Family Building Society has today relaxed its buy-to-let affordability assessment, resulting in additional borrowing of up to 35%.

This will typically result in a 15% improvement in borrowing power for capital raising applications and a 35% improvement on pound-for-pound remortgage cases.

In addition, Family Building Society has also launched a new interest-only expat buy-to-let 2-year fixed mortgage at 75% LTV, available for purchase and remortgage at 4.69% plus 2% product fee.

Family Building Society head of intermediary sales Darren Deacon said: “This significant improvement in our affordability assessment calculations, alongside the launch of our new 2-year expat buy-to-let product is proof of our continued support to landlords both here and abroad.

“We are providing more borrowing power to landlords as they continue to face cost pressures in an uncertain market, is exactly what the market and intermediaries need right now.”

For applications on products that are fixed for five years or more, there has been no change and these will continue to be assessed at pay rate.

Meanwhile, Vida Homeloans has extended its foreign national policy across its entire buy-to-let range.

The main changes are:

Mixed‑status applicants now acceptedWhere one applicant has an indefinite right to live and work in the UK and the other applicant(s) holds a non‑permanent but acceptable visa type—and have lived in the UK for a minimum of 12 months—applications can now proceed under standard policy up to scheme limits.

Expanded acceptance of foreign nationals without indefinite leave to remainVida will now consider lending to buy-to-let applicants who do not hold indefinite leave to remain, provided they have a visa included on Vida’s approved list.

Reduced UK residency requirementThe latest minimum continuous UK residency period for buy-to-let applicants has been reduced from 24 months to 12 months, opening the door to more recently settled borrowers.

Vida head of mortgage product management Ross Williams said: “By allowing mixed‑status applicants to apply under standard policy, and by widening eligibility to include foreign nationals without indefinite leave to remain when they hold one of our approved visa types, we’re giving brokers the confidence, flexibility, and certainty they need to place more complex cases with Vida.”