Market Harborough Building Society has reopened its doors to UK expatriates living in the European Union, marking a return to a market it has previously served.
The mutual, known for its willingness to take on complex cases, confirmed it is now accepting mortgage applications from UK nationals based in EU countries.
It has also simplified the process for brokers working with UK expats living in the United States, with a reduced paperwork burden at the application stage.
Iain Smith, head of mortgage distribution at Market Harborough, said: “Our award-winning team has got years’ of experience in the expat market, and I’m thrilled that we’re opening this up to brokers with expat clients living in the EU. We’ve also taken on board broker feedback to help streamline the process for them.
“This is a strong sign of our commitment to supporting expats, including UK borrowers living in the EU and US alongside many other countries such as the UAE.”
The society’s expat products include residential loans of up to £5m, with rates from 5.20% fixed and 5.25% variable for tier one borrowers. Holiday let and buy-to-let mortgages are available up to £2m, starting at 5.80% fixed and 5.85% variable.
Designed to accommodate borrowers with complex circumstances, the range offers interest-only and part-repayment options, joint borrower sole proprietor arrangements, and lending without the need for UK residency or a multi-national employer.
The move follows a 0.20% cut to Market Harborough’s standard variable rate to 7.39% on 1 October, alongside a loosening of affordability criteria across its residential products.
The society has relaxed stress testing for loans up to £5m and increased income multiples, now offering over 6x income under tier three and up to 6x under tier two.
