United Trust Bank (UTB) Mortgages has announced a new package of buy-to-let criteria enhancements designed to provide greater flexibility for landlords and make it easier for brokers to place and progress business.
The changes, which took effect from 20 July, remove unnecessary barriers, broaden eligibility and simplify a number of key lending requirements, helping brokers submit cases with greater confidence while supporting a wider range of landlord circumstances.
Key enhancements include:
- Greater flexibility: maximum mortgage terms have increased to 30 years, and the minimum ownership period requirement has been removed, allowing day one remortgages
- Broader eligibility: previous landlord experience is no longer required for HMOs of up to six beds or MUBs of up to four units, making specialist buy-to-let finance accessible to more landlords
- Higher exposure limits: maximum exposure has increased to 10 buy-to-let loans or £3 million per applicant, supporting experienced portfolio investors
- Simplified case packaging: income evidence, background portfolio information and deposit verification are now only requested where appropriate, reducing unnecessary administration and helping cases progress more efficiently
The enhancements also introduce clearer criteria across specialist property types including HMOs, MUBs, holiday lets, expatriate landlords and SPVs, alongside simplified guidance around gifted deposits and leasehold requirements, giving brokers greater certainty when placing cases and helping reduce avoidable delays.
The changes form part of UTB's ongoing programme of continuous improvement, building on recent operational enhancements introduced to simplify the buy-to-let application journey and improve the broker experience.
"The specialist lending market doesn't stand still, and neither do we," said Andrew Ferguson, commercial director for mortgages, buy-to-let and bridging at United Trust Bank (pictured).
"At UTB, we're always looking at every stage of the broker journey and asking one simple question: how can we make it easier for brokers to do business with us?
"Whether it's reducing the information we ask for, broadening eligibility or increasing flexibility for landlords, every enhancement has been introduced with one objective: helping brokers place more buy-to-let business with greater confidence and less administration.
"Continuous improvement is part of our culture. We'll keep listening to broker feedback and investing in our proposition, our people and our processes to ensure we're delivering the service, flexibility and certainty brokers expect from a leading specialist lender."
