Drop in buy-to-let mortgage costs spells boost for landlords

Landlords stand to benefit from a drop in buy-to-let costs, new figures show.

Fresh research from Moneyfacts.co.uk reveals that buy-to-let mortgage costs fell in in the second quarter of 2019.

It found that the average cost of a two-year fixed rate buy-to-let mortgage dropped 0.1% from 3.11% at the start of the year to an existing rate of 3.01%.

In terms of two-year deals, the data reveals that the average two-year fixed mortgage rate at 75% loan-to-value (LTV), for example, stood at 3.16% at the start of the year, whereas now it stands at 3.02%.

Meanwhile, the 80% LTV product has been reduced from 3.81% to 3.75% and 70% from 3.49% to 3.45%.

There has also been a drop in the average rates for both three-year fixed and five-year fixed buy-to-let mortgage products.

The average three-year fixed rate buy-to-let mortgage product currently stands at 2.75%, down from 3.02% in January, while the five-year fixed is stood at 3.5%, down from 3.56% at the start of the year.

According to Moneyfacts.co.uk, the number of deals available to first-time landlords has increased to an all-time high.

The research shows that the number of deals available to first-time landlords has risen sharply over the past five years, up from 645 deals in 2014 to its existing rate of 1,405. In the past year alone, product numbers have increased by 137.

Rachel Springall, finance expert at Moneyfacts.co.uk, commented: “Entering the buy-to-let market hasn’t been without its hurdles, and almost two years since the PRA introduced rules expected to tighten lending, the move doesn’t seem to have shaken up lenders attitudes to attract first-time landlords. In fact, the number of deals available to these individuals has now boomed to a record high.”

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