Paragon Bank has increased maximum buy-to-let loan sizes and removed income requirements for portfolio landlords, giving investors more flexibility at a time of stricter affordability checks. Announced this week, the changes apply across England and Wales and are designed to speed up applications and support landlords expanding or restructuring their portfolios.
Portfolio landlord lending strengthened with higher loan limits
Paragon’s revised loan structure delivers some of the most landlord-friendly updates seen from a major lender this year. The increases include £800,000 at 80% LTV, up from £750,000, £1.2 million at 75% LTV, rising from £1 million, and £1.7 million at 70% LTV, previously capped at £1.5 million.
For landlords with three or fewer mortgaged buy-to-let properties, a new upper limit of £2 million at 65% LTV has been introduced. Those with four or more assets – including limited companies, HMOs and multi-unit blocks – keep the £4 million ceiling at 65% LTV.
These increases come as specialist lenders continue to take market share from high street banks. UK Finance data showed a decline in mainstream buy-to-let advances earlier this year, largely due to tougher stress tests. Landlords have increasingly turned to lenders like Paragon who are willing to align borrowing with real-world rental performance rather than blanket affordability models.
Specialist landlord finance widens access after income requirement removed
A major shift for professional landlords is the removal of Paragon’s £25,000 minimum income requirement for borrowers with four or more buy-to-let properties. Many portfolio landlords rely primarily on rental income rather than salaried employment, meaning fixed income thresholds can disrupt refinancing or expansion plans.
The lender says the update is part of a broader modernisation push following the rollout of its new origination platform earlier this year. That system introduced a streamlined process for landlords with up to 15 properties, reducing document duplication and speeding up underwriting. Several brokers report that cases which once took weeks to progress now move in days.
This kind of operational efficiency is becoming increasingly important. With mortgage rates still higher than the ultra-low levels landlords enjoyed pre-2022, any improvement in speed, cost transparency or lending flexibility is welcomed by investors managing multiple loans.
Buy-to-let investment strategy supported by multi-property application upgrade
In November, Paragon unveiled its multi-property application proposition, allowing landlords to include up to 99 properties within a single application. By requiring only one ILA (Independent Legal Advice) certificate, the system cuts both costs and admin – a significant win for investors adding units gradually or restructuring debt across several assets.
Russell Anderson, Paragon Bank Mortgages Commercial Director, said:
“These new maximum loan limits deliver more flexibility to our customers, enabling them to target a wider range of buy-to-let propositions… We have further exciting product innovations up our sleeve that we are excited to launch in the coming months.”
For landlords dealing with tax changes, tighter EPC expectations and regional licensing expansions, lender flexibility can make or break long-term strategy. Portfolio investors in particular are looking for lenders that understand scale – not penalise it.
Many brokers note that demand for multi-property refinancing has grown sharply in 2024–25, as landlords shift away from fragmented borrowing towards more consolidated, specialist arrangements.
Editor’s view
Paragon’s move reinforces a trend: specialist lenders are stepping up while high street banks hold back. For landlords, particularly those juggling multiple mortgages, higher loan ceilings and simplified processes offer much-needed breathing space. The next question is whether other lenders will match this flexibility – or leave Paragon to dominate the professional landlord segment in 2025.
Author: Editorial team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance.
Published: 3 December 2025
Sources: Paragon Bank statement; UK Finance mortgage lending statistics; NRLA commentary.
Related reading: Landlords extract record equity as confidence returns to the buy-to-let market
