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Topic: US citizen buying house in UK  (Read 5255 times)

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US citizen buying house in UK
« on: April 16, 2012, 04:29:11 PM »
I am a US citizen married to a British citizen and we want to buy a house.  I am here on an FLR.  A bank told us that they would not give us a loan with my name on it because I am a foreign national.  It looks like we are able to purchase a small house without needing a mortgage.

Can a US national be on the deed as an owner of a home in the UK, specifically Wales?

I have searched the web and the forums here, but can not find an answer. Please help! 

Thank you!
Amy and Ant

Fiance Visa: July 2011
Married: September 2011
FLR: November 2011
Met online: Feb 2010
Met in person: Sept 2010
6 month Visitor Visa granted: Jan 2011
Engaged: June 6th 2011
Fiance Visa granted: July 2011
Married: Sept 2011
FLR(m) granted: Nov 2011
ILR granted: Feb 2014


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Re: US citizen buying house in UK
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2012, 04:38:53 PM »
I can't imagine any reason why your name could not be on a property deed, but the people to ask are the Land Registry.

http://www.landregistry.gov.uk/

Cheers


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Re: US citizen buying house in UK
« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2012, 02:54:23 PM »
We applied for a mortgage with RBS back in 2010 when I was still on FLR, and they didn't indicate there would be any problems because of my status. However, by the time we actually completed on our house and the applications for the mortgage was official I had been granted ILR.

From what I remember at the time, different lenders have different lending requirements.

I really don't remember any issues being raised about the property deed.
Dated long distance: 2000-2005
Married: May 2005
Both lived stateside: 2005-2008
Moved to the UK/FLR: May 2008
ILR: May 2010
British Citizenship: January 2012
British Passport: March 2012


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Re: US citizen buying house in UK
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2012, 10:27:59 PM »
Thanks all!  I looked through the land registry site, but wasn't able to find an answer.  it might have been a fault in my searching skills.

We decided to just go for it, made an offer on a house, the offer was accepted, and today we talked to a solicitor (as is part of the home purchasing process in the UK).  He confirmed that some banks will lend to foreign nationals and others will not.  He also stated that foreign nationals can own property in the UK so there is no problem with my husband and I both being on the deed, thank goodness!

Thanks again!
Amy and Ant
Met online: Feb 2010
Met in person: Sept 2010
6 month Visitor Visa granted: Jan 2011
Engaged: June 6th 2011
Fiance Visa granted: July 2011
Married: Sept 2011
FLR(m) granted: Nov 2011
ILR granted: Feb 2014


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Re: US citizen buying house in UK
« Reply #4 on: April 18, 2012, 08:44:04 AM »
I'm a US national in Wales, and my house is in my name.  I have a mortgage.  I also have ILR, so that made things easier.  I know that I was once turned down for an overdraft from the same bank (RBS) though because I had less than a year on my FLR and understandably if I left the country, they wouldn't have means of getting their money back.  It was annoying, but I understood.  I had no trouble getting the mortgage or having the house put in my name though, just had to show my passport.


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