A holiday let mortgage is used to purchase a property that can be let out to tourists and visitors on a short-term basis. A mortgage for a holiday let is a specific loan designed purely for investment purposes.
If you don’t wish to let your holiday home and want to stay there yourself, you’ll need a mortgage for a second home. Mortgages for second homes are completely different from holiday let mortgages.
Your property must also be suitable for the type of mortgage you’ve applied for. For instance, your property must be available as holiday accommodation for at least 210 days a year and be advertised as furnished accommodation.
Even if you let the property for the majority of the year, you’d still have the option of enjoying short visits there yourself. This is why a holiday home can provide opportunities for both business and pleasure.
Can I use a buy to let mortgage for a holiday let?
We’re often asked whether a buy to let mortgage can be used to buy a holiday let. The short answer is no.
A buy to let property is typically let out long-term, with six months being the shortest tenancy. In comparison, a holiday home can be rented for a few weeks or even days at a time.
While buy to let properties and holiday homes charge rental fees, the way they’re operated are completely different. For instance, a landlord and the owner of a holiday let will have very different responsibilities.
Some holiday homes are let as serviced accommodation, very much similar to a hotel and are often let furnished. The income generated from a buy to let is also likely to be very different from a holiday let.
For instance, holiday lets are typically priced higher and are charged per day, as opposed to per month. This allows you as the owner of a holiday let to potentially generate more rental income than a buy to let.
On the other hand, your occupancy rate on a holiday let is likely to be a lot less than a buy to let. This can often even-out the differences in income.
Lenders are very much aware of the differences between buy to let property and holiday homes and therefore offer different mortgages for each.
Mortgage lenders for holiday homes
The majority of high street lenders don’t offer mortgages for holiday homes. The good news is that there are other lenders in this market, although they tend to base their deals on a case by case basis.
Lenders will base an assessment on your income, affordability and deposit amount. They’ll also request details of your holiday let and the income you hope to achieve. This is because your holiday let will need to achieve around 125%-145% of the mortgage.
Mortgage rates for holiday homes currently sit between 2-5%. Higher deposits can unlock lower rates, with smaller deposits doing the opposite.
As holiday accommodation is rarely let every day of the year, lenders will project an income valuation. This gives lenders an idea of the approximate income you’ll achieve from your investment.
Having large existing outgoings such as your own residential mortgage can make mortgage approval difficult. Even if you earn a sizeable income, having large outgoings will affect your mortgage affordability.
How much deposit will I need for a holiday let?
Each lender that offers mortgages for holiday lets has a unique method of assessing applicants. That being said, most lenders will require a minimum deposit of 30%.
Some lenders may agree to a 25% deposit but it’s rare. Furthermore, other lenders will require a 35%-40% deposit as a minimum.
The reason deposits for holiday lets are higher than regular mortgages is because of the risks involved. Letting out a holiday home is a business and there are no guarantees it will be a success.
The risks are higher if you’re solely relying on the income from your holiday let to repay your mortgage.
Do I need a mortgage advisor to buy a holiday let?
Some lenders only offer intermediary mortgages, which means they’ll only offer certain deals with the aid of an advisor. Furthermore, applying for a holiday let mortgage is nothing like applying for a regular mortgage.
Your application needs to be credible otherwise there is a chance you’ll be declined. This is because your application is more of a business proposal, so the figures need to make sense for any lender to consider you.
Our advisors specialise in mortgages for holiday lets and understand the application process from start to finish. Buying a holiday let is a business as well as an investment, so getting the numbers right is crucial.
