Why it matters
What Consent to Let means for a landlord
Most "accidental landlords", people who moved, kept the old home and let it, are on a residential mortgage that quietly forbids letting, and the cheap fix is a Consent to Let rather than an expensive remortgage. The risk of skipping it is not theoretical: an undisclosed let can invalidate buildings insurance at the exact moment of a claim, and a lender that discovers it can load the rate or call in the loan. Get the consent in writing, diarise its expiry, and move to a proper buy-to-let product before it lapses.
Worked example
How it plays out
Sara relocates for work and wants to let her Manchester flat, which has a residential mortgage. She asks her lender for consent to let, which it grants for 12 months with a small rate increase. She tells her insurer the flat is let and moves to a landlord policy. Before the consent ends, she decides whether to remortgage to buy-to-let or sell.
Common mistakes
Where landlords go wrong
- 01Letting without asking the lender.
- 02Not telling the insurer the property is let.
- 03Letting the consent expire unnoticed.
What to do
A short checklist
- Ask your lender for consent before letting.
- Move to landlord insurance.
- Diary the date the consent ends.
