Foundation Home Loans has completed a challenging mortgage case for a first-time buyer and first-time landlord purchasing a licensed seven-bedroom HMO in Bristol for £660,000.

The intermediary-only specialist lender arranged a 75% loan-to-value mortgage from its dedicated HMO range for the client, a high-earning London-based legal professional who currently rents but is seeking to build a property portfolio as part of a long-term investment strategy.

Most mainstream lenders are unable to consider applications from borrowers who are both first-time buyers and first-time landlords, particularly where the property is a licensed HMO. Foundation, however, assessed the case on its merits, taking account of the client’s strong financial standing, clean credit history and a credible management plan for the property.

The case was introduced by a broker familiar with Foundation’s flexible, case-by-case approach to complex scenarios. The lender offers products aimed at landlords with non-standard requirements, including multi-occupancy properties, limited company borrowing and first-time landlords.

Grant Hendry, director of sales at Foundation Home Loans, said: “This is a perfect example of how we work with brokers to find solutions for cases that fall outside standard criteria.

“Such a case would often be declined outright based on the client being both a first-time buyer and landlord. Fortunately, we had worked with the broker before and they trusted us to assess the case on its full merits, rather than being restricted by headline criteria alone or dismissing it at first glance.

“The client’s strong financial position, clean credit history and well-structured management plan allowed us to offer a suitable solution through one of our specialist HMO products. And that’s the beauty of specialist lending, it’s understanding the individual, not just working through a checklist.

“It’s about being positioned to support creditworthy, capable borrowers in a responsible manner.”