Buy-to-Let Mortgage Advice

First-time landlord or experienced investor — we’ll help you get the right deal.

Buying a rental property can be a smart financial move – as long as the mortgage is structured properly. Whether you’re a first-time landlord or adding to an existing portfolio, we’ll help you navigate rental stress tests, lender criteria, personal vs limited company structures and the full range of buy-to-let options available.

Book Intro Call Book Mortgage Strategy Call
Not sure which call you need? See the difference between Intro & Strategy Calls
Mortgage advice for landlords across Broadstairs, Thanet & the wider Kent coast

Unsure how the numbers stack up for your rental plans?

Most landlords we speak to are juggling a lot of questions: “Will the rent pass the lender’s stress tests?”, “Should I buy in my own name or through a limited company?”, “Can I release equity from another property to fund this purchase?”.

Our job is to help you make confident, informed decisions. We’ll look at the rental figures, your wider finances and your long-term plans, then explain your options in plain English – so you can focus on choosing the right property, not worrying about the small print.

Will the rent pass lender checks?

We’ll run the rental stress tests that lenders use, so you can see whether the expected rent is likely to support the borrowing you want – and what levers you can pull if it doesn’t.

Personal name or limited company?

We’ll talk through the pros and cons of buying in your own name versus using a limited company, and how different lenders view each route from a mortgage point of view.

How much deposit do I really need?

We’ll explain typical deposit levels for buy-to-let, how releasing equity from other properties can help, and what that means for your overall borrowing and risk.

What if I want more than one property?

We’ll look at your wider plans and how future purchases might be viewed by lenders, including portfolio landlord rules and how today’s decisions affect tomorrow’s options.

Your buy-to-let mortgage roadmap

From first questions to completion (and beyond), here’s how we’ll help you structure your buy-to-let mortgage in a way that supports your plans as a landlord or investor.

Step 1 (optional)

Intro Call

A short, informal chat about your plans – whether that’s buying your first rental, remortgaging an existing one or adding to a portfolio. We’ll talk through the basics and answer early questions.

Best if you’re still exploring ideas.
Step 2

Strategy Call & Information Gathering

We take a deeper look at the property, expected rent, your income, existing borrowing and long-term goals. Before the call you’ll complete a fact-find and share key documents so we can work with real figures.

Step 3

Research & Recommendation

We research suitable lenders and products, considering personal vs limited company options, interest-only versus repayment and how different rates perform under rental stress tests. We’ll then recommend a route that fits your plans and risk profile.

Step 4

Application & Valuation

Once you’re happy with the recommendation, we prepare and submit your mortgage application, handle lender questions and guide you through the property valuation and any rental assessment requirements.

Step 5

Lender & Legal Processing

The lender completes their final checks while your solicitor deals with the legal work. We stay in touch with everyone involved, keep you updated and help resolve any queries that crop up along the way.

Step 6

Completion & Beyond

Once your mortgage completes, you can focus on getting tenants in place. We’ll be here for ongoing questions, future remortgages and reviewing your protection and wider finances as your portfolio or plans evolve.

Support for today’s purchase and tomorrow’s plans.

Helpful tools while you’re running the numbers

Like to get a feel for the figures before we speak? These free tools can help you sketch out rough scenarios – then we’ll refine everything properly during your Strategy Call.

Monthly Mortgage Payment Calculator See how different loan amounts, terms and interest rates could look on your buy-to-let mortgage.
Mortgage Overpayment Calculator Check how overpayments might reduce interest or create flexibility for future remortgages.
Mortgage Jargon Buster Plain-English explanations of terms like “rental stress test”, “top-slicing” and “portfolio landlord”.
Stamp Duty Calculator Work out what you might owe on different purchase prices.

Intro Call vs Strategy Call – What’s the Difference?

Not sure which appointment to choose? These FAQs explain how each call works and what to expect.

Which call is right for me?

In short: if you’re just starting out and want a friendly chat about your options, an Intro Call is perfect. If you’re ready to look at detailed numbers and specific recommendations, a Strategy Call is the better fit.

  • Intro Call: informal, around 15 minutes, ideal for early questions and next steps.
  • Strategy Call: detailed, up to 60 minutes, includes research, figures and tailored advice.

If you’re unsure, don’t worry – book whatever feels closest, and we’ll make sure the conversation focuses on what matters most to you.

The Intro Call is a short, informal chat designed for those who want to explore their options before diving into the full mortgage process. It’s a great way to ask initial questions, understand how we can help, and decide on the best next steps.

The Strategy Call is a more in-depth conversation where we take a closer look at your mortgage goals, financial situation and eligibility. This call helps us outline potential options tailored to you, including indicative affordability and monthly payments.

If you're unsure which to choose, start with the Intro Call – we can always book a Strategy Call when you're ready for more detail.
Intro Calls take place either over the phone or via Microsoft Teams.

Strategy Calls are typically held via Microsoft Teams, but if you’d prefer to meet in person at our Broadstairs office, just reply to your confirmation email to let your adviser know.
No, there’s absolutely no cost for any of the mortgage calls. We believe in offering support and guidance upfront, so you can ask all the questions you need – completely obligation-free.
That’s completely fine. If you’re unsure, just pick the one that feels closest to your situation. During the call we’ll focus on the goals that matter most to you – and if you’d benefit from a more detailed Strategy Call afterwards, we can arrange that together.
The Intro Call is a quick, informal chat usually lasting around 15 minutes.

The Strategy Call is more detailed and typically lasts around 45–60 minutes, although we block out 90 minutes to ensure we have plenty of time to explore your situation, assess your options and answer all of your questions.
After the call, we’ll email you with a summary of what we discussed, along with any next steps. There’s no obligation to proceed, but if you’re ready, we’ll guide you through the mortgage process from start to finish.
Of course – life happens. You’ll find a reschedule button in your confirmation email so you can choose a new time that works better for you.
It’s not essential, but providing documents such as proof of income, your credit report and recent bank statements before a Strategy Call can be really helpful. It gives your adviser a chance to review your information and identify any potential hurdles ahead of time, so you can get the most out of the session.

Meet the team who’ll handle your buy-to-let mortgage

You’ll always know who you’re dealing with. Your buy-to-let and landlord mortgage advice will be handled by James or Rob, with Lucy and Chrissie keeping everything on track behind the scenes.

James Brown, Director and Financial Adviser at Need Financial Planning
James Brown – DipFA CeMAP CeRER Director & Financial Adviser
Financial & Mortgage Advice

James helps clients join the dots between their property, pensions, investments and long-term plans – making sure each buy-to-let decision supports your wider financial picture, not just this one purchase.

Robert Brown, Director and Mortgage & Protection Adviser at Need Financial Planning
Robert Brown – CeMAP ACA Director & Mortgage & Protection Adviser
Mortgages & Protection

Rob is calm, clear and detail-focused. He’ll help you work through rental stress tests, lender criteria and product options – and ensure your protection is aligned with your role as a landlord or investor.

Lucy Baron, Office Manager at Need Financial Planning
Lucy Baron Office Manager
Case Management

Lucy keeps your application moving – coordinating paperwork, chasing updates with lenders and solicitors, and making sure you’re kept in the loop from application through to completion.

Chrissie Swain, Admin & Marketing at Need Financial Planning
Chrissie Swain Admin & Marketing
Client Comms & Resources

Chrissie looks after the guides, updates and communication that make the process feel organised and clear – whether this is your first buy-to-let or one of many.

What our clients say about us

We’re proud to have helped first-time buyers, home movers, landlords and portfolio investors across Broadstairs, Thanet and beyond. Here’s what some of them had to say:


THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE SECURING OTHER DEBTS AGAINST YOUR HOME.

YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE OR ANY OTHER DEBT SECURED ON IT.

IMPORTANT: With investments, your capital is at risk. Pensions and investments can go down in value as well as up, so you could get back less than you invest.

Need Financial Planning Ltd is registered in England and Wales no. 10901658. Registered office, 123 High Street, Broadstairs, Kent, CT10 1NQ. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Need Financial Planning Ltd is entered on the Financial Services Register https://register.fca.org.uk/ under reference 977136. If you wish to register a complaint, please write to [email protected] or telephone 01843 228800. A summary of our internal complaints handling procedures for the reasonable and prompt handling of complaints is available on request and if you cannot settle your complaint with us, you may be entitled to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service at www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk or by contacting them on 0800 0234 567.

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