Do I need to bank with a private bank already to get a private bank mortgage?

No, though it helps. Most private banks will consider a mortgage as the opening of a new relationship, not just a product for existing clients. Some, like C.Hoare & Co, are the exception and lend almost exclusively to existing private clients.

How much do I need in assets to qualify for a private bank mortgage?

There's no single threshold — it varies by bank and by case. Some banks expect a meaningful level of assets under management as a condition of lending; others are more flexible if the income and security profile is strong.

Is a private bank mortgage cheaper than a high street mortgage?

Not necessarily. Rates can be competitive, particularly for clients bringing significant assets to the relationship, but arrangement fees and AUM requirements often offset any headline saving. The right comparison depends on the full structure, not just the rate.

Can I get a private bank mortgage as a non-UK resident?

Yes — international and non-resident clients are a core part of the private banking mortgage market, particularly for prime London property. Structuring across jurisdictions and currencies is something private banks are typically well set up to handle.

What's the minimum loan size for a private bank mortgage?

Most private banks focus on loans from around £1-2 million upwards, though this varies by lender and by the wider relationship. Below this level, high street or specialist lending is usually more appropriate.

Can I use investment assets instead of income to secure a mortgage?

Often, yes. Many private banks will lend against a discounted value of a portfolio rather than requiring income alone to support the loan, which is particularly useful for clients with significant wealth but modest salaried income.

Do private banks offer interest-only mortgages?

Yes, more readily than most high street lenders, particularly where there's a credible and evidenced repayment strategy tied to assets, business sale proceeds, or other capital events.

How long does a private bank mortgage take to arrange?

It varies considerably. Because terms are relationship-led rather than templated, timelines can be longer than a straightforward high street application, though a well-prepared case presented to the right bank can still move quickly.

What documents will a private bank ask for?

Expect more than a standard mortgage application — typically a detailed statement of assets and liabilities, business accounts or tax returns for variable income, source of funds and source of wealth evidence, and details of any existing banking relationships.

Can a private bank mortgage be used for buy-to-let or commercial property?

Some private banks will lend on investment or commercial property as part of a wider relationship, though this is less standardised than residential lending and is assessed case by case.

What happens if my income is irregular or made up of bonuses and dividends?

Variable income is typically assessed holistically rather than through a fixed multiplier, which suits business owners, partners, and bonus-heavy earners.

Should I use a broker or approach a private bank directly?

A broker with active private banking relationships will usually have a clearer view of current lending appetite than a client approaching cold, and can present the case to the bank most likely to say yes on the best terms.

Is a private bank mortgage right for every high-net-worth borrower?

No. For a straightforward purchase with clean, provable income and no interest in a new banking relationship, a high street lender is often faster and cheaper. Private bank lending earns its place where complexity, scale, or an existing relationship make it worthwhile.

Lender Guides

Can You Move Your Nationwide Mortgage to Another Home?

This Nationwide mortgage porting guide explains how an existing deal can move to a new property. It covers affordability, additional borrowing, ERCs, timing and an alternative lender.

Written By: James Blackler

On Aug 28, 2026

At Oakstead Finance, we work with Nationwide regularly and have a practical understanding of how the lender approaches applications. Porting transfers an eligible Nationwide mortgage product rather than the mortgage loan itself, so the borrower must make a new application and satisfy the lender’s current criteria for the new property.

How Does the Nationwide Mortgage Porting Guide Work?

A Nationwide mortgage can potentially be ported when its product is portable and the new property will become the borrower’s main residence. The existing loan is redeemed and a new mortgage is completed, with the eligible product and rate applied to the ported balance.

✪ The original mortgage offer confirms whether the product is portable.
✪ A new Decision in Principle, affordability assessment and property valuation may still be required.
✪ Porting is unavailable where the mortgage is more than one month in arrears.
✪ Two separate mortgages cannot be ported onto one property.

Can a Nationwide Mortgage Be Ported Without an Early Repayment Charge?

Porting the full balance normally avoids an Early Repayment Charge when the sale and purchase complete together. A partial port or a gap between transactions can produce a temporary or permanent charge.

✪ On a partial port, any ERC is calculated on the balance not transferred, after any unused annual overpayment allowance.
✪ For a delayed purchase, the new mortgage must complete within 180 days of redeeming the old loan for an eligible ERC refund.
✪ Nationwide states that eligible refunds are made within ten working days of completing the new mortgage.

How Much Can the Nationwide Mortgage Porting Guide Allow?

Existing Nationwide borrowers moving home may be considered for lending of up to six times eligible income, with no stated minimum income for that existing-customer limit. This is a ceiling rather than an entitlement: expenditure, credit commitments, loan-to-value and the new property all affect the result.

The existing balance and any top-up are assessed together. Nationwide’s published minimum loan for an existing customer moving home or porting is £5,000. Its wider maximum loan varies by product and other restrictions, ranging up to £5 million.

The distinction between a theoretical income multiple and usable affordability is explained further in Oakstead Finance’s guide to how lender income multiples work.

How Are Bonus, Commission and Dividend Income Treated?

Nationwide can include variable and self-employed income, but it applies evidence and averaging rules rather than simply using the latest payment.

✪ Monthly bonus, overtime or commission is normally averaged across three consecutive payslips from the same employer.
✪ Annual bonus or commission requires two relevant payslips, with the payment present on both.
✪ For company directors, Nationwide generally uses the lower of the latest year’s salary and dividends or their two-year average.
✪ Porting with additional borrowing cannot use foreign-currency income.

Directors can review Oakstead Finance’s explanation of how mortgage lenders assess self-employed income before the figures are submitted.

Nationwide at a Glance

Criteria	Published position
Maximum existing-customer LTI	Up to 6 times eligible income
Minimum porting loan	£5,000
Additional borrowing	Current home-mover product for the top-up
Delayed purchase window	Up to 180 days after redemption
Current average application to offer	8 working days standard; 12 working days referred
Interest-only porting	Available subject to an acceptable repayment plan

A Worked Nationwide Mortgage Porting Guide Example

Consider a hypothetical borrower selling for £500,000 with a £220,000 Nationwide balance and buying for £650,000. After allowing for the existing mortgage, the sale produces £280,000 of equity before transaction costs.

If all £280,000 is contributed, the new mortgage requirement is £370,000. The £220,000 eligible balance could retain its existing product, while the £150,000 top-up would use a current Nationwide home-mover product. With eligible household income of £80,000, the total borrowing equals 4.625 times income. That sits below the published six-times ceiling, but the actual decision would still reflect commitments, dependants, term, credit profile and valuation.

Before comparing the blended monthly cost with a completely new mortgage, the borrower could also review the broader issues in Oakstead Finance’s product transfer and new-lender comparison.

How Does the Nationwide Mortgage Porting Guide Compare With NatWest?

NatWest provides a useful alternative comparison because its published porting rules differ in several practical areas.

✪ NatWest states that borrowers, repayment method and term can change while porting without an ERC, subject to criteria.
✪ A NatWest like-for-like or reduced residential port does not normally need to pass affordability, although the application and property remain subject to its process.
✪ Nationwide may allow up to six times income for an existing customer moving home, which can matter where the new purchase requires extra borrowing.

Remaining with Nationwide may preserve a favourable rate on the ported balance. Taking a completely new mortgage may offer a more suitable overall structure once ERCs, fees, top-up pricing and flexibility are compared.

What You Need to Know

The Nationwide mortgage porting guide is best understood as a new application that may preserve an existing product on an eligible balance.

✪ Portability does not guarantee approval for the new mortgage or property.
✪ Extra borrowing receives a current product and may carry a different rate.
✪ Partial and delayed ports require careful ERC calculations.
✪ Criteria, service levels and products can change and should be confirmed before an application.

Book a Consultation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Nationwide mortgage port?

It is the replacement of an existing Nationwide mortgage with a new loan on another property while retaining an eligible existing product on the ported balance. The borrower must apply again and meet the relevant criteria.

Does the Nationwide Mortgage Porting Guide Guarantee Approval?

No. A portable product does not guarantee that Nationwide will approve the borrower, requested amount or new property under its current lending rules.

Can a Nationwide mortgage be ported to a cheaper property?

Yes, but borrowing less creates a partial port. An ERC may apply to the balance repaid, after any available overpayment allowance is considered.

Can extra money be borrowed when porting?

Additional borrowing may be available subject to affordability and criteria. The extra amount uses a product from Nationwide’s current home-mover range rather than automatically receiving the ported rate.

How long is allowed between selling and buying?

Nationwide allows up to 180 days after redemption for an eligible delayed port. An ERC may be taken initially and refunded after the new mortgage completes.

Can an interest-only Nationwide mortgage be ported?

Nationwide permits eligible interest-only and part-and-part balances to be ported. An acceptable repayment plan must cover the relevant interest-only borrowing.

How long can a Nationwide porting application take?

Nationwide’s published service level at the time of research averaged eight working days from application to offer for standard cases and twelve for referred cases. Property access, evidence and case complexity can extend this.

Is porting always cheaper than taking a new mortgage?

No. The comparison depends on the existing rate, ERC, new borrowing rate, product fees and total monthly cost, as well as the flexibility of each option.

Arrange a consultation with Oakstead Finance.

Written By James Blackler

James Blackler founded Oakstead Finance to give complex cases the attention they're usually denied. Based at Arding & Hobbs in Clapham Junction, he works with London buyers and homeowners whose applications need more than a standard lender checklist; complex income, tight timelines, or a structure most brokers won't take the time to get right.

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