Put off by tax and regulatory changes , it seems that some investors are re-evaluating buy-to-let as an investment if the results of the survey by Rathbones Asset Management are taken at face value.

However, some investors are looking to the long term and are continuing to see the appeal of bricks and mortar. Experienced brokers and packagers can support their clients in exploring options available to them.

In one recent case, we worked with a trusted partner to help the directors of an investment company – which owns nearly 250 properties – to grow its portfolio by delivering funding secured against part of its buy-to-let empire – in just seven days.

We provided a second charge loan over 26 of their rental homes, worth £3.5m, and owned by the high-net-worth customers who run their property portfolio through a limited company structure.

The three investors – two of whom are self-employed directors of the property business – wanted to keep their favourable interest rate on the current first charge buy-to-let mortgages on the portfolio of properties across the North of England, which they bought before the financial crisis of 2008.

However, they wanted to unlock the equity they had built up over the past decade through a second charge loan, and wanted the deal to complete quickly so they could press ahead with adding to their property portfolio.

They approached expert packager Crystal Specialist Finance, which brought the case to Together, having previously worked closely with us and knowing our reputation for delivering fast finance tailored to its customers’ borrowing needs.

We liaised closely with trusted experts from legal firm Priority Law and the customers’ solicitors, and provided £879,000 through a second charge loan, agreeing repayments on an interest-only basis.

As Jo Breeden, managing director of Crystal Specialist Finance, said, this was a fantastic result.

“This case shows that professional and experienced landlords and investors are focusing on growing their portfolios, despite the tax and regulatory challenges of recent years.

“The limited company didn’t want to lose the interest rates on their first charge mortgages by remortgaging their properties, so, in this case, a second charge was a great option.”