A ten-step walkthrough — from mapping the offshore structure your capital is already in, to receiving the keys to a Prime London property — with the platforms, timelines, and professional contacts you actually need.
Specialist Finance for International Investors
Whether your wealth sits in a Miami account, a Cayman or BVI holding company, or with a Swiss private bank, the route to a London property is well-trodden. The question is never how to move money — it is which UK lenders accept the structure the capital is already in. UHNW applicants typically route through private banks; entity and USD-income purchases route through specialist lenders. We identify which pool applies — before you approach anyone directly.
Private Bank Route
£2m+
Assessed against global AUM
Specialist Lender Route
Under £2m
USD income & offshore-entity mortgages
For a Latin American acquirer, the single most important first step is not moving money — it is mapping the structure your capital is already in. A Miami bank account, a Cayman or BVI holding company, a Swiss or Luxembourg private bank, a US trust: each maps to a different UK lender pool and a different documentation path. Serious Latin American capital is almost always already offshore; the UK finance structure is built around that reality.
Action
Before anything else, be able to describe your structure precisely: which entity or account holds the capital, in which jurisdiction, in which currency, and how it accumulated. That one page shapes everything that follows.
Most UK mortgage lenders prefer (and private banks require) a UK banking relationship. All of the following can be opened from Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina or Chile, without setting foot in the UK.
Action
Open an HSBC Expat or Barclays International account as early as possible — a 3–6 month banking history strengthens your application.
Latin American buyers typically choose between three routes. Personal name — simplest for a single family residence, often funded from a Miami or Swiss account. A UK SPV (a Ltd company set up solely to hold property) — tax-efficient for investment purchases, and often the cleanest borrowing entity even when a Cayman or BVI company sits above it as shareholder. Or the existing offshore entity directly — possible with the right lender, but note that any overseas entity holding UK property must register on the UK's Register of Overseas Entities, with beneficial owners disclosed to Companies House.
Action
Discuss with your UK solicitor and international tax adviser before anything is signed. A UK SPV owned by your offshore holding company is frequently the structure lenders find cleanest — but the right answer depends on your circumstances.
A UK Limited Company can be registered entirely online via Companies House — no UK visit required. The process typically takes under 24 hours and costs £50 if done directly. Formation agents handle everything and provide a UK registered address.
Action
Use SIC code 68100 (buying and selling of own real estate) when registering. If your offshore company will be the shareholder, have its documents ready — certificate of incorporation and register of beneficial owners.
Your SPV needs its own UK bank account. Several digital business banks are well-suited to non-resident directors and can be opened entirely online.
Action
Tide is generally the fastest to open for non-resident directors. Keep this account separate and solely for SPV transactions.
The UK conveyancing process is thorough and typically takes 10–14 weeks. For a Latin American buyer, the solicitor's experience with offshore structures matters as much as their conveyancing skill: Register of Overseas Entities filings for Cayman, BVI or Panama entities, source-of-funds evidence for capital routed through Miami or Zurich, and leasehold structures that differ from title systems at home.
Action
Ask your broker for a referral — we work with solicitors who handle international buyer transactions and understand offshore holding structures as a matter of routine.
This is where Latin American applications are won or lost. UK lenders apply enhanced diligence to capital from the region — and the difference between a professional process and an uncomfortable one is preparation. Documentation must be independently verifiable: signed declarations alone are not enough. Prepared correctly and presented to the right lender, this is a strength, not an obstacle.
Action
Assemble this before any lender is approached. Complete documentation from day one means the lender conversation is about the deal — not an interrogation of your capital.
This is the most consequential step of all. Only a short list of UK lenders genuinely underwrites USD income, Cayman or BVI entity borrowers, and Latin American source-of-wealth profiles. Applying to the wrong lender — and receiving a decline, or worse, an uncomfortable interrogation — wastes months and can damage your options. A specialist broker knows exactly which institutions have appetite for your specific structure.
Action
Contact our team. We will assess your structure, identify the lenders or private banks genuinely set up for it, and manage the entire application on your behalf from London.
Once your broker has identified the right lender and submitted your case, a Decision in Principle (DIP) is issued. This confirms how much the lender is willing to lend. It carries no obligation to proceed but gives you credible buying power when approaching sellers.
Action
Use your DIP when making offers. Estate agents in Prime London take buyers with finance in principle considerably more seriously.
Your solicitor will handle exchange of contracts (a 10% deposit is paid and the deal becomes legally binding) and then completion (mortgage funds released, title transferred). Stamp Duty Land Tax is paid at completion — including the 2% non-resident surcharge that applies to buyers not currently UK-resident. If you let the property, the non-resident landlord scheme will govern how your rental income is taxed — your accountant registers you as a standard step.
Action
Plan for 10–14 weeks from mortgage application to completion. The process is thorough — its rigour is precisely what makes UK property ownership so secure.
An illustrative composite scenario — not a client case study — built from the structures we arrange for Latin American capital.
The Investor
An illustrative composite: a Brazilian family with wealth from a manufacturing group, held offshore for over a decade — a Cayman holding company and USD accounts at a Miami private bank.
The Goal
Acquire a Prime Central London apartment in the £3M–£5M range as a long-term, sterling-denominated preservation asset, held through a structure consistent with the family's existing offshore architecture.
The Outcome
An illustrative seven-month path from first conversation to completion — the capital never needed to 'move offshore' because it already was; the work was matching the existing structure to the right UK lender and preparing the documentation so the process stayed professional throughout.
Month by Month
First conversation with Palladian Finance by phone, then a follow-up call. We map the existing structure: Cayman HoldCo, Miami USD accounts, capital accumulated over 15+ years of documented business profits. A UK banking relationship is opened remotely the same month.
With the family's UK solicitor and international tax adviser, the borrowing structure is agreed: a new UK SPV, owned by the existing Cayman company. Register of Overseas Entities requirements are confirmed and planned for — no surprises later.
Source-of-wealth pack assembled: audited company accounts, dividend records, Miami bank statements, and wire records showing the capital's routing history. Everything independently verifiable before any lender sees the case.
Palladian approaches two lenders from the short list with genuine appetite for Cayman-owned UK SPV borrowers and USD income. Because the documentation is complete, the conversation is about the deal — loan-to-value, term, pricing — not the family's history.
Decision in Principle issued. The family offers on a Prime Central London apartment through a London agent, with viewings coordinated around a planned trip.
Solicitors instructed. Conveyancing, AML verification and ROE registration proceed in parallel. The 2% non-resident SDLT surcharge is built into the completion numbers from the outset.
Exchange and completion. Mortgage funds released to the UK SPV; title registered; keys collected on the family's next London visit.
For overseas buyers, the real question often isn't the mortgage — it's the tax. UK purchase and succession costs are significant, and they're where less-prepared buyers get caught out. We flag them at the outset and work alongside your own tax and legal advisers, so nothing surprises you on the day.
01
On top of standard Stamp Duty, non-UK residents pay a 2% surcharge, and a further 5% applies to an additional or second home — so a non-resident buying an investment property typically pays around 7% above the standard rates. We build this into your numbers from day one.
02
Buying in your personal name or through a UK company (an SPV) carries different tax and succession consequences — and companies acquiring residential property above £500,000 can face a 17% flat rate. There is no single right answer. We arrange finance for whichever structure you and your advisers choose.
03
UK residential property falls within the scope of UK inheritance tax — 40% above the available allowances — regardless of where you live or how the property is held. For families buying for the next generation, it is worth planning early. We structure the purchase and finance to fit your succession plans.
Palladian Finance arranges property finance. We are not tax, legal or estate-planning advisers — but we know these questions matter, so we raise them early and coordinate with your chosen advisers. Rates and thresholds are those applying in England and are current at the time of writing; they can change, so confirm your position with a qualified adviser.
We work with private bank applicants, specialist-lender applicants and family-office introductions across Latin America and their advisers in Miami, Zurich and beyond. We will tell you honestly which route applies to your structure, what to expect, and how long it will take.
Begin the ConversationNo obligation. Strict confidence.
Third-party references: References to third-party companies, platforms, and services within this guide are for informational purposes only. Palladian Finance has no commercial relationship with any company mentioned and does not endorse or recommend any specific provider. You should conduct your own due diligence before engaging any third-party service. We arrange property finance; we do not provide tax, legal or immigration advice — we coordinate with your UK solicitor and international tax adviser.