Featured Snippet: Articus Finance arranged a large UK private bank mortgage for a foreign national in Switzerland, securing a £3.24 million loan at 72% LTV on a £4.5 million London residence. Despite probationary employment and minimal UK footprint, we delivered a five-year fixed solution through our private banking network.
Introduction
The London property market remains a desirable investment for internationally mobile clients. Securing a large UK private bank mortgage for a foreign national in Switzerland is often complex, as traditional banks apply rigid criteria around residency, employment history, and income verification. This case shows how Articus Finance provided certainty for a Swiss national investing in a prime London residential home.
Client Background
The client was a Swiss national, resident in Geneva, with a successful career and aspirations of maintaining a reliable UK base. Regular business and family trips to London underpinned their motivation to purchase property. Beyond usage, the acquisition reflected a considered long-term wealth allocation, recognising London’s resilience as a global property hub.
The target property was a family home in London valued at £4.5 million. The client required £3.24 million financing—equating to 72% loan-to-value (LTV). This positioned the transaction at the upper end of private banking parameters, emphasising the need for a precise and credible submission.
The Challenge
A number of hurdles complicated the client profile:
- Probationary employment: The client had recently moved firms, officially still within probation. Most high-street lenders treat this as high-risk, often resulting in outright rejection.
- Foreign nationality and residency: As a Swiss resident paid in Swiss francs (CHF), the client had minimal UK credit footprint and no domestic account relationships.
- High-value requirement: Loan size at £3.24m placed the case in private banking territory, where relationship access and presentation often determine outcomes.
- Currency risk: Salaries in CHF pose challenges for lenders concerned about exchange rate fluctuations against GBP liabilities.
Under these pressures, any conventional bank would likely dismiss the application. Overcoming them required a deep understanding of private bank underwriting flexibility, as well as strong institutional relationships.
Our Solution
Articus Finance designed a bespoke solution by leveraging its specialist private banking network. The approach emphasised the client’s financial profile, the prime nature of the London property, and the strategic rationale for the acquisition.
- Bank engagement: Contacted a trusted private bank known for structuring high-value mortgages for international nationals.
- Risk mitigation: Negotiated lender comfort around the probationary status, positioning the client’s broader financial strength and future earning potential as evidence of long-term repayment capacity.
- Facility structure: Secured a five-year fixed-rate mortgage, aligning with the client’s preference for stability and protection against interest rate fluctuations.
- Outcome: Loan arranged at £3.24m (72% LTV) with competitive terms, overcoming barriers around nationality, employment, and local credit absence.
The success reflected not just financial structuring, but also the trust cultivated between Articus brokers and private lenders—relationships built on credibility and execution history.
Key Highlights
- Client: Swiss national, Geneva-based executive.
- Property: £4.5 million London family residence.
- Loan size: £3.24 million.
- LTV: 72%.
- Product: Private bank mortgage, five-year fixed rate.
- Challenge: Expat borrower with probationary employment, minimal UK footprint, salary in foreign currency.
- Result: Successful high-value finance reflecting tailored lender negotiations.
Why Articus Finance Delivered
Delivering a large UK private bank mortgage for a foreign national in Switzerland took more than traditional advisory. The difference lay in Articus Finance’s ability to:
- Translate complex client profiles into lender-friendly submissions demonstrating long-term repayment security.
- Leverage relationships with private banks willing to assess high-value cases with nuance and discretion.
- Align financing structure with the client’s currency and professional position.
- Negotiate terms beyond standard criteria, achieving approval despite probationary employment.
This underscores Articus Finance’s advantage as a boutique brokerage: personalised advocacy in situations standard lenders decline.
Explore Related Insights
- Private Bank Commercial Remortgage for a British Expat Living in Hong Kong
- UK Buy-to-Let Mortgage for British Expat in Singapore
- Remortgage of a £1.8 Million UK Property for a British Expat in Switzerland
- High Net Worth Individual Interest-Only Mortgage
- Mixed Residential and Commercial Remortgage with High Loan to Value
- Entrepreneur Purchase First Property in the UK
- Bridging Loan Securing BTL Property for UK Expat
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
Final Thoughts
This case affirmed that a large UK private bank mortgage for a foreign national in Switzerland can be achieved even where mainstream lenders decline. By presenting the client’s strengths, leveraging private bank relationships, and securing a five-year fixed term on a £3.24m facility, Articus Finance ensured stability, discretion, and long-term value for an international client investing in London.
