England’s Short-Let Register: What Landlords Need to Know Before March 2027
After years of consultation and repeated changes to the timetable, the government has now confirmed a firm date for England’s national register of short-term and holiday lets. Speaking in Parliament on 3 September 2026, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told MPs ...
The Cumberland Holiday Let Index 2026: A Resilient, Maturing Market
The holiday let market has been the subject of plenty of speculation over the past couple of years. The abolition of the Furnished Holiday Let (FHL) tax regime, the prospect of tighter planning rules and rising operating costs led many ...
From Unlettable Purchase to Trading Holiday Let: A Bridge-to-Holiday-Let Exit
Our client found the right property in a strong holiday letting location, but it was not fit to let, so no holiday let lender would offer a mortgage on day one. Drake arranged a bridging loan to buy it and ...
Releasing Equity from a Mortgage-Free Holiday Let to Buy the Next One
Our client owned a holiday let outright and wanted a second one, with the deposit coming from the equity in the first. The sticking point was not how much equity was available, but why the money was being raised. Not ...
Expat Mortgage Case Study: How a Dubai-Based Buyer Secured a Devon Cottage Without the Holiday Let Restrictions
Expat clients often assume that buying a UK home to live in part-time and let the rest of the year only leaves one route open: a holiday let mortgage. The case below shows why that isn’t always true, and why ...
Expat Buy to Let vs Holiday Let Mortgages
An expat buy to let lends against long-term rent, and the mortgage terms stop you staying there yourself. An expat holiday let lends against seasonal bookings and usually allows 30 to 60 nights of your own use. Holiday lets lost ...
Expat holiday let mortgages: how many nights can you stay?
A dedicated holiday let mortgage caps your own use of the property, usually somewhere between 30 and 90 nights a year, set out in the mortgage terms. An expat residential mortgage with letting permitted has no fixed cap, because the ...
Buy to Let vs Holiday Let Mortgages
A clear, straightforward guide from Drake Mortgages Choosing between a Buy to Let (BTL) mortgage and a Holiday Let mortgage can feel complicated, especially following recent tax changes. Below is a simple, updated comparison to help you understand how each ...
Incorporating a Personally Owned Holiday Let: Essential Considerations for Property Owners
As the holiday-let market evolves, many property owners are exploring whether transferring a personally owned holiday let into a limited company could offer long-term tax or operational benefits. While incorporation can be attractive in some circumstances, the process is often ...
Using an SPV Ltd Company for Your Holiday Let
The Director’s Guide to Tax‑Efficient Funding with Intercompany Loans For UK director-shareholders, holding a holiday let inside a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) limited company can be an efficient way to invest, manage risk, and optimise tax. A powerful, often overlooked ...
Holiday Let Mortgages for the Self Employed
Are you a self-employed individual who is looking to buy a holiday let property? Well, you’re not alone. The number of self-employed people has been steadily rising over the years, but despite this growing trend, securing a mortgage as a ...
Holiday Let Mortgages for First Time Buyers
Are you a first-time buyer dreaming of owning a holiday let property? You might think it’s as simple as buying a property and renting it out, but beware of the risks lurking behind ‘back door residential transactions’. Lenders are on ...
Can we get a mortgage for a holiday let business?
A holiday let business is more than just a single rental property. It typically includes multiple units or even an entire holiday park. If you’re looking to finance a holiday let business, specialist commercial finance is the way to go. ...
Purchasing a Guest House or B&B
We receive many early stage enquiries from the travel and tourism sectors. A popular approach is to purchase an existing or start-up guest houses and B&B’s. Here are just a few of the questions we are asked that might be useful ...
What are holiday let occupancy clauses?
To own and run a UK holiday let you need to be aware of the occupancy rules and restrictions that apply to such properties. These will vary depending on the location, property type, usage and also the mortgage finance needed. ...
Section 106 Planning Restrictions
A Local Authority will often use a Section 106 planning restriction when they want to control how a property can be used. These powers come from Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. But why is this ...
Can I remortgage my holiday let?
If your fixed or set-term deal is coming to an end, don’t let it roll onto your lender’s default rate. A holiday let remortgage can secure a better rate, release equity for improvements or other plans, and open up specialist ...
Can you get an interest-only holiday let mortgage?
Welcome to our guide on interest-only mortgages for holiday lets. If you’re considering investing in a holiday let, it’s important to understand the financial implications and options available to you. One such option is an interest-only holiday let mortgage. Interest ...
What kind of mortgage do you need for Airbnb?
Are you a landlord looking to make money from Airbnb rentals in the UK? If so, it is important to understand the type of mortgage you need for your property. With more and more people turning to short term rental ...
What kind of mortgage is best for a holiday rental property?
When it comes to mortgages, there are a few different types that you can choose from. If you are looking to purchase a holiday rental property – also known as a holiday let – then you will want to look ...
How To Buy a Holiday Home
When summer arrives, and our thoughts turn to getaway plans, many of us may consider buying a home at our favourite holiday destination. Let us help you make the most of your holiday home investment! What Should You Consider While ...
Growing demand for holiday let mortgages
EVER DREAMED of owning a second home by the coast, or in your favourite UK holiday spot? Or perhaps you’re looking at a second home from purely an investment perspective. The good news is a holiday let mortgage could help you realise ...
Who offers the best holiday let mortgages?
In the main, the lenders that offer the best holiday let mortgages tend to be the smaller building societies, specialist finance companies plus some ‘Challenger Banks‘. The High Street banks are catching up but generally the lenders you need are ...
Using The Wrong Mortgage
It still happens too frequently that, in pursuit of a cheap interest rate, people will use an inappropriate mortgage product, intentionally misleading the lender. For example, using a standard residential mortgage for a property that is then used as a buy to let or holiday ...