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If you’re an expat, visa holder or non-UK national and are thinking of applying for a secured loan you still stand a good chance of being approved.
Depending on your circumstances, you may need to seek the help of a specialist lender, but with the right support and guidance you can overcome any challenges that crop up along the way.
We explain more about what to expect and what you need to do to get started.
You can apply for a secured loan if you have a certain type of visa. Most lenders will accept the following:
The lender will need to establish what type of visa you have and that you also meet the other parts of their eligibility criteria.
It’s a good idea to check your visa status before you start as this can ensure the application process is as efficient as possible.
To find out more about the type of visas our lenders will accept, you can speak with a member of our team who will be happy to help.
If you are based overseas and your UK address remains unoccupied for most of the year, there will be more challenges to overcome, but it can still be possible to secure a loan.
For example, if you submit your tax returns to HMRC and your property is occupied throughout the year by your family or partner, there may be options available to you.
Another scenario could be that you do not pay tax due to the amount of time spent out of the country. Or if you are mostly away from the UK but wish to use a buy-to-let property as security, there are lenders that should still be open to accepting your application.
Most lenders will accept secured loan applications from borrowers who can demonstrate their settlement status in the UK.
As long as you provide documentation that confirms you have indefinite leave to remain, settled, pre-settled status or a valid work-related visa, and you meet the rest of the lender’s criteria, lenders will accept and review your application.
To get a better idea of how this works and the type of documents you may need to supply, get in touch with our team to find out more.
You can apply for a secured loan if you are an expat living abroad and you own a property in the UK with a consumer buy-to-let mortgage.
Consumer buy-to-let mortgages are mortgages for ‘accidental landlords’ – which refers to people who didn’t initially intend to rent out a property, form example ended up moving abroad but kept your UK property and now rent it out.
While this does not apply to non-UK nationals with a consumer buy-to-let mortgage, there may be other alternatives available to these types of borrowers.
It’s very likely that most lenders will allow a borrower to use a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) as security for their loan.
An HMO is a property occupied by more than two people, often renting individual rooms who are not related or living as a couple. People pay rent to live in the property and also share the facilities, for example a student house.
We have lenders we work with will usually accept applications from expatriates and non-UK nationals, with no limit on the number of rooms in the property, provided you can meet their lending requirements.
If you are living outside of the UK and have any questions about using an HMO as security, you can speak with one of our advisors who will be more than happy to help.
Getting a quote won’t affect your credit score
A key part of being an expatriate applying for a secured loan is that you currently own a property in the UK.
Lenders will need to establish that the property is actively being used and rented out, which you can do by providing the relevant documentation.
And as part of the affordability assessment, the lender will review the amount of rental income you receive on a monthly and annual basis.
We work with lenders that can offer deals to expatriates and non-UK residents who wish to use a holiday let as loan security.
A holiday let is defined as a furnished property that is rented out to holidaymakers for short periods, which can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
When reviewing your application, lenders will request additional details about your property’s rental income. This information helps them assess your affordability based on an average of the rental income from high, medium, and low seasons. Even if the property is not currently being used as a holiday, there is still a chance that lenders will accept it as security based on 50% of the projected rental income.
Feel free to get in touch with us at any time to find out how holiday lets can be included in your secured loan application.
We’re extremely proud to be rated ‘Excellent’ for our service standards. We’ve helped thousands of customers across the UK over the last 15 years to find the right finance for their needs – no matter how complicated the circumstances. And we look forward to helping you.
At Willows we work with some of the most trusted and experienced lenders on the market, and our advisors can guide you through the process, no matter how complex it may be. Once we have a better understanding of your situation, we can help you find a suitable lender and the best available deal.
Our friendly team of advisors are on hand to answer any questions you have about getting a secured loan as an expat, visa holder or non-UK national. You can get in touch with them today by calling 01656 766 158 and they’ll be more than happy to help.
Our friendly team of brokers are on hand to answer any questions you have about flats and secured loans. You can get in touch with them today by calling 01656 766 158 and they’ll be more than happy to help.
If you have a question – we’d be happy to talk to you – simply call us…
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