Lender adjusts lending limit to better support portfolio landlords and property developers
Hampshire Trust Bank (HTB) has raised its maximum customer lending limit to £35 million, up from £25 million, across its specialist mortgages and development finance divisions.
The adjustment is aimed at meeting the shifting financing needs of professional landlords and property developers in a transforming UK housing market.
The bank said the change comes as portfolio landlords grow in sophistication and scale, reflecting wider changes in the private rental sector. A rise in regulatory and financial pressures has pushed many landlords to consolidate holdings into larger, more structured portfolios, often requiring more bespoke and higher-value lending solutions.
Simultaneously, housebuilders are under increasing pressure to scale up delivery, responding to national targets aimed at tackling the ongoing housing shortage. Industry sentiment suggests there is low confidence in the government’s ability to meet its stated goal of building 1.5 million homes during this parliament.
HTB said the enhanced lending threshold is designed to better support property developers engaged in multi-unit projects, as well as landlords with complex arrangements.
“This is a natural step for us,” said Alex Upton (pictured left), managing director of specialist mortgages and bridging at Hampshire Trust Bank. “Brokers are already bringing us substantial portfolio cases. These are no longer one-offs – they’re a core part of the business.
“The uplift gives us more capacity to support those transactions with the same agility, care, and clarity that brokers expect from us. We know that what matters most is working with people who understand the deal and help get it over the line.”
“The housing challenge isn’t going away – and neither is our commitment to backing the developers who are tackling it,” added Neil Leitch (pictured right), managing director of development finance at Hampshire Trust Bank. “We’re seeing increased demand from experienced developers who are ready to deliver more homes but need a funding partner who can keep pace. By increasing our maximum lending appetite, we’re giving them the confidence that we’ll be there to support them.”
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