The lender has also increased the maximum amount a landlord can borrow across mortgages held with the Nationwide Group from £7.5 million to £10 million. The changes form part of a wider update that includes new provisions for family property purchases and limited company applications.
New Age Limits Expand Eligibility for Landlords
According to Birmingham Live, The Mortgage Works confirmed that the maximum age at application for a first-time landlord has risen from 70 to 75 where borrowing is limited to 70% loan-to-value. The lender has also removed the maximum application age for experienced landlords borrowing at up to 70% LTV. Under its previous criteria, the absence of a maximum age applied only to experienced landlords borrowing at up to 65% LTV.
The changes alter the eligibility rules for both new and established landlords without changing the stated 70% LTV threshold applying to the revised age criteria.
The Mortgage Works is also introducing support for applications involving the purchase of an existing buy-to-let property from another family member. According to Nationwide, the lender will now accept qualifying applications of this type as part of the same package of criteria changes.
Dan Clinton, Head of Buy-to-Let Mortgages at The Mortgage Works, said the changes were intended to reflect the changing circumstances of landlords and feedback received from mortgage brokers. “As landlords’ circumstances and ambitions evolve, it’s important that our lending criteria evolve too,” Clinton said.
He added that increasing the maximum application age and supporting eligible purchases between family members would give brokers more options when assisting landlords with property transactions.
Nationwide Increases Maximum Landlord Borrowing to £10 Million
The second major change concerns the amount landlords can borrow across mortgages held within the Nationwide Group. The maximum total has increased from £7.5 million to £10 million. According to Birmingham Live, Nationwide confirmed that the new £10 million ceiling applies to the total borrowing a landlord can hold across all mortgages with the group.
Clinton said the higher limit would provide portfolio landlords with additional borrowing capacity to manage and expand their portfolios.
The Mortgage Works has also changed the documentation required for limited company applications. A new declaration form will replace the existing requirement for an intercompany loan agreement. Nationwide said the change is intended to simplify the application process and make it faster for those using limited company structures.
The revisions therefore cover several areas of The Mortgage Works’ buy-to-let criteria at the same time: maximum application ages, portfolio borrowing limits, purchases between family members and documentation for limited companies. Clinton said the measures reflected the lender’s response to broker feedback and its efforts to adjust its lending proposition for different types of landlords.
The changes leave first-time landlords able to apply up to the age of 75 at 70% LTV, while experienced landlords applying at the same LTV level no longer face a maximum application age. Portfolio landlords, meanwhile, can now hold up to £10 million in total mortgage borrowing across the Nationwide Group.
