None of the lenders checked here offers a 100% buy-to-let purchase mortgage secured only on the new property as of 23 October 2026: their limits are 75% to 85% loan-to-value (LTV). That means a 15% to 25% deposit, plus stamp duty and fees; the worked example uses an additional property in England.
What gets sold as "100% buy-to-let" can mean borrowing against another property or funding a mortgage deposit elsewhere. For the standard lender checklist, see first-time landlord mortgage requirements.
Can you get a 100% buy-to-let mortgage in 2026?
Not from the lenders below on the new property's security alone. Their criteria, read on 23 October 2026, cap the loan below the price:
| Lender | Maximum purchase LTV | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Barclays | 75% up to £1.1 million | Expects a deposit of at least 25% |
| The Mortgage Works (TMW) | 80% on loans up to £500,000 | Above 75% the property needs an EPC of C or better |
| Skipton International | 75% up to £1.25 million | Expat and non-UK lender |
| Gatehouse Bank | 80% finance to value | 75% on new-build flats |
| Foundation | 85% | F1 five-year fix, £100,000 to £500,000 loans; guide dated 14 October 2026 |
The average-rate table on Moneyfacts' comparison page covers 60%, 75% and 80% bands. If someone offers 100% funding, ask what else secures it.
How can you buy a low deposit buy-to-let with little or no cash?
By funding the gap with your own home, another property or family money. Borrowing adds debt; an outright gift does not:
| Route | How it works | The catch | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remortgage or further advance on your home | Raise the deposit against your home. Barclays accepts released equity; TMW accepts borrowing against another property | TMW excludes Nationwide remortgages and further advances. Your home is at risk and the extra loan needs an affordability assessment | Homeowners with spare equity and income |
| Cross-charge | The lender also takes security over another property; Together offers bridging with 100% funding against additional security | Both properties are at risk. Check existing lenders' consent requirements and how you will repay the bridge | Owners with spare equity |
| Guarantor or family charge | A relative guarantees the loan or offers property as security | Do not assume availability: TMW explicitly excludes buy-to-let guarantors | Broker assessment required |
| Gifted deposit | Family gives you the deposit outright | TMW takes gifts only from an owner-occupier or a partner living with you, from UK sources, two at most (TMW); Barclays only from defined relatives or a partner | Children of property-owning parents |
| Bridging, then refinance | Buy with a bridge, refurbish, then seek a buy-to-let mortgage at the new value | Refinancing is not guaranteed: the new valuation, rent and lender criteria must work. TMW requires at least six months' ownership | Refurbishment projects; see the BRRR method |
| Limited company with director loans | You lend cash to your SPV, which uses it as the deposit | Still money you must find: Foundation accepts director loans, subject to criteria | Company buyers; see limited company mortgages |
Two shortcuts do not work. Borrowing the deposit on a personal loan or credit card is ruled out at both Barclays and TMW. Builder or seller incentives do not replace your stake either: TMW declines a case once incentives pass 5% of the price, and Barclays still wants 25% of the discounted price from your own resources.
Be wary of "no money down" schemes sold through courses and investment clubs. The FCA's August 2026 statement on unregulated loan notes and mini-bonds flags promotions claiming to be "asset-backed, for example in property" without saying what the assets are worth, and warns you are unlikely to have Financial Ombudsman or FSCS protection.
How much cash does a £200,000 buy-to-let need at 25% and 15% deposit?
£61,500 at 25% and £41,500 at 15%, before fees, for a UK-resident buyer of an additional property in England. Stamp duty is the same on both, so cutting the deposit by £20,000 cuts the cash by about a third.
The higher rates for additional dwellings have been 5 points above the standard bands since 31 October 2024 (HMRC): 5% on the first £125,000 (£6,250) plus 7% on the next £75,000 (£5,250), or £11,500. A non-UK resident pays a further 2% on top of those rates (gov.uk): 7% on £125,000 (£8,750) plus 9% on £75,000 (£6,750), or £15,500.
| £200,000 additional property, England | 75% LTV, UK resident | 85% LTV, UK resident | 75% LTV, non-UK resident |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loan | £150,000 | £170,000 | £150,000 |
| Deposit | £50,000 | £30,000 | £50,000 |
| Stamp duty (SDLT) | £11,500 | £11,500 | £15,500 |
| Cash before fees | £61,500 | £41,500 | £65,500 |
| SDLT as a share of the cash | 19% | 28% | 24% |
Legal, survey, lender and broker fees come on top. The stamp duty calculator shows the UK-resident figure; non-residents add 2% of the price.
What rent does the lender need at 75% and 85% LTV?
Illustratively, at a 5.5% stress rate, £860 to £997 a month on £150,000 and £974 to £1,130 on £170,000, using 125% or 145% interest cover ratios (ICRs). For PRA-regulated lending, SS13/16 generally expects a 5.5% floor and allowance for a 2-point rise on fixes under five years. The starting rate can be the pay or reversion rate; lenders set their own tests.
Rent needed = loan x ICR x stress rate ÷ 12, rounded up to whole pounds:
| Loan | 125% ICR at 5.5% | 145% ICR at 5.5% |
|---|---|---|
| £150,000 (75% LTV) | £860 | £997 |
| £170,000 (85% LTV) | £974 | £1,130 |
Those are illustrations, not available-product quotes. Foundation's 14 October guide lists its 85% five-year fix at 7.34%, tested at the pay rate with 125% ICR for basic-rate/company borrowers and 145% for higher-rate borrowers. On £170,000 that needs £1,300 or £1,508 monthly rent, about 7.8% or 9.0% gross yield on £200,000. A rental shortfall reduces borrowing; how much can I borrow explains.
How much more does a low deposit cost in interest?
On Moneyfacts' 1 August 2026 averages, moving from 75% to 80% LTV on a two-year fix costs about £113 a month more on this property: £772.00 interest-only on £160,000 at 5.79%, against £658.75 on £150,000 at 5.27%. That is £1,359 a year for the extra £10,000 borrowed, an effective 13.6% on that slice.
| Average fixed rate, Moneyfacts at 1 August 2026 | 60% LTV | 75% LTV | 80% LTV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two-year fix | 4.91% | 5.27% | 5.79% |
| Five-year fix | 4.89% | 5.66% | 6.07% |
Model your borrowing in the buy-to-let mortgage calculator's borrow mode.
Can expats get a buy-to-let mortgage?
Yes: Skipton International and Gatehouse offer expat finance at up to 75% and 80% respectively, subject to their eligibility checks. Barclays and TMW restrict overseas applicants:
| Lender | Expat position (read 23 October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Skipton International | 75% up to £1.25 million; two years' employment or trading history; income and country restrictions apply |
| Gatehouse Bank | Up to 80% finance to value, from £75,000; £10 million for portfolios by referral; counts 100% of overseas income; individuals and UK companies |
| Barclays | Non-UK residents only if they already hold a Barclays buy-to-let mortgage |
| TMW | UK residents only, with no address abroad in the last three years |
TMW rejects gifts from donors or funds outside the UK. Skipton International tests properties mortgaged elsewhere in a portfolio collectively at 125% ICR and 7.24%.
How do you use an expat buy to let calculator?
Borrow mode illustrates 125%/145% ICR tests, assuming the higher of pay rate plus 2 points and 5.5% for shorter fixes, or the pay rate for fixes of at least five years. It cannot model every expat lender's test. Ask your broker to confirm affordability, then add the SDLT surcharge if its separate residence test applies: £4,000 on £200,000.
What tax do you pay on UK rent while living abroad?
Your letting agent or tenant withholds basic-rate tax from the rent under the Non-Resident Landlord Scheme, unless HMRC approves you to receive it gross. You count as a non-resident landlord if you live abroad for six months or more a year (gov.uk).
- Who deducts. A letting agent must operate the scheme whatever the rent. With no agent, a tenant paying over £100 a week must (gov.uk).
- How much. Basic-rate tax on the rent after deductible expenses the agent or tenant paid, sent to HMRC within 30 days of each quarter ending 30 June, 30 September, 31 December and 31 March.
- Getting it gross. Apply online or on form NRL1 (HMRC). HMRC normally approves if it is satisfied you will meet your UK tax obligations, usually from the first day of the quarter it receives the form. Your agent keeps deducting until HMRC tells them in writing.
- Still file. Approval stops the deduction, not the tax: you declare the rent on Self Assessment unless HMRC tells you not to.
- Personal allowance. British and EEA citizens living abroad can usually claim it (gov.uk); use Self Assessment where required, rather than R43.
Managing from abroad makes records harder to keep, not optional. Padlord keeps the rent, tenancy dates and safety certificates in one place wherever you live, so your agent's statements and your return can be checked against one record.
What stamp duty surcharge does a non-UK resident pay?
2% of the whole price, on top of every other residential rate including the higher rates for additional dwellings, for purchases in England and Northern Ireland since 1 April 2021 (gov.uk).
- Residence is a day count, not your tax status. You are non-UK resident for SDLT if you were not in the UK for at least 183 days in the 12 months before the purchase.
- A home abroad counts. Owning a residential property worth £40,000 or more anywhere in the world usually triggers the additional-property rates. An SDLT non-resident keeping a Dubai flat generally pays 5 plus 2 percentage points above standard rates on an English purchase.
- Refunds. gov.uk says a refund may be available in some cases; ask your solicitor before you file.
Scotland and Wales charge their own taxes and are outside the 2% surcharge.
Will the 28 October Budget change any of this?
We do not know yet: the Budget is on 28 October 2026 and has not happened, so this is the position as of 23 October 2026. Check the published measures before you exchange.
Size the deal on the rent first, then the deposit, fees and tax.
General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Lender criteria and gov.uk guidance were read on 23 October 2026 and rates are as published or reported on the dates given; speak to a whole-of-market broker and a tax adviser before you commit.
