Berkeley Credit provides offshore loans secured on property in England and Wales — from £50,000 to £25,000,000 — to British expats, foreign nationals and offshore companies. We are a direct lender based in Mayfair, not a broker: the people who assess your deal are the people who fund it. Decisions the same day, completions in as little as 7 days.
Can expats and offshore borrowers get a UK bridging loan?
Yes. Living abroad, earning in another currency, or holding property through an offshore structure does not stop you borrowing against UK property. It stops you borrowing from a high-street bank — which is a different thing. Mainstream lenders underwrite the borrower: UK payslips, UK credit file, UK address history. We underwrite the asset and the exit. If the property is sound and the repayment route is credible, the deal works, wherever you happen to live.
What is offshore lending?
Offshore lending means loans made to borrowers who live, earn or hold their assets outside the UK, secured against UK property. That covers three broad groups: British expats working abroad who are buying or refinancing UK property; foreign nationals investing in the UK market; and offshore-incorporated vehicles — companies and trusts in Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, the BVI and similar jurisdictions — that hold UK property for tax or estate-planning reasons.
Our offshore loans are short-term property finance: typically 3–24 months, interest retained or serviced, first or second charge, for business and investment purposes. Borrowers use them to move quickly on a purchase, break a chain on an investment sale, refinance a maturing facility, or release equity from a UK asset while longer-term arrangements are put in place.
Offshore bridging vs offshore mortgages
If you are searching for an offshore mortgage — a long-term loan on UK property for a non-resident — the honest picture is this: a handful of private banks and specialist lenders offer them, criteria are narrow, minimum loan sizes are high, and the process routinely takes two to three months. Many international borrowers use an offshore bridging loan to solve the timing problem: secure the property now on short-term finance, then refinance to a term mortgage (or sell) as the exit. We are a short-term lender, and we are comfortable lending where the exit is a refinance to a private bank — we see it every month, and we can move at the speed the purchase requires while the mortgage catches up.
Why international borrowers struggle with mainstream lenders
- Automated underwriting expects UK income, UK credit history and a UK address — three things an international borrower often does not have.
- Overseas income and non-sterling earnings fall outside standard affordability models.
- Offshore ownership structures (SPVs, trusts, nominee arrangements) trigger manual referrals that most lenders simply decline.
- Cross-border ID and source-of-funds checks take longer, and volume lenders are not set up to do them.
None of these is a reason a loan cannot be made. They are reasons a standardised lender cannot make it. If you have been declined elsewhere, that is where we start every day.
How we lend to international borrowers
We look at two things: the property and the exit. The property needs to be marketable security in England or Wales — residential investment, commercial, semi-commercial or mixed-use. The exit needs to be realistic: a sale, a refinance, or a liquidity event with a believable timeline. Around those two fixed points we are flexible on everything mainstream lenders are rigid about — where you live, how you earn, and how the asset is held. We are experienced with loans to offshore companies and complex structures, including the legal opinions and security documents those jurisdictions require, and we coordinate directly with overseas notaries and lawyers so documents can be signed and certified without you travelling to the UK.
Who we lend to
- British expats and foreign nationals — working in the Gulf, Asia, the US or Europe, borrowing against UK property
- Non-UK residents — investors with no UK footprint
- Dubai and Gulf-based investors — arranged entirely from the UAE
- Hong Kong and Singapore investors — familiar with both markets’ documentation
- Offshore companies — Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man, BVI and beyond
Rates, terms and what we lend
- Loans from £50,000 to £25,000,000
- Rates from 0.79% per month, interest retained or serviced
- First and second charge, secured on property in England and Wales
- Terms typically 3–24 months, business and investment purposes
- Same-day decision; completion in as little as 7 days
Use the loan calculator for an indicative cost, or send a quick enquiry and we will give you an honest answer the same day — including a fast no if the deal is not for us.
Due diligence and compliance
Lending across borders responsibly means doing the checks properly. We carry out identity, anti-money-laundering and source-of-funds verification on every loan, as required under the UK Money Laundering Regulations. For offshore companies we will ask for corporate documents and, where needed, a legal opinion from the jurisdiction of incorporation. Starting this on day one is how a cross-border loan completes in days rather than months — send documents with your enquiry and we run compliance in parallel with valuation and legals.
Frequently asked questions
Can I borrow if I live abroad?
Yes. We lend to non-UK residents, British expats and foreign nationals secured on property in England and Wales. We underwrite the asset and the exit, so overseas income and a thin UK credit file are not barriers.
Can an offshore company borrow?
Yes. We regularly lend to companies incorporated in Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, the BVI and other offshore jurisdictions, secured on UK property. We are familiar with the legal opinions and security documents these structures need.
Do offshore lenders offer mortgages?
Some private banks offer long-term offshore mortgages, but criteria are narrow and the process is slow. We provide short-term offshore loans of 3–24 months, most often used to secure a property quickly before refinancing to a term mortgage as the exit.
Do I need a UK credit history or UK bank account?
No. Our lending decisions are based on the property security and your exit strategy, not a UK credit score. Identity, anti-money-laundering and source-of-funds checks always apply.
How fast can an offshore loan complete?
We give a decision the same day and can complete in as little as 7 days where solicitors and documents move quickly. Cross-border ID verification can add time, so we start compliance checks on day one.
Can I arrange everything without visiting the UK?
Yes. Documents can be signed and certified overseas, and we coordinate with your local notary or lawyer alongside UK solicitors. Most of our international loans complete without the borrower travelling to the UK.
What does an offshore loan cost?
Rates start from 0.79% per month depending on loan-to-value, property type and structure. See our full costs guide, use the calculator, or send an enquiry for same-day terms.
Talk to us about an international deal
Tell us where you are, what the property is, and what the loan needs to do. You will get a same-day answer from the person who can actually approve it. Quick enquiry.