Buy-to-let mortgages: top tips for buy-to-let mortgages

	Rate type	Initial rate	Fees	Overall cost APRC Overall costs for comparison. This is a way of comparing most costs including interest and fees.	Monthly cost
	Rate type Fixed until 30/11/2018	Initial rate 1.64%then 5.54% (variable)	Fees £2,423fees	Overall cost 4.9%APRC	Monthly cost £650.48 for 24 months then £959.05 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Wales Aged 25 or older 75 or younger at mortgage end No repossessions Up to 60% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 30/11/2016. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £282,733 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£120,310); Booking fee (£130); Application fee (£1,845); Valuation fee (£240); Legal fee (£118); Funds transfer fee (£0); Mortgage discharge fee (£90); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Fixed until 30/11/2018	Initial rate 1.64%then 5.54% (variable)	Fees £2,423fees	Overall cost 4.9%APRC	Monthly cost £650.48 for 24 months then £959.05 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Wales Aged 25 or older 75 or younger at mortgage end No repossessions Up to 60% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 30/11/2016. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £282,733 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£120,310); Booking fee (£130); Application fee (£1,845); Valuation fee (£240); Legal fee (£118); Funds transfer fee (£0); Mortgage discharge fee (£90); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Fixed until 30/11/2018	Initial rate 1.65%then 5.74% (variable)	Fees £3,258fees	Overall cost 5.1%APRC	Monthly cost £651.24 for 24 months then £976.72 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland Aged 18 or older 80 or younger at mortgage end Up to 60% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 30/11/2016. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £288,464 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£125,206); Application fee (£2,499); Valuation fee (£405); Legal fee (£120); Funds transfer fee (£35); Mortgage discharge fee (£199); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Discounted until 25/09/2018	Initial rate 1.67%then 4.74% (variable)	Fees £2,005fees	Overall cost 4.3%APRC	Monthly cost £652.76 for 24 months then £890.58 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland Aged 21 or older 80 or younger at mortgage end No arrears No repossessions Available for existing borrowers switching deals only Up to 65% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 25/09/2016. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £263,471 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£101,466); Application fee (£1,499); Valuation fee (£265); Legal fee (£126); Funds transfer fee (£35); Mortgage discharge fee (£80); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Discounted until 25/09/2018	Initial rate 1.68%then 4.74% (variable)	Fees £2,005fees	Overall cost 4.3%APRC	Monthly cost £653.52 for 24 months then £890.66 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland Aged 21 or older 80 or younger at mortgage end No arrears No repossessions Up to 60% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 25/09/2016. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £263,511 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£101,506); Application fee (£1,499); Valuation fee (£265); Legal fee (£126); Funds transfer fee (£35); Mortgage discharge fee (£80); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Discounted until 25/09/2018	Initial rate 1.68%then 4.74% (variable)	Fees £2,005fees	Overall cost 4.3%APRC	Monthly cost £653.52 for 24 months then £890.66 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland Aged 21 or older 80 or younger at mortgage end No arrears No repossessions Up to 60% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 25/09/2016. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £263,511 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£101,506); Application fee (£1,499); Valuation fee (£265); Legal fee (£126); Funds transfer fee (£35); Mortgage discharge fee (£80); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Discounted until 25/09/2018	Initial rate 1.68%then 4.74% (variable)	Fees £2,005fees	Overall cost 4.3%APRC	Monthly cost £653.52 for 24 months then £890.66 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland Aged 21 or older 80 or younger at mortgage end No arrears No repossessions Up to 60% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 25/09/2016. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £263,511 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£101,506); Application fee (£1,499); Valuation fee (£265); Legal fee (£126); Funds transfer fee (£35); Mortgage discharge fee (£80); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Tracker until 31/01/2019	Initial rate 1.74%then 4.49% (variable)	Fees £3,290fees	Overall cost 4.1%APRC	Monthly cost £658.10 for 24 months then £870.18 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Scotland, Wales Aged 21 or older No arrears Available for existing borrowers switching deals only Up to 65% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 31/01/2017. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £259,253 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£95,963); Application fee (£3,200); Funds transfer fee (£0); Mortgage discharge fee (£90); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Tracker until 31/01/2019	Initial rate 1.74%then 4.49% (variable)	Fees £3,900fees	Overall cost 4.1%APRC	Monthly cost £658.10 for 24 months then £870.18 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Scotland, Wales Aged 21 or older No arrears Up to 65% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 31/01/2017. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £259,863 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£95,963); Booking fee (£150); Application fee (£3,200); Valuation fee (£340); Legal fee (£100); Funds transfer fee (£20); Mortgage discharge fee (£90); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Fixed until 31/01/2019	Initial rate 1.79%then 4.49% (variable)	Fees £3,290fees	Overall cost 4.1%APRC	Monthly cost £661.93 for 24 months then £870.55 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Scotland, Wales Aged 21 or older No arrears Available for existing borrowers switching deals only Up to 65% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 31/01/2017. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £259,448 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£96,158); Application fee (£3,200); Funds transfer fee (£0); Mortgage discharge fee (£90); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Tracker until 30/11/2018	Initial rate 1.79%then 4.59% (variable)	Fees £2,820fees	Overall cost 4.2%APRC	Monthly cost £661.93 for 24 months then £878.90 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Scotland, Wales Aged 25 or older 75 or younger at mortgage end Up to 60% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 30/11/2016. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £261,282 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£98,462); Application fee (£1,995); Valuation fee (£525); Funds transfer fee (£35); Mortgage discharge fee (£265); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Tracker until 30/11/2018	Initial rate 1.79%then 4.59% (variable)	Fees £2,820fees	Overall cost 4.2%APRC	Monthly cost £661.93 for 24 months then £878.90 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Scotland, Wales Aged 25 or older 75 or younger at mortgage end Up to 60% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 30/11/2016. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £261,282 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£98,462); Application fee (£1,995); Valuation fee (£525); Funds transfer fee (£35); Mortgage discharge fee (£265); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Fixed until 31/01/2019	Initial rate 1.79%then 4.49% (variable)	Fees £3,900fees	Overall cost 4.1%APRC	Monthly cost £661.93 for 24 months then £870.55 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Scotland, Wales Aged 21 or older No arrears Up to 65% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 31/01/2017. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £260,058 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£96,158); Booking fee (£150); Application fee (£3,200); Valuation fee (£340); Legal fee (£100); Funds transfer fee (£20); Mortgage discharge fee (£90); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Fixed until 30/11/2018	Initial rate 1.79%then 5.54% (variable)	Fees £1,378fees	Overall cost 5.0%APRC	Monthly cost £661.93 for 24 months then £960.30 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Wales Aged 25 or older 75 or younger at mortgage end No repossessions Up to 60% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 30/11/2016. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £282,305 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£120,928); Application fee (£800); Booking fee (£130); Valuation fee (£240); Legal fee (£118); Funds transfer fee (£0); Mortgage discharge fee (£90); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Fixed until 30/11/2018	Initial rate 1.79%then 5.54% (variable)	Fees £1,378fees	Overall cost 5.0%APRC	Monthly cost £661.93 for 24 months then £960.30 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Wales Aged 25 or older 75 or younger at mortgage end No repossessions Up to 60% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 30/11/2016. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £282,305 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£120,928); Application fee (£800); Booking fee (£130); Valuation fee (£240); Legal fee (£118); Funds transfer fee (£0); Mortgage discharge fee (£90); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Tracker until 01/11/2018	Initial rate 1.8%then 4.74% (variable)	Fees £1,500fees	Overall cost 4.3%APRC	Monthly cost £662.70 for 24 months then £891.58 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland Aged 21 or older 75 or younger at mortgage end No County Court Judgements (CCJs) No arrears No defaults No bankruptcies No repossessions Up to 60% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 01/11/2016. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £263,480 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£101,980); Application fee (£995); Valuation fee (£275); Legal fee (£150); Funds transfer fee (£30); Mortgage discharge fee (£50); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Tracker until 01/11/2018	Initial rate 1.8%then 4.74% (variable)	Fees £1,500fees	Overall cost 4.3%APRC	Monthly cost £662.70 for 24 months then £891.58 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland Aged 21 or older 75 or younger at mortgage end No County Court Judgements (CCJs) No arrears No defaults No bankruptcies No repossessions Available for existing borrowers switching deals only Up to 60% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 01/11/2016. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £263,480 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£101,980); Application fee (£995); Valuation fee (£275); Legal fee (£150); Funds transfer fee (£30); Mortgage discharge fee (£50); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Tracker until 31/01/2019	Initial rate 1.84%then 4.49% (variable)	Fees £2,085fees	Overall cost 4.1%APRC	Monthly cost £665.77 for 24 months then £870.92 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Scotland, Wales Aged 21 or older No arrears Available for existing borrowers switching deals only Up to 65% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 31/01/2017. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £258,438 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£96,353); Application fee (£1,995); Funds transfer fee (£0); Mortgage discharge fee (£90); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Tracker until 31/01/2019	Initial rate 1.84%then 4.49% (variable)	Fees £2,695fees	Overall cost 4.1%APRC	Monthly cost £665.77 for 24 months then £870.92 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Scotland, Wales Aged 21 or older No arrears Up to 65% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 31/01/2017. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £259,048 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£96,353); Application fee (£1,995); Booking fee (£150); Valuation fee (£340); Legal fee (£100); Funds transfer fee (£20); Mortgage discharge fee (£90); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.
	Rate type Tracker until 01/11/2018	Initial rate 1.84%then 4.74% (variable)	Fees £4,505fees	Overall cost 4.3%APRC	Monthly cost £665.77 for 24 months then £891.88 (variable) for 276 months	Am I eligible? Please make sure you at least meet the following criteria: Resident of: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland Aged 21 or older 75 or younger at mortgage end No County Court Judgements (CCJs) No arrears No defaults No bankruptcies No repossessions Up to 60% loan-to-value (LTV) available. Additional criteria for acceptance from the lender may apply.
Assumed application completion date of 01/11/2016. Repayment mortgage of £160,000 payable over 300 monthly repayments. Total amount payable £266,643 includes: Loan amount (£160,000); Interest (£102,138); Application fee (£4,000); Valuation fee (£275); Legal fee (£150); Funds transfer fee (£30); Mortgage discharge fee (£50); Deeds release fee (£0); Fees are assumed to be paid up front and not included in the amount borrowed.

Buy to let mortgages – Frequently Asked Questions

What are buy to let mortgages?

Buy to let mortgages let landlords borrow money specifically to buy a property for the purpose of renting it out.

They work just like a normal mortgage, but lenders take the potential rental income into account when deciding how much money they are happy to lend.

How do buy to let mortgages work?

Unlike a standard mortgage, with a buy to let mortgage, lenders take your income into account as well as a percentage of the rental income you will get from letting the property.

Buy to let mortgages tend to be on an interest-only basis, which means that repayments will not go towards repaying the loan and at the end of the buy to let mortgage, it is the cash from the sale of the property that covers the outstanding amount.

Most other mortgages will tend to be on a capital repayment basis, which means you pay back a part of the loan and the interest each month. But with many buy to let mortgages, you only pay the interest on the loan, with the income you receive from the rent yours to keep although many consumers put this into a savings account to help pay back the mortgage at the end of the term.

Other buy to let homeowners will use the sale of their property to pay back the mortgage, especially if its value has increased over that period.

Buy to let mortgages are available as fixed, discounted and tracker deals and arrangement fees are normally around 1.5% to 2% of the mortgage.

You will often need a larger deposit for a buy-to-let mortgage than a standard mortgage, due to the higher risk involved.

The risk for the bank is that your tenant may stop paying rent, or you may struggle to find someone to rent the property. Unlike a standard mortgage, a buy to let mortgage relies on a third-party to provide you with the money to pay it off.

What about consumer buy to let?

Consumer buy to let mortgages are regulated as residential mortgages and are aimed at ‘accidental’ or non-professional landlords.

You cannot apply for a consumer buy-to-let mortgage if:

You are buying a new property with the intention to let it out
You are a professional landlord
You already own multiple properties you let out

You should be eligible for a consumer buy-to-let mortgage if:

You did not buy the property (or are not buying a new property) with the intent to let it out
Letting out property is not your main job
You or a relative have previously lived in the property
You don’t own any other properties that are currently being let out

Note that uSwitch does not currently compare consumer buy-to-let mortgages. To find out more read our guide on consumer buy-to-let.

Top tips for buy to let mortgages

Be careful – Buy to let mortgages are risky; make sure you’ve done your sums and you know what you’re letting yourself in for. Research the market to get an idea of how much demand there is for renting in the area you’re buying in.

Think about the rental market - Don’t buy a property that you like, buy a property that the kind of tenant you want to attract will actually want to rent. Consider any legislation that the government is planning to introduce that may help or hinder your property’s attractiveness to potential tenants.

Location, location, location - The old property cliché. However, choosing the right location will make or break a buy-to-let deal. Do your research and find out what the rental market is really like in the area you’re looking at. An area with valuable properties may not be the best for you if people are unwilling to pay the rent associated with it, so weigh in a range of factors.

Account for maintenance - You need to make sure you can cover all the costs of maintaining the property. Buying somewhere run-down or with a big garden will increase those maintenance costs. A modern build may have less maintenance but the list price can sometimes be inflated, so consider what tenants are likely to be willing to pay to rent your property versus the day-to-day cost of running the property.

Remember the tax - Remember you will have to pay tax on gains in the value of the property when you sell it, but expenses like agent fees and interest costs can be offset against rental income.

Don’t forget letting agent fees - If you use an agent, they will charge 15-20% of the rental income to manage your rental properties. This could make managing the property easier and leave the day-to-day dealings with your tenant to them, but decide whether the costs outweigh the potential disadvantages of doing it all yourself.

Time is money - If you’re not going to use a letting agent, take a look at how much of your time it will occupy into consideration. Maintenance, viewings, posting ads, and collecting payments all take time. It could also make finding the right tenant a little harder, which could cause you problems down the line if they have trouble paying the rent on time or maintain the property well enough.

Think long-term – Buy to let probably isn’t a good short-term investment, you may have to be patient and wait a number of years before you start to see returns. Putting down a higher deposit could earn you lower mortgage rates, but either way, the returns won’t be coming in very quickly. Decide whether you can afford to be without a large sum of money for a long period and then consider how much and how long.

Shop around for a mortgage - The mortgage interest rate you get is vital. Shop around, get plenty of quotes and make sure you’re getting a competitive rate. When you compare mortgages consider the length of the fixed rate you’ll be getting and the cost of arranging the mortgage, as well as your monthly repayments versus the overall amount you’ll be paying.

Compare buy to let mortgages

Compare mortgages

Buy to let mortgages – Frequently Asked Questions

What are buy to let mortgages?

How do buy to let mortgages work?

What about consumer buy to let?

Top tips for buy to let mortgages