Keystone enhances criteria with increased loan sizes and simplified applications

Keystone Property Finance is introducing a series of criteria enhancements to speed up applications and save brokers time.

The enhancements allow Keystone to lend to more landlords, simplify documentation requirements and improve processing times.

As part of the changes, the specialist buy-to-let lender has increased its maximum loan size from £2.5m to £3m and maximum portfolio loan size by £5m to £15m.

In addition, Keystone will now require just the latest tax return for self-employed landlords or one payslip for employed borrowers, compared to three months’ worth before.

In a bid to speed up application times, the lender now offers title insurance on remortgages for standard properties and small HMOs of up to six occupants, with a maximum loan size of £2m.
Title insurance protects buyers and lenders against ownership disputes or legal claims on a property, helping to clear title issues early and accelerate the mortgage approval process.

To make the product transfer process more efficient, Keystone will use AVMs on all standard properties going forward, rather than requiring a full physical valuation.

The news follows Keystone’s recent tie-up with conveyancing services provider LMS, giving the lender’s brokers and their clients access to thousands of fully vetted solicitor firms.

Elise Coole, managing director at Keystone Property Finance, said: “These enhancements are all about streamlining the application journey for brokers and their clients. By reducing documentation requirements and embracing AVMs and title insurance, we’re removing friction from the process and delivering faster, more flexible solutions.

“The increased loan limits reflect our confidence in the market and our commitment to supporting landlords with larger or more complex portfolios. Combined with simplified income verification and our partnership with LMS, brokers will experience a smoother, more efficient process from application to completion.

“These updates stem from extensive broker feedback, which continues to shape how we evolve our criteria and systems. We will keep listening to our partners to ensure that our range and offering continue to meet their needs in what is an ever-evolving market.”