Regarding limited company criteria, the lender said it would permit up to four directors and shareholders to be named on an application, accept non-director shareholders, go up to 80% loan to value (LTV) and permit newly-established special purpose vehicles.

On the service and support side, Leeds Building Society said it would offer an enhanced underwriting service from specialist trained experts, comprehensive support from its BDM network, a dedicated solicitor panel covering England, Wales and Scotland, a packaging checklist and affordability calculator, a bespoke application system and an improved interest cover ratio and stress rate.

The lender launched its limited company buy-to-let range last year and has helped hundreds of brokers with cases since then.

Martese Carton (pictured), director of mortgage distribution at Leeds Building Society, said: “In 2023, a record-breaking 50,000 landlords launched limited companies, proving the popularity of this method almost a decade after it began growing in popularity.

“However, many brokers don’t feel confident dealing with limited company applications and can be confused about the steps they need to take to support clients working under a limited company.

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“As such, we want to be able to support our intermediary partners as they guide their clients in this changing market.

“Our broker partners trust us to offer specialist support and find the right solution for each case, and this move to ramp up service and support for limited companies will further streamline processes.

“Our teams are on hand to guide brokers through the process, particularly for those with complex scenarios or who may be new to working with limited companies.”

Sarah-Louise Hay, mortgage and protection adviser at McClean FS in Aberdeen, said she was seeing an increasing number of clients investing in property as an income source, and a surge in landlords choosing to operate under limited company structures.

She added: “Limited company buy-to-let cases can be particularly complex and time-consuming so it’s good to see lenders like Leeds taking extra steps to make things as simple and quick as possible.”