Roma Finance has agreed a new funding deal with J.P. Morgan that will let it launch long-term buy-to-let mortgages with terms of up to 40 years, in a fresh sign that specialist lenders are trying to widen options for landlords rather than compete on headline rate cuts alone.
The lender said the forward-flow agreement will support a new range of buy-to-let, commercial and semi-commercial products across England, Scotland and Wales, with two-year, five-year and seven-year fixes planned. The move goes beyond a routine repricing because it opens a new part of the market for Roma, which has largely been known for bridging and development finance.
For landlords, the timing matters because longer-term debt options could appeal to investors who want more certainty on repayments, especially after a long stretch of refinancing pressure and product churn in the buy-to-let market.
Roma shifts from bridging into long-term landlord lending
Roma said the deal marks a major expansion of its long-term lending capability and will help it launch products for landlords who want to hold property for longer periods rather than refinance every few years.
The lender is also broadening into commercial and semi-commercial mortgages, including lending for investment properties and PropCo-OpCo structures. That gives portfolio landlords another sign that specialist finance is becoming more varied, particularly outside the high street.
Scott Marshall, managing director at Roma Finance, said the transaction was a “landmark moment” for the lender and would help it broaden funding options for brokers and borrowers.
This follows Landlord Knowledge’s BoE’s Greene warns rate rise may be needed within months, which showed lenders were still using rate cuts and cashback offers to win landlord business. Roma’s move points to a different next phase: product range and loan structure may now matter as much as marginal pricing.
Why the funding deal matters for landlords now
The latest announcement lands at a point when many landlords are still weighing how long they want to fix borrowing costs and how quickly they want to recycle capital. A 40-year term will not suit every borrower, but it may help some investors lower monthly costs or keep more flexibility elsewhere in their portfolio.
It also suggests institutional funding is still backing parts of the specialist landlord market despite pressure on margins and tougher regulation. That matters because landlords need product depth as well as cheaper pricing.
Landlords looking at this part of the market should still check the full trade-off between rate, fees, term length and early repayment charges. A longer mortgage can ease monthly strain without automatically lowering the lifetime cost of borrowing.
Roma set out the changes in its NEF renews call to charge NI on rental income, while the lender’s own announcement on the J.P. Morgan deal is here.
What this means for landlords
- If you’re refinancing this year: longer-term debt may offer lower monthly pressure, but compare fees and exit costs before locking in.
- If you hold mixed assets: Roma’s wider commercial and semi-commercial push could create more options beyond standard single-unit buy-to-let.
- Watch for: whether other specialist lenders answer with longer terms or more tailored portfolio products.
- Bottom line: competition in landlord finance is no longer only about who cuts rates fastest.
Editor’s view
Landlords have seen plenty of rate-cut headlines in recent weeks. This one is more interesting because it hints at a broader shift in how specialist lenders want to compete. If funding lines keep opening up, product choice could improve faster than many landlords expect.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 05 June 2026
Sources: Roma Finance, J.P. Morgan
Related reading: NEF renews call to charge NI on rental income
