52% of landlords are using letting income to top up their earnings from a full-time job, according to new research for Precise Mortgages.

The specialist lender argues its findings highlight the need for lenders to offer top slicing to help more customers achieve greater flexibility on buy-to-let products and loan size.

The study found that even among landlords with bigger portfolios many are still working full-time and have other earnings beyond letting income. Around 32% of those with 11 to 19 properties say letting income supplements day job earnings while 18% of those with 20+ properties have other income in addition to rental earnings.

Precise Mortgages’ top slicing feature enables customers to use surplus portfolio or earned disposable income to prove they can meet any financial stresses on a new loan application rather than through the rental income of the property alone.

It is now accepting top slicing on all eligible personal ownership, limited company, portfolio, HMO, and holiday and student let applications. First-time buyers are excluded.

The research also found that 33% of landlords earn their living purely from their property portfolios, rising to 47% among those with six to 10 properties. 16% of landlords plan to add more properties in the year ahead with 71% funding purchases with a buy-to-let mortgage.

Alan Cleary, managing director of Precise Mortgages, said: “Given that the majority of landlords have other earnings that can be used to show they can meet underwriting standards, lenders need to reflect this in their product offering to support landlords accordingly.

“Top slicing allows landlords to manage their properties in a way they choose and gives them greater access to the products and loan sizes they want and particularly for those who may have been restricted by ICR requirements in the past.”