The bridging lender has seen a significant amount of its bridging loans for buy-to-let purposes put through for limited companies as opposed to individuals.

Landlord companies are using SPVs to raise funds in order to minimise the tax over the term of the investment.

Roma said that many higher-tax-banded property professionals use this as their preferred method of raising capital to grow and develop their property portfolios.

Despite landlords facing a number of challenges over the past 12 months, Roma’s view was that landlords with larger portfolios were wise to alternative routes to maximise efficiencies, protect income and build the required yields for their property business.

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The type of property landlords were acquiring has also reflected the changing market, with HMOs and semi-commercial property featuring more than the traditional buy-to-let housing stock.

“We’re seeing most of our landlord customers with larger portfolios transferring them into limited company status and using SPVs to help raise the new funding needed for purchases and refurbishments,” said Scott Marshall, managing director at Roma Finance (pictured above).

“The market in this segment remains upbeat with our share of lending on buy-to-let still strong for a wide range of property acquisition and refurbishment.

“Landlords and property investors have put in place new company structures and strategies to protect their portfolios and maximise future income and growth.

“We’re seeing this in practice and business written on limited company buy-to-lets is strong as the landlords we work with are very well informed on these investment techniques.”