One in five landlords had at least one buy-to-let (BTL) mortgage on a property held in a limited company, according to Q2 2025 Landlord Trends research by Pegasus Insight for Foundation Home Loans.
For portfolio landlords, this figure rose to 30%.
The research found that incorporation was on the rise, with the average proportion of a limited company landlord’s portfolio in a company structure more than doubling from 36% in Q1 2020 to 74% in Q2 2025.
Limited company ownership was especially common among portfolio landlords, with 34% saying they had at least one incorporated property.
7% of all landlords had fully incorporated portfolios, and another 13% owned a mix of properties in their own name and in a company.
Most landlords planning to buy more property said they would use a limited company structure (63%).
Just 29% intended to buy in their own name, and 6% said it would depend on the circumstances.
No landlords who already held property in a limited company said they would buy their next property as an individual.
When it came to refinancing, portfolio borrowers with four or more BTL mortgages were much more likely than consumer borrowers to refinance in a limited company, at 30% compared to 8%.
For those arranging limited company BTL finance, the most important factors after rate were minimal fees, overpayment flexibility, and service quality.
Grant Hendry, director of sales at Foundation Home Loans, said: “The adoption of limited company structures by landlords continues to gather significant momentum, particularly among more experienced investors who are growing and restructuring their portfolios.
“This shift reflects both a strategic response to the tax landscape and a desire for greater long-term flexibility.
“The research underlines the growing importance of limited company buy to let finance and reinforces the commitment required from lenders to deliver tailored, specialist solutions that meet the evolving needs of today’s landlords.”
Hendry added: “And whether clients are refinancing, expanding, or reshaping their portfolios, we’re here to support them with products and service designed for a more complex market.”
