The leading mortgage broker Charcol has launched two new buy-to-let mortgage deals.

Both deals from the Scarborough Building Society and the West Bromwich Building Society are available for purchase and remortgage, the broker said.

"Buy-to-let now represents a significant part of the overall market, and we are pleased to have developed some highly sophisticated deals with these lenders that, just five years ago, would have been unheard of for your average buy-to-let investor," said Ray Boulger, senior technical manager at John Charcol.

Low interest rates have encouraged more people to take on buy-to-let mortgages.

Despite the recent slowdown in housing market activity, property investors continue to see bricks and mortar as a sound investment.