Holiday Let?

There’s no doubting 2023 was a challenging year for landlord borrowers and that a much higher interest rate environment presented the bulk of those challenges, particularly for those who were coming off deals and rates from two/three/five years’ back when we had historically low rates.

The fact that 2023 saw a record number of buy-to-let companies being set up is likely to come as no surprise to intermediary firms who have had any landlord interaction over the past few years

The dynamics of the buy-to-let sector continue to change in line with economic influences, market forces, not to mention landlord and tenant demands. 

In our Q3 BTL barometer, brought to you in conjunction with the latest BVA BDRC Landlord Panel research, we evaluate the trends which are impacting your landlord clients and how their portfolios are currently shaping up.

As we enter the Autumn season following an unexpected early September heatwave, it's a crucial period for the BTL sector, which has faced a fair share of heat from various angles, including the market, economic factors, and interest rates.

In our Q2 BTL barometer, brought to you in conjunction with the latest BVA BDRC Landlord Panel research, we evaluate the trends which are impacting your landlord clients and how their portfolios are currently shaping up.

Given the significant economic upheaval witnessed in recent times, many landlords throughout the UK have undertaken a thorough review of their financial standing, the efficacy of their property portfolios, and, in certain instances, reconsidered their short-term, medium-term, and long-term buy to let objectives.

It’s fair to say that our working lives, the way get paid and the jobs we do is changing, recent research by Censuswide revealed that one in 10 UK employees which is approximately 4.5 million people were considering taking a second job or already have done

There may have been a perception that ‘accidental’ or more ‘unintentional’ landlords make up a high proportion of the landlords’ community, our data reveals the truth

The data reveals that two-thirds of landlords arranged their most recent BTL mortgage via a mortgage intermediary – discover who needs your help

Are landlords planning to reject properties with poor EPCs? And what are their plans to cover the improvement costs? Our latest landlord panel reveals…

There’s no denying that landlords and their tenants are living in some challenging times. However, strong rental yields and diminishing void periods are contributing to profitability.

How many current private rental sector (PRS) properties have an EPC rating of below C, are at threat of not being lettable after the 2025 or 2028 deadlines?

As portfolios professionalise, how many landlords plan to buy in an SPV/limited company this year? Our latest survey data revealed. 

Over two-thirds of landlords (68%) say they would now be less likely to purchase a property if it has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of below C – the level at which anticipated legislation is likely to be introduced for all new and existing private rental sector tenancies from 2025 onwards.

Rental yields and tenant demand are holding firm for landlords’ property investments, however profitability of portfolios was slightly down on the previous quarter, according to the latest Q4 2022 BVA BDRC Landlord Panel research report.

Buying this way is popular, but how many landlords are now taking the leap into remortgaging into a limited company too

A huge number of factors continue to weigh heavily in the thinking of both potential and existing landlords, no matter how large or small their expectations or portfolios.

Regulatory and tax changes have altered the way that many landlords approach individual property investments and how they structure their portfolios.

Maintaining any kind of barometer across the mortgage market over the past few weeks has been neigh on impossible due to the high levels of volatility and turbulence experienced across all sectors.

Landlords have always had to carefully assess any property investment and take a huge number of considerations into account to ensure it fits into their portfolio and be a profitable investment in its own right over the medium to longer term.

As existing products mature, the question is – how might this impact future profitability and could this impending rate shock stop some smaller landlords from adding to their portfolios?

Dynamics across the rental sector have always been fluid, and the requirements of a variety of rental properties continue to evolve in terms of length of tenancy, space, property type and location, especially with the emergence of a new remote working culture. A lack of supply and heightened demand is also combining to drive rental prices higher.

It’s no secret that regulatory shifts and tax changes have impacted BTL margins in more recent times and that a strong proportion of landlords – especially those at the more professional end of the spectrum – are carefully evaluating a range of options to help reduce tax burdens, increase yield and manage their outgoings.

Sustainability has become an essential goal for many different businesses over the last few years, where sectors would look at how environmentally conscious they are being. One of the main sectors that’s seeking out to include sustainability and tackle climate change is the housing market.

Every quarter, we work with BVA BDRC to survey around 700 landlords about their  portfolios. For the first quarter of 2022, here’s what they told us.

One of the biggest questions landlords have been asking themselves in recent times is, to incorporate or not to incorporate. As ever, the answer lies within the circumstances of each and every landlord and their portfolios.

What’s the difference between a limited company portfolio landlord, compared to a portfolio held by an individual or group of individuals?

As our lives continue to adapt, we lenders are constantly listening and evolving how best to interact with our adviser partners and their clients/our customers.