Kensington raises maximum loan size amid mortgage criteria changes

Kensington Mortgages has announced it will be increasing its maximum loan limit for both first time buyers and buy to let mortgages. Having raised the maximum loan on buy to let mortgages to £1.5 million from £1 million, first time buyer loan values have also now increased to a maximum of £1 million – up from the previous £500,000 limit.

Not only this, Brightstar Financial has become the first distributor to add Kensington to its lending panel, offering all of the lender’s core residential and buy to let ranges, as well as a new 90% loan to value (LTV) residential exclusive product.

Rates on this new product start from 4.89% for a 2 year fixed rate and 5.19% for a 3 year fix.

It seems Kensington is not the only lender reworking its lending criteria and reach this week. Leeds Building Society has also announced it will now be accepting sale of property as a repayment method for some interest only borrowers.

This new method is currently available to those on part interest only, part repayment mortgages at up to 75% loan to value (LTV). This has proved a popular demand of customers looking to remortgage, as it offers the flexibility of paying down the loan in a manageable way for those already on full interest only terms.

Finally, Virgin Money has announced a maximum loan to income multiple of four times for loans over £500,000. However, the lender said this is only expected to impact a very small proportion of its lending, as far as larger loans are concerned, and will continue to offer competitive loan amounts to higher earning customers.

Following other changes that are expected to increase affordability for its clients, this is thought to impact less than 1% of Virgin’s overall lending. The lender will now consider the higher levels of disposable income when assessing affordability for clients with an income above £40,000.

This is a news update from the EnnessPrivate Website. Full report can be viewed here.

Enness Private: We specialise in arranging mortgage loans for individuals from both the UK and overseas, who are either purchasing or refinancing residential or commercial property. Visit the website today for more information: https://www.ennessprivate.co.uk/

 

Enness Private

We arrange large mortgages secured against international property for global individuals.

You May Also Enjoy

Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Autumn Budget doesn’t dampen commercial property outlook for 2026

Demand in both leasing and investment remained in largely positive territory, despite Budget uncertainty Industrial sector continued to lead the way with demand to lease up  11% year on year and demand to invest up 12% 2026 outlook shows positive signs alongside predicted interest rate cuts Demand in terms of both leasing and investment for commercial…
Read More
How to add value to your home
Breaking News

Stabilising house prices and falling mortgage rates offer renewed hope for first-time buyers

Propertymark says forecasts of modest house price growth in 2026, alongside falling mortgage rates, point towards a housing market that is beginning to stabilise, offering renewed hope for first-time buyers, while wider affordability challenges remain. As lenders continue to reduce mortgage rates following improved market conditions, monthly repayments are becoming more manageable for aspiring homeowners.…
Read More
Breaking News

Inheritance tax receipts rise as government performs partial U-turn on relief rules

Inheritance tax (IHT) receipts reached £6.6 billion in the first nine months of the 2025/26 tax year, according to data released by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) this morning. That figure is £200 million higher than the same period last year and continues a steady upward trend that has persisted for more than two decades.…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 22/1/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X. Why are most proptechs Unsaleable? Structural issues rooted in how proptechs are conceived, built, and taken to market stops an exit or IPO   (Thought Leadership by Andrew Stanton CEO Proptech-PR) The proptech sector has matured rapidly over the past decade. Capital has flowed in, incumbents have launched…
Read More
Breaking News

Nationwide extends six times lending to home movers and remortgage

Nationwide enhances support for people looking to move up the property ladder or get a new mortgage deal Five-fold increase in Nationwide loans to first-time buyers at or above 5.5x income in 2025, compared to 2024 Increased first-time buyer support follows regulatory changes to improve affordability Nationwide is today announcing a major boost to the…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News – 21/1/2026

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Jon Cooke steps down as Non-Executive Director at GPEA Jon Cooke will continue to focus on innovation within the property sector Jon Cooke has stepped down from his role as Non-Executive Director at GPEA, the business that owned Fine & Country and The Guild…
Read More