Suffolk Building Society has announced a range of changes to its products and criteria, helping brokers place more complex cases for their landlord and expat clients.

For expats and non-UK nationals, the Society will now accept applications from first-time buyer expat landlords who are working and residing abroad but wish to purchase a rental property in the UK. They will no longer require returning expats to spend a set amount of time in the UK before applying for a mortgage, meaning they can apply as soon as they return. This applies to both employed and retired applicants.

Furthermore, non-UK nationals can now be included on joint applications with one UK national applicant; however, affordability will be based solely on the UK national applicant’s income.

The Society has also increased its support for UK landlords. It will consider applications for first-time buyer buy-to-let properties in England and Wales, with full buy-to-let criteria including interest cover ratio (ICR) and minimum income applied. affordability will be based solely on the UK national applicant’s income.

The Society has also increased its support for UK landlords. It will consider applications for first-time buyer buy-to-let properties in England and Wales, with full buy-to-let criteria including interest cover ratio (ICR) and minimum income applied.

Furthermore, landlords wishing to purchase or remortgage their own residential property can now be considered regardless of how many buy-to-let properties they have in the background, provided that the portfolio is self-financing. Previously, there was a limit of 10 buy-to-lets in the background but this criterion has been removed.