How much deposit do I need for a buy-to-let property?
Buying a rental property works differently to buying your own home, and one of the biggest differences is the size of the deposit you’ll need to get a buy-to-let mortgage.
Expert Mortgage Guides
It doesn't matter if you're buying your first property or figuring out the best method for releasing equity—our homebuying and mortgage guides will take the guesswork out of the home ownership lifecycle.
Our top 4 guides and articles
Buy-to-let mistakes and first-time landlord advice
Becoming a landlord can be rewarding, but it also comes with financial, legal, and operational responsibilities that many first-timers underestimate. It is not just an easy ‘passive income’ stream.
Buy-to-let costs and taxes explained
Buy-to-let property has delivered strong returns over the past few decades. But changing tax rules and increased regulation mean it has got more difficult to make a profit from property.
Stamp duty for second homes
When buying a second property, you'll be subject to paying a higher rate of stamp duty. How much you'll pay depends on where in the UK you live and the purchase price of the property. In some cases, you might even be exempt. Read on to learn more.
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News & Guides
- What is stamp duty and how much do I pay? Stamp duty is a tax you pay if you purchase property above a certain value in England and Northern Ireland, with rules slightly different in Scotland and Wales. Here we take a look at how stamp duty works and how much you'll have to pay when buying a property.
- What are leasehold management fees and service charges?
- Buying a new build home: A complete guide Want to buy a new build home in the UK but unsure where to start? Our guide outlines buying process, including the benefits of a new build and any pitfalls.
- How long does the house buying process take? There’s a lot of steps involved in buying a house, and the process can take a while. If you’re a first-time buyer in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, this guide will take you through the timeline you can expect at each stage.
- Should I overpay on my mortgage? Overpaying your mortgage can have big benefits, including clearing your repayments sooner and paying less interest. Read our guide to find out more.
- Can I change my mortgage to interest-only? Looking to change your mortgage to an interest-only product? Read on and we’ll explain what switching to an interest-only mortgage means, how you can do it, and what impact it will have.
- Joint mortgage paid by one person Relationship break-down is stressful and having a joint mortgage can make things more complicated. Our guide covers how a joint mortgage paid by one person works, while also showing you your rights.
- What are swap rates and why do they matter? Swap rates reflect expectations for future interest rates and directly affect the interest rates available on fixed rate mortgages
- Should I fix my mortgage? A fixed rate mortgage can protect you from rising interest rates, and help with budgeting. But a variable rate or tracker mortgage means your monthly payments will fall if interest rates go down. Read our guide to find out which option is best for you.
- Do student loans affect mortgage eligibility? Are student loans treated differently when it comes to buying your first home – or are they assessed the same as other borrowing? Our guide investigates
- Negative Equity Mortgage Most homeowners know that they want to avoid being in negative equity. But what does it really mean, exactly? If you find yourself in a tricky situation, what steps can you take to get out of it? Read our guide on negative equity mortgages to learn more.
- How to deal with estate agents when buying a house Dealing with estate agents can be vexing, especially when you're a first-time buyer. Read on and we'll outline what you should expect from an agent and what key questions you need to ask.
- Should I buy a house with Japanese knotweed? Japanese knotweed can cause structural damage to a property – so should you buy a house with knotweed?
- What are TA forms? TA forms contain critical information about property purchases. We help you get to grips with all the different types of transaction forms to help smooth the buying process.
- What is a tenants' association?
- What is a reserve fund?
- What is a home reversion plan? Also known as a ‘reverse mortgage’, a home reversion plan involves selling your home to a private company in return for a lump sum or a regular income.
- What’s the difference between freehold and leasehold properties?
- How to find out a property's value If you want to buy or sell a home, you’ll want to get the most accurate assessment of how much that property is worth. Here, we look at some of the ways you can estimate the value of a property and get free house valuations.
- What does sold subject to contract actually mean? There can be a lot of confusing jargon when you are buying and selling property, particularly if you are a first-time buyer. Our guide explains what one of the most important terms means and the rights it gives you.
- When is the best time to remortgage your home? You can remortgage to a new deal or lender at any time – but you need to consider interest rates and any fees you'll pay to switch
- How a property chain works when buying and selling A property chain is a series of related property transactions where each sale and purchase depends on the others. Delays anywhere in your property chain can delay your house purchase.
- How much it costs to remortgage in the UK Remortgaging can be free – or it can cost you thousands of pounds in fees. You need to do the sums when switching to a new home loan.
- Should I buy a house with subsidence? Subsidence can hugely affect a property's structural safety and value, with some mortgage lenders reluctant to lend on properties with subsidence.
- What happens at the end of my interest-only mortgage? When your interest-only mortgage ends, you will still owe the mortgage lender the original capital you borrowed. So what should you do?
- Joint vs tenants in common If you get a buy a property with someone else you’ll have the option to own your home as ‘joint tenants’ or ‘tenants in common’. It’s important to know the difference and to make the right decision regarding how your home will be owned.
- What happens when my fixed-rate mortgage ends? A fixed-rate mortgage means the interest rate on your mortgage is fixed for between two to five years. But what happens when your fixed term ends?
- Should I extend my mortgage to lower my monthly costs? Extending your mortgage can help cut monthly costs, but could work out more expensive in the long term. Our guide helps explore your options.
- Can I get a mortgage with a fair credit score? A poor credit rating can be a major barrier to getting a mortgage, but there are lenders prepared to help those whose applications may be refused elsewhere. Our guide explains more.
- Are mortgage rates likely to go up or down in 2025? Whether mortgage rates will go up or down in 2025 depends on a few things. While the UK economy remains on an unstable footing, there are signs that the wider picture is beginning to settle. Read on and we’ll explain how this may affect mortgage interest rates and what that means for you.
- How to remortgage You can often save money by remortgaging to a new mortgage deal. Find out more about the process with MoneySuperMarket’s remortgage guide.
- How to gift and accept money for a house deposit A gifted deposit from family can help you massively when buying your first home. But how does it work? What are the legal and tax implications? Read ahead to learn more.
- A guide to mortgage offers Getting a mortgage offer is a big step on the way to buying a home. Here’s everything you need to know about the mortgage-offer process.
- Do I need a mortgage broker or a lender? You can take out a mortgage through a mortgage broker or directly from a bank or building society. Using a broker could save you time and money, as they will do a lot of the work for you, but they may also charge a fee. We explain everything you need to know.
- What are the pros and cons of having a mortgage? Most of us can’t buy a home without taking out a mortgage, but while they are a useful financial tool for moving home, there are some downsides to consider too.
- What’s the difference between exchange and completion when buying a home? You’ve found your dream house, had the survey done and your offer’s been accepted, now it’s just the exchange and completion to tick off before the house is officially yours.
- What is loan-to-value ratio (LTV)? When it comes to taking out a mortgage, the loan-to-value ratio shows you how much of a property you will own and what size of deposit you will pay. It also affects the interest rate you can get.
- What is a declaration of trust and do I need one? A declaration of trust states who owns a property and it is a vital legal document if you are about to buy property with someone else. Here we explain what it is and how it works.
- Mortgage early repayment charges explained Paying off your mortgage early can save you money in payments and interest but there may be fees to pay.We explain how early repayment penalties work and how to avoid them.
- Your guide to additional borrowing on your mortgage Looking to make home improvements or even fund a new car? You might consider borrowing more on your mortgage. We look at how additional borrowing on a mortgage works, so you can decide if it’s the right choice for you.
- Understanding mortgage interest and how it’s calculated Mortgage interest rates help determine how much you’ll pay back in total when you take out a mortgage. Our guide explains how they work.
- How do mortgages work when you move house? What happens to your existing mortgage when you move house? Can you take it with you, or should you look for a cheaper deal? Our guide explains the options
- Can I sell my home to a family member? You can sell your home to a family member, or even gift it to them, but there are legal and tax implications to consider first, as we explain in this guide.
- Getting independent mortgage advice If you’re in search of a new mortgage, independent advice can be worth its weight in gold. Find out what to expect regarding mortgage advice before you start.
- How much do house removals cost? Moving home isn’t just about the mortgage, you also need to factor in home removal costs. Here we’ll help you get a grasp of how much you’re likely to pay and how to keep costs down.
- Can I sell my home without an estate agent? Selling your home privately without an estate agent is possible, but to do so you’ll have to be prepared to put the work in. Read on and we’ll explain how to sell your home without an estate agent.
- Porting a mortgage from one home to another explained Find out all you need to know about how to move your current mortgage with you to your new home.
- When to get building insurance when buying a home It can be one of the most important policies to consider when you are buying property for the first time, but when is the right time to take out buildings insurance?
- What happens when a leasehold expires? If a leasehold arrangement on a property ends the leaseholder could be a tricky situation. Our guide explains what might happen and how to avoid it.
- Do I need a solicitor to sell my house? Looking to sell your home? Then chances are you are weighing up whether to engage a solicitor to help with the process. Read on and we’ll explain what a solicitor does to help sell a house, how they handle the legal aspects of the sale, and whether you should get one.
- All you need to know about tenants in common If you’re thinking about getting a home loan with someone else, you might want to consider tenants-in-common mortgage. Find out all you need to know here
- Explaining Annual Percentage Rate Charge (APRC) You might think ‘APRC’ is just a rugby club you’ve never heard of before. But it is, in fact, a new way of showing the overall cost of your mortgage.
- Mortgage fees explained When you take out a mortgage, you may also have to pay an arrangement fee, valuation fee, booking charge, legal expenses, and so on. Here, we detail all you need to know about mortgage fees.
- How much does it cost to extend a leasehold? The length of the lease, when to extend it and how much it will cost, are important considerations if you’re buying a leasehold property. Our guide helps explain the steps you should take.
- Mortgage eligibility - what do lenders look for? Learn more about what mortgage lenders look at when deciding how much to let you borrow. Read ahead to discover all you need to know.
- Joint tenancy explained Joint tenancy is a type of ownership where two or more tenants have joint and equal rights to a property. Our guide explains how joint tenancy mortgages work, together with the advantages and drawbacks
- Remortgaging with the same lender You can switch to a new mortgage deal without changing mortgage lenders. Find out more about remortgaging with your existing lender, so you can decide if it’s the right move for you
- How does buying a house at auction work? If you know what you're doing, you can bag a bargain at a property auction. But there's a lot to get to grips with, especially if you're a first-time buyer. Read on and we'll walk you through it...
- How much deposit do you need for a house? When it comes to buying your first home, it can feel tricky knowing where to start. Our guide for first-time buyers explains how to save for a deposit and work out what you can borrow. Read on to learn more.
- How to choose the right type of mortgage Confused by all the available mortgage types? This short guide explains the ins and outs of different kinds of mortgage rates. This way, you’ll be ready to make the right choice for your needs and pockets.
- Everything you need to know about the 'Help to Buy' scheme Help to Buy (England) was a government scheme designed to give first-timer buyers a helping hand. Here’s all the information you need