This is all a bit too sensationalist isn't it?

First of all, your banner headline says: “Collapse in mortgage deals for landlords.” Well, that's not exactly true; there's a collapse in SUB-PRIME mortgage deals for landlords.

Secondly, what % of the total buy-to-let market is made up of sub-prime deals? If it's a fairly large % then maybe we have a story; if not a lot, then it's not really going to matter much at all.

Thirdly, even if a fairly large % of the market is made up of sub-prime deals then how many of those landlords bought some time ago and have sufficiently small mortgages to allow any increase in mortgage costs to continue to be covered by the rent? You don't say - probably because you don't know.

So, all in all this story appears to have been published simply to add to the current sense of panic about the property market rather than having been based in fact.

Frankly, I expect a lot more responsible reporting from The Times!

Kenny G, Brighton,

Shame but if you want to play at being a business you have to take the rough with the smooth. They were not complaining when they were making a profit

Might let some first time buyers in and get the market stable again

knight, aberdeen, UK

"the CML said the problem is to do with funding, not features of mortgage deals."

These sorts of comments are a main part of the problem. It acts like the excessive securitisation and and high liquidity levels were normal, and that is all that is needed again is a return to the last 6 years...

when in fact the way the model of NR and its ilk worked was known to be vulnerable and the remarkable thing was more the fact that it lasted so long.

Financial innovation is fine, but as Warren Buffet would say, it becomes a problem when no one involved understands anything about what they are buying or selling. It is this realisation that has caused the money market to dry up...

I am sure that products will slowly come back online if the market stablises, but not as many as before. What has happened to the product range is what I think may happen in the housing market...there was an overshoot in house prices and products, and now there will be an undershoot..

Raj, London, UK

Subsidised ?

I want to pay the real cost of building a house........................

about 3 years labour, not the 60 year death sentence its
become.

Lets hope it all falls down very soon.

No more money for the spunging landlords, I say.

M walker, Bromsgrove, wocs

Less supply of rental accommodation, equals higher rents so it's always swings and roundabouts depending on your own situation.

Renters have been subsidised for several years now and also don't have to pay sky high contractor's bills. So all those who can't wait to own a house, take the opportunity to buy one (by being brave and putting your own money at risk like landlords have) but I bet you would be unhappy if it didn't subsequently increase in value.

bix, Edinburgh,

Mr Howard Hughes (presumably not THE Howard Hughes),

So, you still think China is not a country that rewards investment?

Morning Star? Is that STILL going.

Keith, London,

The lenders have created this situation and now they are getting out of it in panic mode, creating a debt laden mess that may eventually effect us all. No doubt though the usual massive bonuses will be paid out to our friends in the city. They are supposed to be the experts, yet the lenders are treated as though they have no greater expertise than those who borrow. Where is the criticism of the financial institutions?

pamela, london, england

A lot of people are just jealous of buy to let landlords who had the guts to buy extra property and invest in their futures. Without buy to let landlords there would not be enough accomodation for the people in the rental market. There are always going to be people who want to rent and that have no intention of buying.

There are also plenty of people that choose to blow their money each weekend without having one eye on the future where as there are others that choose to invest in theirs and their families futures.

BTL is important and should not be totally wiped out.

Mick, Gold Coast, Australia

Good old Kevin Herbert. Herbert by name Herbert by nature.

John, London,

Howard Hughes, London. Very soon we're going to find out whether economic theories which have proven to be correct time and again over centuries will be proved right again, when the property market crashes. Or, whether you will soon win the nobel prize for economics with your groundbreaking new insight. I won't bother to offer you a wager as, if you are a BTL investor, you're already betting your whole financial future on this one.

Clint, Staffs, UK

"How about buying something that needs improving, then working hard to add value before blaming landlords and investors. Typical British moaning."

Howard Hughes, London

This would work, were it not for the absolute landslide of tv shows telling all and sundry to buy these houses, improve them, and then sell them for an absolute fortune. These houses are simply snapped up by property developers, restored, and then thrown back on the market at the highest price possible.

Louise, Canterbury,

The council of mortgage lenders has been calling for a
rate cut, but I fail to see how this will effect the shortage
of new money. The rates that banks lend to each other
won't be effected.

You can see from all the propaganda put out by the industry
why the finacial people control everything.

Men with the slide rules.....etc,,,,, yeah sure.

M walker, Bromsgrove, wocs

Further, what I think is being said here is that:

" these subprime BTletters are so dodgy they need new
money deals to keep afloat ".

I don't think its a logic bypass Mr Hughes, its just become
too easy to get credit. The easy money gravy train is
coming to a halt and it's about time too.

M walker, Bromsgrove, wocs

There are far more serious threats to the buy to let brigade than that of the minority who have troubled credit histories - wait for values to fall and the demands from the lenders for top ups - if you are struggling already .... . Some of us remember how in the early nineties prospective renters simply vanished. I went from being picky with over 20 inquiries per let - to the desperation of having none at all in less than six months.

Arnold Ward, Weybridge, Surrey, UK

What nonsense. "More than half of buy-to-let deals for landlords with troubled credit histories have vanished in the past month, sparking fears that many may be forced to sell their investments." Logic bypass anyone? How many landlords out there do you know with bad credit histories? And if they already have mortgages, one fails to see why the reduction of new mortgage products will force them to sell? STOP WRITING DOOM AND RUBBISH! And as for you types who gloat, well you ought really to subscribe to Morning Star and book a flight to China, for evidently the concept of applauding hard working people with the initiative to acquire assets and effectively start small businesses has gone right over your head. 1st time buyers have always been able to buy - the majority just whinge however that they can't afford exactly what they want. How about buying something that needs improving, then working hard to add value before blaming landlords and investors. Typical British moaning.

Howard Hughes, London,

Another distorted article with little analysis. The headline suggests a general meltdown of Buy To Let lending. Just how many sub-prime BTL mortgages are there in relationship to the overall number of properties? There are plenty of cash rich landlords who have prime BTL mortgages for tax purposes. Many will increase their portfolios as properties become available at lower prices.

Jon Williams, London, UK

Greedy buy-to-let landlords could end up losing money on their 'safe as houses' purchases. No sympathy from me.

Kevin Herbert, Greater Manchester, UK

The first big test of buy-to-let as a sustainable business. I don't envy all those individual BLT investors having to gamble on whether other BLTrs will panic sell and crash the market. Individuals' whole financial futures are riding on this - tens, even hundreds of thousands of debt, bankruptcy and a miserable future. My prediction? Look at Northern Rock - individuals look after themselves and if the market is crashed the winners are those who get out first. As most recent BTLrs are only in it for capital appreciation, the only sensible move is to get out asap.

George, Brighton, UK

maybe it's a good idea to revert to the old system where you lend to people who have a record of paying.as opposed to not paying.
Rocket science.

dave, england,

Yippee!!!!!!!!!! We can buy a house at a reasonable price!

lesley, Cambridge, UK

Correct Mr Smith - the 'investors' loss will, I hope, be the first time buyers gain, as these so called 'invetsors' have created an inbalance in the market with the nonsense theory that rents will always cover the mortgage payment however this will only be the case if the amount borrowed is well below the market value or as logic dictates that if the rent required is more than what it would cost to buy then the tenant is grossly disadvantaged and therefore will only wish to remain in that position for a short term which ultimately creates undesirable void periods where no rent comes in!

In my view not really a good basis to term as an investment in the short term!

Robert Evans, Northwich,

As a wise man once said be nice to people on your way up because you will meet them on your way down.

Seems like gloating BTL brigade were not overly considerate of others when things were going their way. Suspect they will get a less than sympathetic response from FTB-ers when they start having to offload their over priced pokey little apartments.

They will get mauled and rightly so. Most of them have already been stitched up by developers and estate agents selling overvalued off-plan.

Will, Manchester, UK

It beggers belief that there can be a sub-prime buy-to-let market to begin with, after all, if the people taking out these buy-to-let mortgages have previous problems then surely the fact that they've got a mortgage on their own residential property means that they are already have enough financial commitments before taking on board any more?

James Head, Witney, UK

The Investors' loss is the First Time Buyers' gain.....

Howard Smith, Stafford, UK

Oh dear oh dear...

One hopes that they don't need to rely on the goodwill of those they have speculated out of the property 'market'...

Austin Tassletine, Bristol, UK