Landlord

BTL ICR Calculator

Calculate Interest Coverage Ratio for Buy-to-Let mortgage stress testing. Check if your rental income meets lender requirements.

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Free to use
Property & loan details
Enter your BTL figures

ICR Stress Test Explained

Lenders calculate ICR as: (Annual Rent ÷ Annual Interest) × 100. Most require 125-145% at a 5.5% stress test rate. This ensures rent covers interest if rates rise.

PASSES ICR Test

ICR: 145% vs Required: 145%

ICR analysis
Stress test results
ICR at Stress Rate

145%

Needed: 145%

ICR at Actual Rate

145%

Current rate

Rental Coverage

1.45x

Rent ÷ Interest

Margin of Safety

+0%

Above/below required

Your Headroom

Max loan at 145% ICR£225,705
Loan headroom+£705
Rent needed to pass£1,495/mo
Rent headroom+£5/mo

Monthly Interest (Actual)

£1,031

at 5.5%

Monthly Interest (Stress)

£1,031

at 5.5%

Lender ICR requirements
Common stress test criteria
Borrower TypeICRStatus
Basic Rate Taxpayer
125%
Pass
Higher Rate Taxpayer
145%
Pass
Limited Company
125%
Pass
Portfolio Landlord (4+)
145%
Pass
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About the BTL ICR Calculator

What it does and how it helps you

The BTL ICR Calculator helps UK landlords calculate Interest Coverage Ratio for buy-to-let mortgage applications. ICR is the key metric lenders use to assess BTL affordability, requiring your rental income to be 125-145% of mortgage interest at stress test rates. Our calculator shows whether you meet lender requirements and how much you can borrow based on rental income.

Calculate ICR at actual and stress test rates
See maximum loan amount based on rental income
Compare personal vs limited company ICR requirements
Identify rental income needed to pass stress tests

How It Works

Understanding the calculation method

Interest Coverage Ratio (ICR) is calculated as: (Annual Rent ÷ Annual Interest) × 100 Most UK BTL lenders assess ICR using a stress test rate (typically 5.5%) rather than your actual mortgage rate. This ensures you can still afford payments if rates rise. The required ICR varies by borrower: - Basic rate taxpayers: 125% ICR - Higher/additional rate taxpayers: 145% ICR - Limited companies: 125% ICR - Portfolio landlords (4+ properties): Usually 145% ICR If your rent is £1,500/month and the stressed annual interest is £15,000, your ICR would be (£18,000 ÷ £15,000) × 100 = 120%, which would fail the 125% requirement.

When to use this calculator

Use this calculator before applying for BTL mortgages, when comparing properties to assess which you can finance, or when calculating maximum borrowing. It's essential for understanding if lenders will approve your application based on rental income stress testing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this calculator

Most UK lenders require 125% ICR for basic rate taxpayers and limited companies, or 145% for higher/additional rate taxpayers. Portfolio landlords typically need 145% regardless. The ICR must be met at the lender's stress test rate (usually 5.5%), not your actual mortgage rate.
Section 24 restricts mortgage interest tax relief for personal landlords to 20%, meaning higher rate taxpayers lose more income to tax. Lenders compensate by requiring higher ICR (145% vs 125%) to ensure affordability after tax. Limited companies avoid Section 24, so they only need 125%.
Even if your actual mortgage rate is 4.5%, lenders assess ICR at around 5.5% (varies by lender). This stress test ensures you can afford payments if rates rise. Your rent must cover 125-145% of the interest at this stressed rate, not your actual rate.
Yes. Limited companies only need 125% ICR vs 145% for higher rate personal landlords. However, BTL mortgages for companies often have higher rates, lower LTV, and you'll face corporation tax on profits. There are also costs to set up and run a company. Seek professional advice before switching.
Options include: reducing your loan amount, increasing your deposit, finding a property with higher rent, using a limited company structure (if personal higher rate), or seeking specialist lenders with more flexible criteria. Even a small deposit increase can significantly improve ICR.

Related Property Terms

BTL ICR calculatorInterest Coverage Ratio UKBTL stress test calculatorBuy-to-let affordability125% ICR requirement145% ICR higher rateBTL mortgage calculatorRental income stress testLimited company BTLSection 24 ICR impact