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Let-to-buy

Keeping your home and buying the next one

Let-to-buy means remortgaging your current home onto a buy-to-let basis, releasing equity from it, and using that as the deposit for a new home which you buy on a normal residential mortgage.

Why people do it

When it makes sense

Two applications at once makes this more complex than a straight move, which is exactly why it is worth having someone coordinate it.

  • You want to keep your current home as a long-term investment
  • You cannot sell in the timeframe you need, or the market has gone quiet
  • You have built up equity you want to use rather than lose to fees
  • You are moving for work and are not certain the move is permanent

The mechanics

How the two parts fit together

The existing property is refinanced based on the rent it could achieve rather than on your income, which frees up your income for the new residential mortgage. Both usually need to complete on the same day.

Buy-to-let mortgages are generally interest only and at higher rates than residential deals, so the payment on the property you are keeping may look different to what you are used to.

You also become a landlord, with everything that involves, from gas safety certificates to deposit protection to finding tenants.

Important

Some let to buy mortgages are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Taxation advice is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Common questions

Questions we get asked

Do both mortgages have to complete on the same day?
Usually yes, because the equity released from the first funds the deposit on the second. Coordinating that is a large part of the job.
Will I pay the Stamp Duty surcharge?
Almost certainly, because you will own two properties at the end of it. Factor the surcharge into your budget from the start.
Can I do this with my current lender?
Sometimes, but not always. Many lenders will not offer both parts, so it often means two different lenders.

Keeping one and buying another?

It is a two-part puzzle. We will tell you early whether it fits together.