Specialists
Expert advice on private bank mortgages for high net worth clients, expats & complex income, with access to UK private banks and specialist private lenders.
Speak to a Mortgage Lane adviser about your options.
In short
A private mortgage is a home loan arranged through a private bank or specialist private mortgage lender rather than a mainstream high street bank, typically used by borrowers with large loan requirements, complex income, or substantial assets.
A private mortgage needs the right structure from the start. A case that is set up badly can be declined, lead to an unsuitable lender selection, or end up on terms that do not reflect the borrower's true financial position. Unlike high street lending, private mortgage lending turns on income structure, asset base, residency status, the ownership vehicle and the security offered. Presenting the case to the right private bank or specialist lender, in the format that lender expects, can make the difference between an approval and a decline.
We arrange private mortgages for high net worth individuals, business owners, professionals with complex or foreign currency income, expats and foreign nationals purchasing or refinancing UK property. Borrowing can be in personal names, through limited companies, or through trust or offshore structures, and we choose the lender by the borrower's profile, income type and loan size.
Mortgage Lane arranges regulated and specialist private mortgage lending through established private banks and private mortgage companies, and can advise on how a privately funded arrangement fits alongside mainstream lending.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product fee | From £0-£995 |
| Type | Residential |
| Rates | From 4.59% |
| Criteria | Detail |
|---|---|
| Borrowers | Personal names, limited companies, an LLP, trusts and offshore structures |
| Repayment type | Interest only, repayment, or part and part |
| Term | Up to 40 years on residential lending in our experience; each lender sets its own maximum |
| Minimum loan size | Set by each lender; some private banks and large loan lenders have a minimum loan size |
| Maximum loan to value (LTV) | Set by each lender for the borrower and the security |
| Income types considered | Salary, bonus, dividends, investment income and foreign currency income |
| Assets under management (AUM) | Required by some private banks; others offer dry lending without AUM |
| Residency | UK residents, expats and foreign nationals |
| Credit approach | Bespoke underwriting with manual assessment |
| Locations | England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland |
Private mortgage borrowers range from professionals with straightforward but large borrowing requirements to international clients with multi-jurisdictional income and assets held in corporate or trust structures. Some cases suit a private bank relationship with assets under management; others suit a specialist private mortgage lender offering standalone lending. The guides below cover the main variations: private bank mortgages, private home loans, specialist private mortgage lenders and privately funded arrangements.
A private bank mortgage is provided by a private bank, usually to high net worth clients, and underwritten case by case instead of through a standard affordability model. The bank looks at the borrower's overall wealth, income streams and asset position, which allows more flexibility on loan size, interest-only borrowing and complex ownership structures.
Read more about Private bank mortgagesGet in touch about Private bank mortgages
A private home loan is a residential mortgage arranged through a private bank or specialist lender for a home the borrower will live in, as opposed to an investment property.
Read more about Private home loans and private home financingGet in touch about Private home loans and private home financing
A mortgage loan from a private individual is an arrangement where a person, often a family member or private investor, lends money secured against a property in place of a bank. These privately funded arrangements sit outside mainstream mortgage products and carry legal and regulatory considerations for both parties, including whether the lender needs FCA authorisation for a regulated mortgage contract.
Read more about Mortgage loans from private individualsGet in touch about Mortgage loans from private individuals
Private mortgage lenders are specialist, non-high-street lenders and private mortgage companies that lend outside standard bank criteria. A private mortgage company may not need a wider banking or investment relationship: it bases the lending decision on the security, the borrower profile and the exit or repayment strategy.
Read more about Private mortgage lenders and private mortgage companiesGet in touch about Private mortgage lenders and private mortgage companies
A large mortgage, sometimes called a million-plus mortgage, is a loan above the size some high street banks will lend, and can be arranged through private banks or specialist large loan lenders. Loan size thresholds vary by lender.
Read more about Large mortgages and high net worth lendingGet in touch about Large mortgages and high net worth lending
01
The first stage is gathering the information needed before a suitable lender recommendation can be made: your income structure, assets and liabilities, residency and ownership structure, the property details, and your preferences on repayment type and rate.
02
Once you are happy with the recommended lender and confirm you want to go ahead, the case is presented for a decision, often with a detailed summary to support the bespoke underwrite. Up to this point there is usually nothing to pay. Once the private mortgage is approved in principle, the case moves to full application, and lender fees become payable at that stage.
03
When the application is submitted, the valuation fee is paid and the valuation instructed. Private mortgage underwriting is manual, and the lender may ask for supporting evidence on income, source of wealth, or corporate and trust structures. Once the valuation is back and the underwriter is satisfied, the lender issues a formal mortgage offer.
04
After the private mortgage offer is issued you will need legal advice, and some private banks require the borrower to use a solicitor from their approved panel.
Private mortgage lenders assess the borrower's whole financial position instead of applying a standard income multiple. These are the main mechanics private banks and specialist lenders use when underwriting a large or complex mortgage.
Private mortgage lenders build affordability from the borrower's actual income streams instead of applying a single salary multiple. Salary, bonus history, dividends, partnership drawings, retained company profits, rental income and investment income can all count, each weighted by how sustainable it is. For business owners, some private lenders assess affordability on the company's trading performance as well as the income the owner chooses to draw.
Many private banks price and approve mortgages as part of a wider relationship. Placing assets under management (AUM) with the bank, such as an investment portfolio, can give access to lending that income alone would not support, and may improve the pricing. Where an AUM requirement applies, it varies by institution and case.
Some private banks offer Lombard lending: borrowing secured against a portfolio of liquid investments, in place of or alongside property. A Lombard facility is sometimes used with a private mortgage to bridge liquidity, fund a purchase ahead of an asset sale, or reduce the loan secured on the property itself. These structures need careful advice, because a fall in the portfolio's value can trigger a margin call.
Private mortgage lenders assess income earned in foreign currencies and wealth held overseas, including for expats and foreign nationals buying UK property. Some reduce non-sterling income by a percentage (a haircut) to allow for exchange rate movement, and lenders ask for clear source of funds and source of wealth evidence to meet their anti-money laundering obligations.
Private lenders can offer interest-only mortgages where the repayment strategy is credible. Acceptable strategies can include sale of the security property, sale of other assets, an investment maturity, or an expected liquidity event such as a business sale. The lender documents and tests the strategy before accepting it.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Handbook defines a high net worth mortgage customer as someone with an annual net income of at least £300,000 or net assets of at least £3 million, or whose obligations are guaranteed by a person with that income or those assets. Where a customer meets the definition, the MCOB rules let firms apply different provisions to the lending, and lenders that use them ask for their own evidence and declarations. Being wealthy does not apply the provisions automatically. They change the protections that apply, so have an adviser explain exactly what you are agreeing to before you proceed. Source: FCA Handbook glossary, high net worth mortgage customer (checked 1 October 2026).
Private mortgage lenders are specialist, non-high-street lenders and private mortgage companies that provide mortgage finance outside standard bank criteria. Unlike private banks, most private mortgage companies do not require a wider banking or investment relationship; the lending decision is based on the security, the borrower profile, and the exit or repayment strategy.
A private bank mortgage is a mortgage provided by a private bank, usually to high net worth clients, and underwritten on a bespoke basis rather than through standard affordability models. Private banks assess the borrower’s overall wealth, income streams, and asset position, which allows greater flexibility on loan size, interest-only borrowing, and complex ownership structures.
A private mortgage is a mortgage arranged through a private bank or a specialist private mortgage lender instead of a mainstream high street bank. Private mortgages are underwritten individually, which is why they are used by borrowers with large loan requirements, complex income, or wealth held in investments, businesses, trusts or overseas assets.
Borrowers usually get a large mortgage from a private bank or a specialist large loan lender, through a broker, with full evidence of income, assets and source of wealth. These lenders look at total remuneration, business interests and investment assets, and some will lend on an interest-only basis where the repayment strategy is documented.
Not necessarily. Private banks can offer competitive terms on large loans, particularly where the client has a wider banking or investment relationship with the bank. Their pricing is set case by case and is not published, so private bank mortgage rates vary and are worth comparing with specialist and mainstream alternatives before you choose.
A private home loan is a residential mortgage, arranged through a private bank or specialist lender, on a home the borrower will live in. It is used where income or wealth does not fit standard residential underwriting, for example for business owners, bonus-based earners and buyers of high-value homes.
Yes. Foreign nationals can get private mortgages on UK property through private banks and specialist lenders. The lender looks at residency, visa status where relevant, the currency of the income and the source of wealth, and may set a different loan-to-value limit for an overseas borrower. Our mortgages for foreign nationals page covers the wider market.
Private mortgage lenders in the UK are private banks and specialist private mortgage companies that lend outside high street criteria. Some accept applications only through intermediaries, so borrowers often reach them through a mortgage broker.
A private mortgage secured on the borrower's own home is normally a regulated mortgage contract, overseen by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the same way as a high street residential mortgage. Lending for investment purposes can fall outside regulation, and where the borrower is a high net worth mortgage customer under the FCA definition some MCOB rules apply differently. Ask your adviser which protections apply to your arrangement.
Not always. Some private banks make assets under management (AUM) a condition of mortgage lending, while others offer dry lending with no AUM requirement. Whether a condition applies depends on the institution, the loan size and the strength of the borrower's overall profile.
Yes. Complex income is one of the main reasons borrowers use private mortgage lenders, who can take into account bonuses, dividends, retained company profits, partnership drawings, investment income and foreign currency earnings. Each income stream is weighted on its own merits instead of going through a standard affordability calculation.
Yes. Private mortgage lenders can lend to limited companies, limited liability partnerships, trusts and some offshore structures. Lending to a structure usually needs personal guarantees from the individuals behind it, along with full disclosure of beneficial ownership for anti-money laundering purposes.
Private mortgages can be arranged on an interest-only basis, subject to a credible repayment strategy. Acceptable strategies can include the sale of the property, the sale of other assets, investment maturities or planned liquidity events such as a business sale, and the lender asks for evidence of the strategy and tests it during underwriting.
Yes. A private individual can lend money secured against property, but the arrangement can carry legal and regulatory considerations, including whether the lender needs Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) authorisation to enter into a regulated mortgage contract. Both sides need formal legal documentation, and a gifted deposit or a second charge may protect both parties better.
Yes. Borrowing against a share portfolio, so you do not have to sell the shares, is possible through Lombard lending, also called securities-backed lending. The lender takes security over the portfolio and advances a percentage of its value, and the shares stay invested. If the portfolio falls in value, the lender can make a margin call for more collateral or a partial repayment.
Some mainstream banks with large loan teams can arrange a £5 million mortgage, and private banks also lend at this size. A private bank underwrites a £5 million mortgage against the borrower's overall income, assets and wealth, which can allow more flexible structures than mainstream large loan criteria.
Yes, it can be possible through private banks and specialist lenders that use asset-backed underwriting. The lender may treat liquid assets as the source of repayment, or structure an income stream from an investment portfolio. Illiquid wealth, such as property, is harder to lend against without income.
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