Buy-to-let mortgage advice
Understand how a credit problem fits alongside rent, deposit, property and ownership checks before you apply for a rental mortgage.
Buy-to-let borrowing · adverse credit
Possibly. A missed payment, default or CCJ does not by itself decide every buy-to-let application. A lender will look at the actual credit record alongside the deposit or equity, expected rent, property, other borrowing and your experience or income where relevant. Some cases will have fewer options or may need time before an application is sensible. An adviser should check the whole position before suggesting a lender or credit search.
This page is for someone buying or refinancing a UK property to rent to tenants while dealing with an imperfect personal credit history. If you plan to live in the property, start with our residential bad credit mortgage guide. The intended use of the property matters more than a convenient product name.
If you already own the property on a residential mortgage and want to let it, ask your existing lender for permission before renting it out. You may need consent to let or a change of mortgage; our switching to buy-to-let guide covers that distinct decision. If you became a landlord without originally buying as an investment, our consumer buy-to-let guide explains why the borrowing and regulatory position needs individual checking. A purchase through a company belongs on our limited-company buy-to-let page.
Buy-to-let regulation depends on the facts and borrowing purpose. It is unsafe to assume that every buy-to-let loan is regulated, or that none is. Count Ready can establish the intended use and applicant type before discussing a suitable route.
What happened, when it was recorded, whether it is now settled and whether any new arrears remain. A consumer score alone is not a lender decision.
Valuation, property type, likely rent, intended tenancy and whether it meets the lender’s property rules. Specialist property types can need a different product.
Deposit or equity, source of funds, existing mortgages and debts, and personal income where the lender requires it. An existing landlord may face portfolio checks too.
These are assessment areas, not a promise that any particular lender will accept a case. Criteria, rates and products can change. An adviser can compare the current options after seeing the actual evidence.
“Bad credit” covers very different records. A single older missed payment is not the same as current mortgage arrears, several unsatisfied CCJs or an active insolvency arrangement. Lenders may distinguish unsecured from secured borrowing, the age and value of an entry, and what has happened since. There is no universal waiting period or deposit percentage for all these cases.
Our guide to obtaining UK credit reports explains how to check the records. The residential default, CCJ and IVA pages explain those entries in more detail; buy-to-let lender criteria still need a separate check. If the report is wrong, ask the relevant credit reference agency or lender to investigate rather than submitting repeated applications.
Buy-to-let lenders normally test whether the expected rent supports the proposed mortgage, often using an assumed interest rate or rental coverage calculation. The calculation varies with the lender, product, tax position and applicant. A strong rental estimate does not erase adverse credit, and a clean credit file cannot make an unsuitable rental calculation work.
Look beyond the quoted monthly mortgage payment. Allow for periods without a tenant, repairs, insurance, agent fees, safety obligations, possible service charges and tax. An interest-only mortgage leaves the capital to repay at the end, so ask how that balance would be cleared. Selling the property is not a risk-free plan if prices or selling times change. Our interest-only and repayment guides cover the different payment structures.
Before committing to a purchase, check the letting rules where the property is located and speak to a tax adviser about your own position. GOV.UK’s landlord guidance covers core duties and lender permission for an existing mortgaged property. Our main buy-to-let guide covers general product and landlord questions.
When credit and rental checks both matter, clear explanations can make the next decision easier. Reviews may help you judge how Count Ready communicates; they cannot predict a lender’s decision or the return on a property.
Read recent feedback on the original Google profile before deciding whether to enquire.
If you are a first-time landlord, our first-time buy-to-let guide covers the additional product questions. If you already have a rental property and a deal is ending, use the buy-to-let remortgage guide. These routes have different facts to prepare; this page remains the adverse-credit overview.
No single consumer score decides every buy-to-let application. A lender checks its own rules and the underlying history, along with the property, rental calculation and finances. An application can still be unsuitable even when a score looks good.
There is no reliable percentage for all cases. The deposit or equity depends on the lender and product as well as the age, amount and status of the entry, property and rent. Budget separately for tax, legal work and other purchase costs; a deposit is only part of the cash needed.
Do not assume so. Company borrowing has its own checks, and lenders may assess directors, shareholders or guarantors as well as the company and property. Get advice on the borrowing structure and separate tax advice before setting it up for a purchase.
No. A lender applies its own rental calculation, and you remain responsible for the mortgage if the property is empty or the tenant does not pay. Repairs, tax and other costs also affect the real cash position.
It depends on your timetable, the entry and the full case. A settled entry may still be visible, while delaying can bring its own costs. Review the reports and current lender rules before deciding whether to apply now, improve the position or wait.
A standard buy-to-let mortgage is for a property to be rented under the lender’s terms, not a home for you to occupy. Explain any plan to live there before applying so the correct residential or other route can be considered.
Tell Count Ready whether you are buying or remortgaging, how the property will be used, the approximate price or value and expected rent, and the type and date of any credit issue. An initial discussion can identify what to check next and whether a mortgage application is realistic at this stage. It is not a promise of an offer.
The initial consultation is free. Count Ready is a broker, not a lender. Any advice fee should be explained and agreed before chargeable work; lender, valuation and legal costs may be separate. Please use the callback form for a short outline rather than uploading complete credit reports or account numbers.
You can read adviser information, our terms of business and the current Financial Services Register entry before deciding whether to contact us. The Register shows the firm’s status; it does not establish that a particular buy-to-let product is regulated or suitable for you.
Request a callbackCall 01245 934515
Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage secured on it.
Information checked 1 October 2026 against MoneyHelper’s buy-to-let guide, FCA guidance on buy-to-let regulation and GOV.UK landlord responsibilities. Lender products and criteria can change. This page is general UK information, not a personal mortgage recommendation, tax opinion or guarantee of eligibility.
