements, (if your company has only just been set up this won’t be applicable) and personal guarantees (the directors of the company will be ultimately responsible for mortgage payments being met if the company itself fails to do so).

The criteria for limited company buy to let mortgages will vary depending on which lender you choose. Some have stricter criteria than others.

Some example criteria include:

  • Minimum deposit 15-20% of the value of the property
  • The company must have been created at the point of application (brand new companies are accepted from day one of incorporation)
  • Personal guarantees are required from company directors, which would come into effect if mortgage payments are not met

Mortgages for limited company buy to lets are different those for individuals. This is because there are different risks associated with each type of borrowing. The interest rates themselves are fairly similar, but not all lenders accept applications from companies.

To get an illustrative idea of the mortgage deals available to you, use our limited company buy to let mortgage calculator. This will show you the current rates we have available from our lenders.