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Buy-to-let guide · 2026 edition

Buy-to-let, done properly.

Deposits, rental cover, limited companies, holiday lets. Before you put a penny into bricks and mortar, this guide walks you through your options in plain English, and the classic mistakes that trip up new landlords.

  • What you'll need: deposit, rental cover and the lender's stress test
  • Your own name or a limited company (SPV): the pros and the trade-offs
  • Holiday lets and Airbnb, and the costs that quietly eat into the rent
  • The documents lenders will ask for, so nothing holds you up

13 pages · PDF · general information, not tax advice

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate some forms of Buy to Lets. Your home/property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

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25%The typical minimum deposit for a buy-to-let
125–145%Of the mortgage payment the rent usually needs to cover
7Classic landlord mistakes, and how to sidestep them

Typical figures from chapter 01 of the guide. Illustrative only: lender criteria vary and are subject to change, and your circumstances will determine what is actually available.

What's inside

Seven chapters. Zero jargon.

What each route into property actually involves, what you'll need to get started, and the things landlords wish they'd known first. General information, not tax advice: the structure question is one for your accountant too.

  1. 01

    Buy-to-let basics

    Deposits, rental cover rules, and the pros and watch-outs

  2. 02

    Holiday lets and Airbnb

    Higher rents in peak season. Also more towels

  3. 03

    Limited company (SPV)

    What an SPV is, the right SIC codes and the tax trade-offs

  4. 04

    Buying in your own name

    Still a common route, and what to weigh up before you do

  5. 05

    Mistakes to avoid

    Seven classic traps, and how to sidestep them

  6. 06

    Documents you'll need

    For personal name and limited company applications

  7. 07

    What's next

    Making sense of the numbers before you commit to anything

Alan's classic · from chapter 06

Don't buy a property at 2am on Rightmove without a plan. Midnight pizza? Maybe. A £200K investment decision? Book a call first.
Alan Greenin

Who's writing this

Hey, I'm Alan.

The Alan in Ask Alan Mortgages. I help people across the UK buy, remortgage, invest and protect their homes. I've worked with first-time landlords, seasoned investors, self-employed business owners, and people who thought a buy-to-let mortgage was way beyond them.

My job is to make the complex simple and the stressful manageable. When you know what's going on, you make better decisions. This guide is where that starts.

“Plain English, no jargon, and the same advice I'd give a friend. That's the whole job.”

Plan first. Buy second.

Twenty minutes with the guide now beats a 2am Rightmove decision later.

Get the guide →Or book a 20-minute call

Initial consultations are completely free of charge. There's no obligation to proceed and our broker fee of £495 will only become payable if we proceed to a full application.