How Does a Buy-to-Let Mortgage Work for Overseas Buyers?

GOGOPROP
Property Guides
April 3, 2025

A buy-to-let mortgage is a type of loan designed for buyers who want to purchase property as an investment with the intention of renting it out to tenants. Unlike residential mortgages, buy-to-let loans focus on the property’s rental income potential rather than the borrower’s income.

For a deeper understanding of how buy-to-let mortgages differ from residential mortgages, visit our buy-to-let mortgage vs. residential guide.

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How Does a Buy-to-Let Mortgage Work?

A buy-to-let mortgage works differently from standard buy-to-live or residential loans. Here is what sets it apart:

Deposit Requirements

A buy-to-let mortgage deposit is typically higher than buy-to-live loans, ranging from 20% to 40% of the property value.

Interest Rates and Terms

Interest rates on buy-to-let loans are generally higher than on residential mortgages due to the perceived risk associated with rental properties.

Repayment Types

Most buy-to-let mortgages are interest-only, meaning borrowers only pay the interest each month and repay the principal at the end of the term.

Eligibility Criteria

Lenders assess rental income on the property to be purchased to ensure it covers 125%-145% of the monthly interest payments.

Advantages of Buy-to-Let Mortgage for Overseas Buyers

For overseas investors, especially from Southeast Asia and the UAE, buy-to-let mortgages offer several compelling benefits:

Potential for Rental Income

Rental properties can provide a steady income stream, helping investors offset mortgage payments and generate profit. In high-demand areas like London, rental yields can be substantial, making buy-to-let properties an attractive investment.

Capital Appreciation

Over time, property values in the UK tend to increase, offering the potential for significant capital gains. Even if rental income remains steady, the appreciation of property value can improve long-term returns when the property is sold.

Leveraging Investment with Financing

Buy-to-let mortgages allow investors to leverage their capital, enabling them to purchase high-value properties or expand their portfolios. Financing helps investors diversify their assets without tying up all their cash in one place.

Limitations of Buy-to-Let Mortgages

Despite their benefits, buy-to-let mortgages also come with challenges and conditions. Here are some disadvantages to consider:

Higher Interest Rates & Fees

Compared to residential loans, buy-to-let mortgages carry higher interest rates and fees, increasing the overall cost of borrowing.

Regulatory Requirements & Tax Obligations

Investors should factor in tax obligations when calculating potential returns. For instance, the UK government has implemented stricter regulations for buy-to-let investors, including income tax on rental profits, with higher rates for non-residents earning substantial income. Capital Gains Tax (CGT), Stamp Duty Taxes, and other property taxes must be paid by overseas investors on UK property.

Property Maintenance & Management Costs

Maintaining a rental property requires ongoing expenses, including repairs and renovations and management fees for property managers. These costs can significantly impact profit margins if not managed effectively.

A happy family newly moved into their home

How Does a Buy-to-Let Mortgage Benefit Overseas Buyers?

Buy-to-let mortgages provide international investors access to the lucrative UK property market and high-yield opportunities in areas with strong rental demand. For investors, buy-to-let loans enable them to supplement their income or diversify their income streams. UK properties historically appreciate in value, giving them long-term growth potential.

How Can Overseas Buyers Get a Buy-to-Let Mortgage?

The UK lending process can be challenging for overseas buyers. However, the right lender can make it simple and straightforward. Here is how to get started:

  1. Choose the Right Lender: Work with a lender like GOGOPROP, which specialises in catering to the needs of international clients, especially in Southeast Asia and the UAE.
  2. Apply for a Loan: For traditional financing, you need to provide proof of income and your UK credit history. If you choose a digital lending platform like GOGOPROP, you can conveniently apply directly online—no need for extensive credit documents. 
  3. Meet Deposit Requirements: Ensure you can cover the higher deposit typically required for buy-to-let mortgages.
  4. Understand Tax Implications: Seek advice on UK tax obligations, including rental income tax and CGT.

Choose GOGOPROP for Your Buy-to-Let Property

GOGOPROP is the go-to digital lender for short-term property loans in the UK. We offer fast approvals within 24 hours, processing within 5 days, and funding available in as little as 10 days. We provide buy-to-let, asset-based loans for new property purchases and equity release on existing properties you already own; traditional UK credit checks are not required.

Our digital-first approach guarantees transparency, with clear rates and no hidden fees. You will also receive updates on your loan process in real-time. With GOGOPROP’s personalised support and expert guidance, getting financing for your buy-to-let UK property is streamlined and stress-free. Contact us today.

GOGOPROP

When our family bought an electric cargo bike earlier this year, one of my biggest fears was that this lovely and expensive new machine was going to get stolen. So I got the best lock money could buy, and I started to investigate: did I need ebike insurance?

First, I called my homeowners insurance provider to see if they would cover the bike if it were stolen. To my surprise, because it’s an electric bike, not only did my policy not cover it, they wouldn’t even add it for an additional fee or sell me a separate policy for it, the way they did for our family car.

Instead they referred me to an insurance company that specializes in bikes and ebikes. I bought a policy from them and sleep a little better for it.

I’ve heard similar stories from other ebike owners. And I’ve heard worse.

What can happen without ebike insurance

The saddest stories are the ones where someone assumed their homeowners or renters or car insurance covered their ebike, and after it was stolen or seriously damaged, it turned out it wasn’t covered.

"And then there are the stories about people whose ebikes were covered by their homeowners policy, but their premium went way up when they made a claim for a stolen ebike."
<span class="blog-quote-name">-Kyle Miller, CEO Brass Hands</span>

Why it’s hard to insure an ebike

When it comes to insurance, ebikes land in a gray area outside standard homeowners insurance and auto insurance. Here’s why:

  • Ebikes are new in terms of the insurance industry. Most of the several million ebikes in the U.S. were purchased in the last two years. Insurers aren’t familiar with them, and insurers don’t like to be surprised by unfamiliar products.
  • Ebikes are more expensive than regular bikes. Policies that cover bikes, like most homeowners or renters policies, might have also covered ebikes until the insurer had to pay much larger claims than they expected to replace a damaged or stolen ebike. See above about insurers and surprise. So some policy terms got changed.
  • Finally, ebikes get stolen a lot, and not only from people’s homes. They are ridden and locked up outside all over the place, which makes them more vulnerable than other valuable household items.

Steps to take to properly insure your ebike

The odds that your ebike is covered by your existing insurance is lower than you may think. Here’s what to do to find out if you need ebike insurance:

  1. Call your insurance company and find out what they cover. Things to bring up: coverage of accidental damage, theft, and travel (like what would happen if you flew somewhere with your bike and the airline did a number on it). Does the insurance company consider your ebike a “luxury item”? If you’re happy with the coverage, great! You’re good to go.
  2. Consider bike-specific coverage. If you aren’t covered, or feel like the coverage you do have isn’t enough, here are some things to think about.

Bike insurance covers all kinds of bike specific things, not just theft. Think damage to the bike from a collision, medical payments if you are injured in a collision, insurance for the bike if you are traveling with it or racing it, or a bike rental while your bike is being repaired. Some policies even cover things like accessories (like bike lights and panniers) and riding clothes.

Bike claims won’t affect your other insurance premium. Should you need to make a claim on your ebike, your home insurance premium won’t change or get canceled.

We can help

Want to learn more about ebike insurance? Join Tempo and get easy access to insurance quotes, and other ways to protect your ebike right inside the app.

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