The Intermediary · https://theintermediary.co.uk/2026/06/foreign-nationals-locked-out-of-homeownership-by-outdated-mortgage-criteria-gen-h-finds/
The latest broker survey from Gen H found foreign nationals are struggling to get mortgages in the UK.
Data showed that only 27% of brokers said placing cases for foreign nationals was straightforward.
Low maximum loan-to-values (LTVs) topped the list of issues, with 51.3% of brokers reporting it as a problem.
Fewer lender options, visa restrictions, and rules around time in the country or on the visa were also flagged.
Higher rates, thin credit files, and minimum income thresholds were noted by brokers as barriers.
Pete Dockar, chief commercial officer at Gen H, said: “These findings are revealing because they illustrate how slow the industry is to change.
“We’ve had four years to prepare for the maturation of this cohort, and yet there has been little to no criteria improvement at the Big 6 lenders.
“The impression lingers that this group is inherently riskier than people who were born here, but that is simply not our experience.”
Dockar added: “What is true is that too many big lenders have lending policies that are a decade out of date.
“From a credit risk perspective, we believe anyone with a track record of sustainable income and affordability should have the opportunity to access homeownership.”
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