Discover how Keystone for Intermediaries helps mortgage brokers access specialist home loan solutions. We'll explore some of their flexible options and more
Mortgage brokers, also known as intermediaries, help people take their first step into homeownership. They connect potential borrowers with banks and mortgage lenders to find the most ideal mortgage product for the clients’ situations and preferences. They also guide them through the mortgage process.
To give your clients the best service, you need a mortgage lender who supports intermediaries and makes complex cases easier to handle. That’s where Keystone Property Finance comes in. They specialise in lending to portfolio landlords and clients who are looking for buy-to-let mortgages. In this article, Mortgage Introducer will discuss what you need to know about Keystone for intermediaries.
Introduction to Keystone for intermediaries
Keystone for intermediaries (or Keystone Property Finance) is a specialist buy-to-let mortgage lender. They have an intermediary-only platform where they can work directly with mortgage brokers. Keystone focuses on giving intermediaries all the tools needed to find and complete the right mortgage deals for their clients.
Keystone for intermediaries is not like your usual high street lender. They offer flexible solutions for cases that might not meet the criteria of traditional banks and other mortgage providers. This includes landlords with large portfolios, clients using limited companies and more.
Keystone Property Finance: A brief history
Keystone Property Finance is an intermediary-only lender founded in 2007. According to their website, they were “created by brokers for brokers.” Keystone was launched to offer specialist buy-to-let lending during a period when it wasn’t widely available.
Over the years, Keystone went through three joint ventures before becoming a standalone mortgage lender in 2018. Since then, they have doubled in size and have strengthened their position in the market.
Mortgage brokers remain central to everything Keystone does. The company focuses on providing flexible lending solutions, broker-first service, and a platform designed to support intermediaries in placing complex or specialist buy-to-let cases.
Want to know more about Keystone for intermediaries? Watch this interview with their CEO, David Whittaker:
Some of the UK’s leading mortgage brokerage firms might be working with trusted lenders like Keystone for intermediaries. Take a look at our list of top mortgage intermediaries in this guide.
How Keystone can help through their online calculator
Keystone for intermediaries offers an easy and detailed online calculator that can help you quickly work out how much your clients can borrow. You can also compute how much rental income they need for a specific loan size. This tool is designed for buy-to-let mortgages, including:
- standard properties
- holiday lets
- specialist
- multi-units
- house in multiple occupations (HMOs)
When using Keystone’s calculator, mortgage brokers will be asked to input their clients’ property value, loan term, and other criteria. You can also select the application type; either an individual (basic or high tax rate) or a limited company. The tool also considers whether the applicant is an expat. Other necessary details include:
- your clients’ chosen property’s EPC rating
- repayment type (interest only or capital and interest)
- the loan term in years
Once these details are filled in, Keystone for intermediaries’ online calculator works out the maximum loan available, based on the rental income. It also shows the indicative monthly repayment, arrangement fee, and stressed rate. There’s even a comparison of the loan amount exclusive or inclusive of fees.
You can also filter by the following:
- range type
- loan type
- property type
- maximum LTV (loan-to-value)
There are also fee options to narrow down available products. This can help with faster sourcing of the most suitable mortgage products for your clients.
Aside from Keystone for intermediaries’ online calculator, check out this video about frequently asked questions:
In 2024, Keystone for intermediaries made a few changes to their mortgage broker portal for easier case submissions.
Keystone for intermediaries’ products and services
Here are some of their mortgage offerings:
- Refurb to Let
- Standard
- Specialist
- Expats
- Holiday Lets
- Product Transfer
- Product Transfer Plus
- Switch & Fix
Let’s briefly discuss each of these products below:
1. Refurb to Let
Keystone for intermediaries’ Refurb to Let is ideal for landlords doing light works or turning a property into an HMO (up to 6 occupants). Finance is available for just six months, with the choice to roll up interest or pay monthly. There are no early repayment charges or exit fees, giving your clients more flexibility.
You can also earn a 1% procuration fee on Refurb to Let, and 0.55% on the follow-up fixed rate (Refurb Exit). It’s a smart short-term lending solution.
2. Standard
Next is Keystone Property Finance’s Standard mortgage product. This is for common property types like houses and flats. The loan size ranges from £50,000 to £2.5 million per property, with up to £10 million total lending per borrower.
Keystone for intermediaries accepts minor credit issues and work with a wide range of borrower types including:
- individual landlords
- trading limited companies
- Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs)
- Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs)
Their Standard product is ideal for straightforward buy-to-let cases as it can provide your clients with flexible options at scale.
3. Specialist
Their Specialist product line is mainly for HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation) with up to 15 occupants, and MUFBs (Multi-Unit Freehold Blocks) with up to 15 units. Loans range from £50,000 to £2.5 million per property, with up to £10 million lending per individual.
Keystone for intermediaries accepts the same borrower types as in their Standard product. Their Specialist offering is ideal for more complex rental properties. This is also perfect for experienced landlords who want to expand their portfolios but have unique situations.
4. Expats
Keystone for intermediaries offers buy-to-let mortgages for expat applicants who want to invest in property. Retired and self-employed borrowers are accepted. To qualify, your clients must have a minimum income of £25,000 per year and must own at least one buy-to-let property in the UK.
An active credit footprint in the UK is also required. This means the borrower should still have some recent credit activity in the UK, such as a credit card or loan in their name. A utility bill can also be proof of credit activity.
5. Holiday Lets
If your clients want to rent out properties on a short-term basis, they might want to apply for Keystone’s Holiday Lets mortgage. To qualify, the property must be let for at least 210 days a year. It also needs to be standard property like a house or flat.
Applicants must have a minimum income of £25,000 per year, not including rent from the holiday let. They also need to own at least one buy-to-let property or two holiday lets already. This product is designed for experienced short-term rental landlords.
6. Product Transfer
Keystone Property Finance has a simple Product Transfer option for existing borrowers. There are no application or legal fees, and a free valuation is included. Your clients can choose from arrangement fees of 1%, 3%, or 5%, depending on the deal that’s suitable for them.
The maximum LTV is 80% for standard properties, and 75% for Specialist, expat, and Holiday Let properties. You can earn a procuration fee of up to 0.45%, making this a straightforward and rewarding option for remortgaging clients.
Curious to know more about remortgaging? Watch this clip:
Here are the latest remortgage rates in the UK. You can check back weekly or favourite this page to keep an eye on the rates.
7. Product Transfer Plus
Product Transfer Plus allows existing borrowers to switch their product and borrow more at the same time. Your clients can choose from 2-year or 5-year fixed rates. There’s also no application fee and a free valuation is included. Your clients can select an arrangement fee of 1.5%, 3.5%, or 5.5% based on what works best for them.
This option is great for clients needing extra funds while staying with Keystone for intermediaries. As for the procuration fee, you can earn up to 0.55% on these cases.
8. Switch & Fix
Keystone’s Switch & Fix lets existing borrowers move from a variable rate to a fixed rate. It’s a one-time switch. There’s no application fee or early repayment charges for closing the variable rate loan.
A new valuation is required if the borrower has been on the variable rate for more than 5 years. If they’ve been on it for over 12 months, Keystone for intermediaries will also do some underwriting checks.
The new fixed rate will be stress tested at application, and brokers can earn a procuration fee of up to 0.20%.
Partnering with Keystone for intermediaries
Keystone for intermediaries is a strong option for mortgage brokers who want to grow their buy-to-let business. Whether your client is a first-time landlord, a seasoned investor, or someone with a tricky case, Keystone can offer competitive rates and specialist products.
Their intermediary-only platform will also make it easier for you to manage complex cases while protecting your relationship with your clients. If you want a mortgage lender that values your role and gives you more options for unique clients, Keystone might be the right partner for you.
But if you want to work with other mortgage lenders, we have other guides for those that are broker-centric. Check out some of them below:
You can find more broker-focused mortgage lenders on our Guides page.
