Case Study – Speedy Buy to Let With Complex Income
Background
March 2025
In early February 2025, a Wiltshire-based client found us through a Google search after having an offer accepted on a new build flat, with a tight completion deadline of 10th March. He had previously experienced a failed mortgage application through another broker and was urgently seeking a reliable solution to avoid losing the property.
The Challenge
This case presented several specialist lending challenges. The client was a seafarer, recently employed and paid in USD, with no payslips available at the time of application. He also spent more than six months a year outside of the UK, which limited the pool of potential lenders. The property itself was in a high-rise development exceeding 50 storeys, located in an investor-heavy block — an additional red flag for many lenders concerned about overexposure.
Complicating matters further, the client already owned a buy-to-let property that had been let for less than a year, so the broker needed to reassure lenders of his capabilities as a landlord despite his limited track record.
Our Strategy
With time of the essence and limited viable lending options, the broker placed the case with Keystone, a lender with experience handling complex criteria, foreign income, and non-standard properties. The broker worked closely with the client and the developer to secure an extension on the original completion date, buying critical time to navigate underwriting and valuation hurdles. The broker maintained clear and consistent communication with all parties involved, ensuring no time was lost at any stage of the process.
The Results
| Property Price | circa £200,000 |
| Loan Raised | Circa £170,000 |
Despite the initial urgency and complex borrower profile, the case successfully completed on 25th March 2025. The client retained his purchase, avoided financial penalties, and secured a mortgage that aligned with his unique circumstances — all within a revised, but still demanding, timeframe.
The client said:
“Saved my property!”
I’d been struggling for a long time to get a mortgage. I have specialist criteria (working overseas, earning in foreign currency, investor-led development, etc.) — and I had been strung along by other brokers for many months who were totally incompetent… I was being sold snake oil at the eleventh hour and was now looking down the barrel of the gun at defaulting on my property altogether — I wasn’t optimistic.
Then by way of lucky Googling I found these guys, and they were on the ball from day one. If you work with Lily & Abby, then you’re in safe hands — they’re a dream team of well-oiled machines. With time being of the essence, and with me only having one shot at another mortgage application before potentially losing everything, they took down all of my criteria and made their best recommendation — and it was the right one.
There were bumps along the road… but at every stage they went above and beyond to get things resolved immediately. Frankly I don’t understand how they’re able to spin so many plates at once. Throughout this whole process they made me feel like I was their only client and promptly dealt with my concerns at every step of this stressful journey. If TBTLB is reading this, those ladies are doing a stellar job representing your company. Give them a pay raise, or top up their oil — whichever one.”
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IMPORTANT INFO
Any property used as a security may be repossessed if you do not keep up with repayments on your mortgage.
