A record number of buy-to-let mortgages are available as competition among lenders intensifies.

According to Mortgages for Business, there are now 817 different products, up 17% from the 707 measured in the third quarter of last year.

A new specialist lender, Fleet Mortgages, has also entered the market.

David Whittaker, managing director at Mortgages for Business, said: “Lenders continue to compete fiercely for the ever-growing buy-to-let market with more than 100 extra products available in the last three months.

“This unprecedented pick-up reflects the huge increase in demand as well as the wider importance of the buy-to-let industry.

“Looking at total lending in 2014 the trend is clear. For a second consecutive year the value of the buy-to-let market grew by almost a quarter.

“We anticipate further growth in 2015 but at a slower rate as the market takes an inevitable breather after such a huge sustained spurt.”