by admin | Apr 10, 2026 | credit footprint, Expat mortgages, Mortgage rates, Re-mortgage, Releasing cash, UK mortgage
Fixed Deals rise… but don’t Ignore Expat Discount deals!
Recent instability in the Middle East is having a direct knock-on effect on UK mortgage pricing. Although the conflict is geographically far from the UK , it affects global oil and gas prices, which in turn push inflation expectations higher.
When inflation fears rise, UK gilt yields and swap rates usually rise too — and these are the key benchmarks lenders use to price fixed-rate mortgages. That is why many UK lenders have recently increased fixed mortgage rates even though the Bank of England has not necessarily raised base rates.
For borrowers, this creates a confusing picture: headlines say rates are rising, yet some mortgage deals still appear relatively cheap. The reason lies in the type of mortgage product being chosen.
Why Fixed Rates Look Much Higher Than Discount Deals
Fixed-rate mortgages are priced based on future expectations. Lenders look at where markets think inflation and interest rates are heading over the next 2, 3, or 5 years. Because there is increased uncertainty, lenders are building in a safety margin — making fixed deals more expensive.
Discount mortgages, by contrast, are linked to a lender’s standard variable rate (SVR) and often offer a temporary reduction ie: -2.0% to 3.0% below that rate. They can look attractive because they are not priced on long-term swap market expectations in the same way;
The Downside is:
- They expose borrowers to future rate rises on lenders SVR rates.
The Upside is:
- Borrowers can benefit if lenders reduce their SVR rate downward with BOE downward movements. (however the lender is not obliged to reduce)
Could Fixing In Be a Risk?
Fixing your mortgage rate gives certainty, but it can also carry risk if interest rates fall in the future.
We saw something similar during the pandemic. When COVID created a global emergency, governments stepped in with huge financial support like furlough schemes, and central banks cut interest rates to historic lows to keep economies moving. Mortgage rates dropped sharply as a result.
If current uncertainty were to develop into a wider international economic crisis, something similar could happen again. No one knows for certain. Rising energy prices may push inflation higher, which would normally pressure central banks to raise rates. But if higher costs begin hurting growth too much, governments and central banks may instead decide to reduce rates to stimulate the economy.
That is why locking into a long fixed rate today could be risky: if rates fall significantly in the next year or two, borrowers tied into higher fixed deals may miss out on cheaper borrowing.
Example: If You Fix Too High and Rates Fall
Imagine you take a 5-year expat fixed mortgage today at 5.69% on a £200,000 mortgage.
Today’s best expat discount variable deal is around 4.30%.
Now suppose:
- The Bank of England cuts rates by 0.25%
- Lenders reduce their variable mortgage rates accordingly
- The discount rate falls to 4.05%
That creates a difference of:
5.69% fixed rate – 4.05% variable rate = 1.64% higher
If that gap remained for 3 years:
- 1.64% x £200,000 = £3,280 extra interest per year
- Over 3 years = £9,840 more interest paid
So while fixing protects you if rates rise, it can cost you heavily if rates move down and you are locked into a higher deal.
In summary fixing gives payment security — but in uncertain markets, certainty can come at the price of flexibility.
As an expat you may be unsure what might be possible or what your next move should be and we are on hand to help explore the options available to you.
Book a call here
Market Updates
- A world at war – still thinking of investing ? here is an objective view on the scene for investing ! get it here.
- Bank Of England rates held at 3.75% ..all the committee members agreed to hold, with expectation of a flat year read the report here.
- MTD – Making Tax Digital – becomes a reality this month April 26. Get prepared now with this podcast
- 90% expat mortgages still being offered and with discount deals from 5.55% & fixed from 5.79% is now the time to act ? over 160+ countries accepted as the Expat country of residence.
Next Steps…
Book a Free Discovery call here & if your not sure what a discovery call is all about Ive made a series of videos on what to expect here.
A Great way to get frequent updates, hints & tips and insider industry knowledge of the complex / expat mortgage market is to join our YouTube channel here.
Our Quick 60sec Quote page allows you to obtain the latest rates to be expected and you can request a specific quote by sending an email to info@mymotgagedeal.co.uk
by admin | Mar 20, 2026 | credit reference, Expat mortgages, Mortgage rates, Re-mortgage, Releasing cash, Switch mortgages, UK mortgage, UK property
The 90 % Expat UK Mortgage & other unique expat mortgage deals…!
Get it while it lasts.. the 90% expat mortgage is still available serving UK passport holders & Irish passport holders ( with a Uk credit history) overseas working in over 150 countries:
Up to 90% LTV on a 2 yr Fixed 5.49% & Max loan £585K
Its quite a unique proposition that as an expat you can buy a home for you/ family use while working overseas in a different currency. Not many lenders are able to go to 90% and so there are some stipulations:
- Earn over £40K GBP equiv a year as a minimum
- Have a UK credit footprint
- No adverse credit in the Uk
- Employed applicants only (not self employed)
- Applies only to England/Wales
Reach out to us / book a call to explore if you fit criteria and get a free approval.
Other Unique Expat Deals:
Expat Self Build mortgages – Up to 80% of purchase price / project value. This product can be used for Ground up new builds or for Non-habitable renovation projects. The client needs to have sufficient funds to pay for each stage in advance over a 4/5 stage funds release completion process.
Expat – No Proven income Buy to let up to 85% – If you are employed / Self employed as a UK Expat and either want to buy or refinance a Buy to Let in the UK, we have some lenders that dont even ask for proof of income. So if your income varies or is on the light side, then this could be a great solution.
As an expat you may be unsure what might be possible or what your next move should be and we are on hand to help explore the options available to you.
Book a call here
Market Updates
- Get Fully prepared for the Renters Rights act – with Rob Dix ‘How to be a landlord 2nd edition’ – with now a Amazon discount ! get it here.
- Its Fast and furious now with the Middle East Chaos to remortgage ..mortgage products are expiring quicker than milk at the moment. read the report here.
- Are HMO mortgages worth re-considering ? – this report shines a light on the rising market of room rents. Get the article here
- MTD – Making Tax Digital – becomes a reality from April 26. Get prepared now with this podcast
Next Steps…
Book a Free Discovery call here & if your not sure what a discovery call is all about Ive made a series of videos on what to expect here.
A Great way to get frequent updates, hints & tips and insider industry knowledge of the complex / expat mortgage market is to join our YouTube channel here.
Our Quick 60sec Quote page allows you to obtain the latest rates to be expected and you can request a specific quote by sending an email to info@mymotgagedeal.co.uk
by admin | Mar 5, 2026 | credit footprint, Expat mortgages, Mortgage rates, Re-mortgage, Releasing cash, Switch mortgages, UK mortgage
Expat UK Mortgages help during Middle-East tensions … how?
Recent events in the middle east have demonstrated that everyday life can change almost overnight & without getting political… we hope everyone including our existing expat clients and their families remain safe and secure during this difficult period.
Having spoken to several clients just this week in the Gulf region, it’s clear that expat mortgages can play an important role in giving stability and flexibility during periods of regional uncertainty.
Here are top 3 things that Expat mortgages can help with:
- A stable asset in a secure UK property market
Rather than all your cash in a foreign currency in an overseas bank, owning a property in the UK can act as a ‘safe harbour’ alongside income earned abroad. Using an expat mortgage be it for a residential (own use) or a Buy to let (investment) property can diversify and grow your asset base within the protections of a stable UK property market.
- A Go-To relocation option
Political tensions in any part of the world may require expats to re-pat and therefore acting now to buy a property with an expat mortgage can allow you to:
- Secure property while earning overseas
- Potentially rent it out as a buy to let
- Move back to the property when able to do so
Speaking with a specialist expat mortgage broker can outline what may or may not be possible relating to lenders criteria.
- A reliable wealth building strategy
All assets can rise or fall with economic or geo political instability, however over the long term UK property has proven to be a reliable wealth building asset, and even if property values haven’t risen significantly, obtaining mortgage debt on property can help accelerate further property acquisitions and subsequent yields from buy to let rental income.
As an expat you may be unsure what might be possible or what your next move should be and we are on hand to help explore the options available to you.
Book a call here
Market Updates
- 40% of homes on the market are now cheaper to buy than to rent… among some other interesting facts! read the article here.
- Is now the BEST time ever to invest… a bold claim, lets dig into this one ever deeper. listen to the the episode here.
- 90% borrowing for Expat mortgages – this makes property ownership closer than ever for exapt clients out there. book a call to discuss further.
- MTD – Making Tax Digital – becomes a reality from April 26. Get prepared now with this podcast
Next Steps…
Book a Free Discovery call here & if your not sure what a discovery call is all about Ive made a series of videos on what to expect here.
A Great way to get frequent updates, hints & tips and insider industry knowledge of the complex / expat mortgage market is to join our YouTube channel here.
Our Quick 60sec Quote page allows you to obtain the latest rates to be expected and you can request a specific quote by sending an email to info@mymotgagedeal.co.uk
by admin | Feb 19, 2026 | credit footprint, Expat mortgages, Mortgage rates, Re-mortgage, Switch mortgages, UK mortgage
Expat UK Mortgages VS Foreign Income UK Mortgages
Welcome to the next edition of INSIGHTS covering complex UK mortgages
Within a world of faster travel, remote working and commercial globalisation, many clients can find themselves living in one country but working for a firm in a separate country to his/her citizenship and earning a completely different currency to both countries.
Example: UK national who lives / works in Norway for a Canadian Oil/Gas firm and earns in USD.
And the list goes on of the different set ups and variances that could be the case. However what is the difference between an Expat mortgage VS Foreign Income mortgage for UK property?
Expat Mortgages – Generally applies UK nationals living and working in a Non- UK country on a long term or permanent basis whether or not they earn in £GBP or any other currency.
Example Expat – UK national in a permanent employed position with a Pharma company in USA, does not return to UK often other than for holidays. Wants to buy a UK property to let out. Result – Expat BTL mortgage.
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Foreign Currency Mortgages – Generally applies to ANY nationality UK or other with rights to reside/ work in the UK & already proving a residence in the UK (rented or other) while earning a non £GBP income.
Example Foreign Income – Italian National with UK permanent rights to reside/ settled status, in rented accommodation in Bournemouth. Wants to buy his first UK home. Client works on a 6 week on 3 week off rota on a Cruise Ship and earns in USD. Returns to the UK regularly where his family resides. Result – Foreign Currency mortgage
These 2 examples demonstrate that even though in both cases the applicants earns USD and work outside of the UK, one of the applicants is living outside of the UK, while the other has his central family affairs in the UK. These are the small details lenders look at to fit either Expat or Foreign Income policy.
Extra INSIGHT – Does it matter where the client is paying Tax ? In most cases the answer is no, many lenders are comfortable with both Expat clients and Foreign income clients having either no UK tax liability or having a Tax liability in the country of residence outside of the UK. UK lenders will still use the Gross income of the applicant to work out affordability.
Currency Exchange Risks
What lenders do when it comes to affordability especially on residential property (not BTL) is apply a HairCut of 15-20% off the currency gross income to account for FX fluctuations before applying their mortgage affordability multiple to provide a max loan size. Whereas Buy to Let is based on the rental yield.
Extreme Foreign Currency Lending!
Very few lenders in the UK will consider a foreign income for UK resident applicants, and if they do, they usually have a small list of acceptable currencies ie: USD, EUR, AED, CHF.
However we work with some that allow the most unusual currencies:
Extreme Example: UK national with UK residence/ mortgage who was posted 12 months to UGANDA with a NGO organisation for UN research – earning in local Ugandan Shilling, client wanted to re-mortgage their UK property and to release equity for an onward UK BTL mortgage. Result – NOT Expat as this was temporary posting and classed as a Foreign Income Mortgage.
As you can see there are very complex scenarios with this topic, and so it is always best to speak with your friendly Expat/Foreign income Mortgage Specialist about your scenario and lets see how we can help.
Book a call here
Market Updates
- A robust start the year for the UK housing market with HFX housing update read the article here.
- Get up to date with Rob Rob ! the latest February episode is a cracker get the episode here.
- Expat lenders have typically required all applicants to be UK passport holders, however a few new policy changes with expat lenders are now accepting Irish nationals under same terms as UK nationals. Book a call to discuss further.
- Living in Northern Ireland (NI) but working in Republic of Ireland (ROI) ? likely you are earning in EUR – there are some Foreign Income lenders accepting this scenario for employed and self employed applicants and offering best in market rates for residential and BTL in NI. Book a call to discuss further.
Next Steps…
Book a Free Discovery call here & if your not sure what a discovery call is all about Ive made a series of videos on what to expect here.
A Great way to get frequent updates, hints & tips and insider industry knowledge of the complex / expat mortgage market is to join our YouTube channel here.
Our Quick 60sec Quote page allows you to obtain the latest rates to be expected and you can request a specific quote by sending an email to info@mymotgagedeal.co.uk
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by admin | Feb 5, 2026 | credit footprint, Expat mortgages, Mortgage rates, Re-mortgage, Releasing cash, Switch mortgages, UK mortgage, UK property
Best Expat Rates – Require this secret formula !
Welcome to the next edition of INSIGHTS covering complex UK mortgages
Lots of clients ask me each week to source the best rates for their expat status. The reality is that the BEST rates on offer require a little known formula…
FORMULA to BEST Expat rates…
So lets get straight to it, firstly as of writing in February 2026 the best 2 yr fixed rate expat deal is 4.16%. So how would someone qualify for this rate?
Clients need to be:
- Employed or Self Employed earning over £75K GBP per annum (GBP equiv)
- Good Credit scoring in country of residence (no need for UK credit score)
- Borrowing at 60% of value or less
AND
Clients can be:
- First Time Buyers
- Without a UK credit score
- ANY nationality
So far so good I hear you say.. well the next criteria is where many clients cannot meet the requirement:
MUST be resident in:
Australia ~ UAE ~ Qatar ~ USA ~ Hong Kong ~ Singapore ~ Malaysia ~ Switzerland ~ Taiwan ~ Channel Islands.
If you are not resident in any of these areas above, then the 4.16% deal is not available.. However not to worry we have rates from 4.35% for many other regions including GCC countries such as: UAE | Qatar | Saudi | Bahrain | Kuwait | Oman
And if you are not in a GCC region there are rates from 4.8% on 100+ of other countries again for ANY Nationality looking to buy or refinance UK property.
So if your considering UK property and mortgages while outside the UK, where you don’t meet the Best Rates criteria above, don’t worry, there could be other good priced options available.
If you would like to discuss these or other aspects of your UK mortgage deal book a call here.
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All our back issues are here>>
And now for that video case study …watch this one.
Expat – in EU buys to Multi-Use
Market Updates
- What were the best areas for UK property in 2025 ? our trusted friends at right-move have an interesting take on it read the article here.
- Is UK property investing really still worth it ? as many expat clients consider other investments in different regions. watch the episode here.
- NEW 90% Lending for Expat residential clients, whereby clients need to only be earning £40K+ per year and be Employed. Rates from 5.45% Book a call to discuss further
Next Steps…
Book a Free Discovery call here & if your not sure what a discovery call is all about Ive made a series of videos on what to expect here.
A Great way to get frequent updates, hints & tips and insider industry knowledge of the complex / expat mortgage market is to join our YouTube channel here.
Our Quick 60sec Quote page allows you to obtain the latest rates to be expected and you can request a specific quote by sending an email to info@mymotgagedeal.co.uk
