If part of your income arrives in dollars or euros, you’ve probably found that a high-street mortgage calculator simply doesn’t know what to do with it. The problem isn’t the amount. It’s the model.
Mainstream lenders run affordability through automated systems built around a single, sterling salary. Anything outside that, foreign currency, bonuses, carried interest, dividends, tends to be discounted heavily or ignored. Private banks work differently.
They assess the whole relationship
Rather than a single affordability figure, a private bank looks at the full picture: liquid assets, wider wealth, the currencies involved and the stability of the income over time. Lending is one part of a broader relationship, which gives them room to take a considered view.
- Currency is stress-tested, not rejected, typically with a haircut to allow for movement.
- Assets under management can support the covenant alongside income.
- Interest-only and higher loan sizes are on the table where the wider picture supports them.
What you’ll need in place
Documentation matters more here than on the high street. Expect to evidence income across currencies, show the source and stability of assets, and set out a clear picture of the wider financial position. Prepared well, this is where a specialist broker earns their place, packaging the case so the lender sees strength, not complexity.
The takeaway: a decline from a mainstream lender says very little about what’s actually achievable. With the right lender and a well-presented case, multi-currency income is an everyday part of private-client lending.
This article is general information, not advice. Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage secured against it. Some forms of finance are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.