Published 29 October 2018 · Last reviewed 29 October 2018 · Older article — see current rates
Convert your Buy to Let property into an Houses in multiple occupation – HMO
You may have been caught out by the reclassification of your property from a multi-let to HMO? As well as the licence itself the upgrade of the property to meet the HMO requirements might require finance or a mortgage so I thought I would write about refinancing options to convert your Buy to Let into an HMO.
Mortgage Lenders usually stipulate that you divulge the use of the property, e.g. let to a single family, students, DSS tenants, multi-let or HMO. Some limit their lending to a single family. Switching lenders following the new HMO legislation, although required, can, therefore, can be difficult, particularly in the midsts of upgrading when there could be rental voids.
At Niche Advice we recognise the issue and have short-term finance solutions that can pay for the upgrade to HMO status and do not require monthly payments, helpful when the rents aren’t coming in.
How does it work? Well, the interest for borrowing the money is simply added onto the mortgage balance. What’s also clever is once the work has been done and HMO license has been granted there is a seamless transfer onto a tradition mortgage term product with the same lender.
For mortgage information on HMO Mortgages please click here
Most buy-to-let mortgages are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. A small number of buy-to-let mortgages are FCA-regulated — typically Consumer Buy-to-Let (where the borrower is not acting in the course of a business, such as an accidental landlord who has inherited or moved out of a former main residence) and Family Buy-to-Let (where the property is let to an immediate family member). Limited-company buy-to-let, portfolio buy-to-let and standard personal-name buy-to-let are not regulated by the FCA.
Where the underlying mortgage is not FCA-regulated, the lender's conduct on that loan is not covered by FCA rules and you may have reduced access to the Financial Ombudsman Service for complaints about the lending decision or product terms. However, Niche Advice Limited is a Credit Broker authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA No: 750263), and our broking activity — including the introduction we make to the lender — IS FCA-regulated under the FCA's CONC rules. Complaints about our broking service can therefore be referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service in the usual way.




