CASE STUDY – Securing a Multi-Generational Family Home with Complex Income and Property Structure

Sometimes finding your forever home means acting quickly and thinking creatively. When our clients discovered their dream property in the South Hams had returned to the market, they knew they couldn’t let it slip away a second time. With a tight completion deadline and a complex property structure, we needed to look beyond high street lending to make their vision a reality.

Our clients had fallen in love with a stunning four-bedroom farmhouse set in seven acres, complete with a natural swimming pool and three additional dwellings within the main title. Previously used as holiday lets, the property offered perfect multi-generational living space plus a studio for painting.

Having missed out on this property previously due to their own sale falling through, they were determined to secure it this time. They negotiated a competitive purchase price of £1.5 million on one critical condition: completion within six weeks.

However, several factors made this a challenging mortgage proposition. The multiple dwellings on a single title fell outside standard lending criteria. As self-employed business owners, the clients had successful companies but kept personal income drawings low for tax efficiency, meaning we needed to use net profit from two separate limited companies for affordability assessment.

Additionally, they required a part interest-only, part repayment structure to manage cashflow effectively. With the six-week deadline non-negotiable and the risk of losing this property again very real, we needed to find a lender who could accommodate all these factors whilst moving quickly.

It quickly became clear this case wouldn’t fit high street lender criteria. The combination of multiple dwellings, share of profit income assessment, part interest-only lending, and the compressed timeframe required specialist expertise.

Our knowledge of the private banking sector and established relationships with lenders comfortable with complex cases proved essential. We identified a lender who could appreciate the quality of both the property and the clients’ business positions, understanding that strong fundamentals sometimes don’t fit standard flow charts.

We arranged face-to-face meetings between the clients and lender, sitting in the room as true intermediaries. This direct communication allowed everyone to understand the proposition fully and address any questions immediately, significantly accelerating the decision-making process.

We achieved funding at 75% loan-to-value with 50% of the mortgage on an interest-only basis, exactly as the clients required. The rate of 5.1% represented a modest premium over high street rates of around 4.6%, but delivered something high street lenders simply couldn’t: approval for this complex case within the required timeframe.

Through exceptional work from everyone involved including the lender, solicitor, and valuer, we met the six-week completion deadline. The clients secured the property they’d fallen in love with at their negotiated price, remaining true to their word on the timeframe.

Today, our clients are enjoying their South Hams farmhouse, with space for multi-generational living and a dedicated studio for creative pursuits. The additional dwellings provide flexibility for family or potential future income.

This case demonstrates how specialist lending can deliver where mainstream options cannot, particularly when property structure, income assessment, and timing requirements combine to create complexity. When you’ve found the perfect property, the right expertise and lender relationships ensure you don’t have to compromise on your vision.