Hampshire Trust Bank (HTB) has completed a £1.2 million semi-commercial facility for an Australian investor, underlining continued interest from overseas landlords entering the UK property market.
The borrower, an experienced landlord in Australia, purchased a London property comprising six residential flats above a restaurant.
The deal was arranged on a five-year fixed, interest-only basis at 70% loan-to-value, with equity gifted by the borrower’s parents to support the acquisition.
Introduced by a broker, the case required a tailored structure to accommodate the borrower’s status as a first-time UK investor, the semi-commercial nature of the building, and the use of gifted equity – factors that placed it outside many lenders’ criteria.
Hampshire Trust Bank’s specialist mortgages team, led by business development manager Chloe House and underwriter Kris Siva, worked closely with the intermediary to structure a workable solution.
The lender said it expects continued growth in demand for bespoke lending arrangements as brokers increasingly introduce overseas clients and properties with mixed commercial and residential elements.
House (main picture) said: “This case demonstrates the importance of listening carefully to the broker and tailoring facilities to real client circumstances. The client was an experienced landlord overseas establishing their first UK property investment, and the property added another layer of complexity.
“By taking a pragmatic approach and structuring the facility around the gifted equity and long-term goals, we created a solution that gave both broker and client confidence. It highlights how HTB thrives on the kind of cases brokers bring us that do not fit a standard template.”
Andrea Glasgow, sales director, specialist mortgages and bridging finance at Hampshire Trust Bank, added: “Brokers are meeting more and more clients whose ambitions do not fit a standard lending model, whether that is an overseas borrower, a semi-commercial property or someone taking their first steps in a new market.
“This case shows the difference we can make by working closely with brokers to bring clarity to complex situations.
“By shaping funding around each client’s circumstances, we help brokers deliver not only on the transaction in front of them but also on their clients’ longer-term goals. That is why brokers trust HTB with their most complex cases.”
