UK mortgages for German residents

Minimum deposit

Typically 25% for a non-resident purchase. Higher loan-to-value may be available depending on the overall profile and UK property history.

Income currency

EUR-denominated salary, bonus and director income accepted. Lenders convert at prevailing rates; bonus income is typically averaged over two years.

Post-Brexit status

EU Settlement Scheme status (settled or pre-settled) forms part of lender assessment since the UK left the EU. Settled status is treated similarly to ILR by most lenders.

Source of funds

German bank statements (typically 3–6 months) showing origin and accumulation accepted with appropriate documentation.

UK credit history

Limited or no UK credit footprint is common for Germany-based applicants. This does not prevent borrowing — overall financial profile and lender selection determine eligibility.

Advice process

Conducted entirely by phone, video call or email — no requirement to travel to the UK at any stage.

Criteria at time of review, September 2026. Individual lender criteria vary and may change without notice.

Yes. Germany-based buyers — German nationals, EU citizens, British expats and international professionals in Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin or Hamburg — can access UK mortgage products through specialist lenders. Key points:

• Minimum deposit: typically 25% for a non-resident purchase. Some lenders offer higher loan-to-value options depending on the overall profile and whether the buyer has UK property history.
• Euro income: EUR-denominated salary, bonus and director income is accepted. Lenders convert at prevailing rates and may apply a haircut; we work with those whose approach treats euro income fairly.
• Post-Brexit immigration status: since the UK left the EU, German and other EU nationals are assessed on UK residency and right-to-reside status as part of a standard lender application — this is expected and does not prevent borrowing. Settled status and pre-settled status holders are treated similarly to UK nationals by most lenders. Non-residents without UK status are treated as international buyers.
• Source of funds: deposits held in German banks are accepted with appropriate documentation — typically three to six months of statements showing origin and accumulation.
• Advice process: conducted remotely by phone or video call — no requirement to travel to the UK.

The main complexity for Germany-based applicants is correctly categorising the buyer's UK immigration status from the outset — the wrong assessment leads to the wrong lender pool and delays.

Germany has long been one of the more established European markets for UK property purchases. The main change over recent years has been immigration status — since the UK left the EU, German and other EU nationals are assessed on residency and right-to-reside questions that didn’t previously apply, alongside the usual income and deposit evidence.

Lockhart Murphy is UK-based and regulated for UK mortgage business. We are not licensed or regulated in Germany. This page does not constitute advice on German or EU law or tax matters.

A senior technology executive based in Frankfurt — German national, EU settled status — wanted to purchase a London buy-to-let property. His income was euro-denominated, structured as salary plus a significant annual bonus paid through his German employer. He had limited UK credit history and had been declined by two lenders directly.

We correctly categorised his immigration status from the outset, prepared a full EUR income pack with two years of employment contracts, payslips and bonus statements, and placed the case with a lender whose international underwriting team assesses European income regularly. The mortgage was offered at the required loan-to-value, with the full EUR salary and a two-year averaged bonus accepted.