Precise Mortgages lowers assessment and stress rates to improve affordability on buy to let mortgage range

25 September 2023

Precise Mortgages, part of leading specialist lender OSB Group, has simplified the minimum ICR for personal ownership applications and improved how they assess buy to let affordability on short-term fixed rates and variable rate trackers. The changes provide more financing options for personal ownership and buy to let clients seeking larger loans and could be of particular interest for those who are higher rate and additional rate taxpayers.

Key highlights include:
• Minimum ICR for higher rate and additional rate taxpayers will now be 140% where previously it was 145% for higher rate and 160% for additional rate

• The stress rate for short-term fixed rates and variable rate trackers will now be assessed at pay rate plus 1.55% (minimum 5.50%)

• Applicable to single dwellings and HMOs for all purchase and remortgage applications

Adrian Moloney, Group Intermediary Director, OSB Group, said: “These changes offer brokers increased affordability options at a time when their clients may be struggling to find suitable financial solutions. The ICR simplification will allow higher and additional rate landlords to access loan amounts which may have been out of reach, whilst our improved assessment rates will benefit limited companies through boosted finance opportunities and a wider choice of product options, which could support portfolio growth.”

"Although there wasn’t a base rate rise this month, economic uncertainty remains and these pragmatic changes from Precise Mortgages offer our clients enhanced opportunities," said Matthew Rowne, Director of The Buy to Let Broker. "Of particular interest will be access to larger loan sizes so these changes are certainly welcomed."