No decrease expected in BTL purchases after SDLT holiday

Mortgage advisers expect no decrease in buy-to-let purchase activity once the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) holiday comes to an end, according to research by Pepper Money.

In a recent survey of advisers active in buy-to-let, Pepper Money found 65% said they expect no decrease in purchase activity once the SDLT holiday ends, with 61% expecting business levels to remain the same and 4% anticipating an increase.

According to the research, 69% of advisers expect an increase inbuy-to-let remortgage business this year as many thousands of 5-year fixed rates are due to expire.

Paul Adams sales director at Pepper Money, says: “Set against a challenging economic backdrop, buy-to-let could be in for a booming year. Demand for rental property continues to be high, and landlords are responding to this demand by returning to the market and growing their portfolios. According to our research, this purchase activity is unlikely to subside once the stamp duty holiday ends, and with a spike in the number of landlords’ fixed rate deals due to come to an end, advisers can expect to get involved in a lot of buy-to-let business.

“When it comes to choosing the right lender for their landlord customers, criteria and service are going to be key considerations. Indeed, our research has found that 82% of advisers say service has become a bigger factor in their recommendations in the last six months, while 43% expect to encounter more landlords with adverse credit. At Pepper Money, our underwriters are able to take a pragmatic approach to landlords with adverse credit – so we look forward to helping more advisers to help their buy-to-let customers this year.”