UK Mortgages For Swiss Residents

The UK mortgage market is one of the most liquid and competitive in the world. Some lenders can cater to every borrower, and often Swiss residents will find they have a considerable choice of lenders – often more than in the domestic property market in Switzerland.

Ultimately, what your UK mortgage will cost will depend on your financial situation and how much you are looking to borrow.

Swiss residents buying high-value property (costing between £1-2 million) can generally benefit from tracker mortgages from 2% per annum. Enness has negotiated two-year fixed-rate mortgages from 2% per year, and five-year fixed rates can be secured from around 2.1% annually.

If you have a more unusual situation (you are a British expat living in Switzerland, run your own business, want to buy particularly high-value property, or are at retirement age), working with Enness can make the UK mortgage application process much easier. Not every lender can cater to non-resident buyers with more complex borrowing requirements, and navigating lenders alone can be exceptionally tricky. With access to all the lenders who can offer non-resident UK mortgages, Enness will be able to find you the very best rates and terms.

Your broker will cover all the options with you and present you with the most advantageous finance package that suits all your needs. Get in touch to find our mortgage rates in the UK and beyond.

The UK mortgage market is incredibly competitive, and Enness can use this competition to your advantage. For Swiss residents in a very solid financial position, it usually means that Enness can secure very cheap financing deals, even if you want to borrow a considerable amount to buy UK property.

There are many UK mortgage options for Swiss residents, and the package that will make the most sense for you will depend on your financial situation and background. Enness will review your assets, income and overall net worth and talk you through what is likely to be the cheapest and most flexible non-UK resident mortgage package for you.

For many Swiss residents buying property in the UK, high-net-worth mortgages are a popular option. In essence, anyone that is considered a high-net-worth individual has more flexibility from lenders. In such cases, the rules around affordability, minimum income requirements and your expenditure will not hold as much sway with lenders – you can effectively opt-out of regulated oversight. Lenders will still analyse your finances carefully and want to ensure you are making a purchase that you can easily afford, but you will often find there are benefits to these packages.

These mortgages are possible if you have a regular yearly income that amounts to the equivalent of £300,000. They are also a possibility if you have assets that amount to the equivalent of £3 million (your principal residence cannot form part of this total net worth to be eligible).

Lenders like to see very regular and steady income from non-resident borrowers. Any income structures that deviate from this can make it challenging to access the cheapest package or borrow as much as you would like. Multiple income streams, multi-currency income, income from trust structures, or a ‘lower’ income that is heavily supplemented by big bonuses can hamper your chances of borrowing as much as you like. In some cases, it can inhibit your ability to borrow at all.

Enness can help Swiss residents access UK property finance with unusual or complex income. Your broker will make sure lenders understand your financial background and circumstances, rather than simply taking your situation at face value, as many are apt to do without more incentive to look closer or understand the whole picture.

Enness will analyse your assets and financial background to help you understand the best option for a UK mortgage, who the best lenders are, and how to show your application in the best possible light.

Regardless of your nationality, your broker will be able to help secure high-value UK mortgages if you are based in Switzerland, and:

• Have a non-standard or complex income structure
• Are an entrepreneur, own a business or are self-employed
• Have multi-currency income
• Are the beneficiary of a trust
• You have significant investment income
• You are nearing retirement age, or you have retired
• Benefit from large bonuses in addition to your base salary
• Plan to sell high-value assets in the future which can support your case
• Have a high net worth, but you have little income

If you fall into one of the above categories (or a similar one), you will want a broker who has the experience and understanding to secure a mortgage for you. Enness knows this area of the market inside out. Enness’ broker will help you prepare your application and will always negotiate the best terms on your behalf.

Switzerland is known for its business-friendly environment, and many Swiss nationals, Swiss residents and UK expats living in Switzerland set up businesses or work for themselves. While working for yourself offers lots of flexibility (and is often very lucrative), lenders can tend to approach applications from entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals with caution. This caution is likely to be amplified if you are also a Swiss resident rather than a resident in the UK where you are hoping to buy.

Most lenders will base what you can borrow on your past three years’ tax returns if you are self-employed or an entrepreneur. Sometimes this can provide only a surface-level view of your actual profitability (you may not pay yourself all the revenue you generate, for example), or you have large amounts of capital invested into the business which will be paid back in the future.

Securing a UK mortgage can be complex if you are self-employed or an entrepreneur. It is also more challenging if you are based in Switzerland and are trying to contact lenders in the UK one by one in search of the best deal. If you are based in Switzerland and work for yourself in any capacity, how you present your case to lenders is of utmost importance. Lenders often need more insights into your situation and help to understand the solidity of your finances. Often, niche and smaller lenders are better able to cater to you than high street banks and other mainstream lenders.

However much you are looking to borrow, your broker will be able to present your application to the lenders that can cater most advantageously to you. Your broker will always ensure you are offered the best UK mortgage based on your hard work and profile.

If you are one of the 40,000 British nationals living in Switzerland, buying property in the UK is often easier and more plausible from an investment perspective than buying in Switzerland. You may not know how long you will stay in Switzerland, have the proper permit to allow you to purchase Swiss property, or you may already own a Swiss property but wish to buy investment property in the UK. Buying real estate in the UK will often see your money go a little further in terms of what you can purchase and the choice of properties available for your budget. Enness specialises in expat mortgages in the UK. 

Getting a UK mortgage as a British expat should be easy, but it’s rarely as straightforward as you expect. Mainstream lenders can approach non-residents with more caution, especially if your income is in Swiss francs. Buying prime property, high-value property or adding to a buy-to-let property can be tricky.

Enness works as a trusted partner on the ground in the UK, acting in your best interests to secure the most competitive UK expat mortgage for you. Whatever you are looking to buy and however much you are looking to borrow, Enness will be able to coordinate, negotiate and source the very best UK expat mortgage for you.