---
title: "Private bank mortgages"
description: "A private bank mortgage is a mortgage provided by a private bank, usually to high net worth clients, and underwritten on a bespoke basis rather than through standard affordability models. Private banks assess the borrower’s overall wealth, income streams, and asset position, which allows greater flexibility on loan size, interest-only borrowing, and complex ownership structures."
url: "https://mortgagelane.com/guides/private-bank-mortgages/private-bank-mortgages"
site: "Mortgage Lane"
collection: "guides"
date: "2026-08-17"
author: "Seren Norton"
category: "Mortgage guide"
reviewed: "2026-08-17"
reading_time: "2 min"
byline: "Seren Norton"
author_credentials: "CeMAP · FCA authorised firm"
language: "en-GB"
robots: "index,follow"
---

# Private bank mortgages

A private bank mortgage is a mortgage provided by a private bank, usually to high net worth clients, and underwritten on a bespoke basis rather than through standard affordability models. Private banks assess the borrower’s overall wealth, income streams, and asset position, which allows greater flexibility on loan size, interest-only borrowing, and complex ownership structures.

A private bank mortgage is a mortgage provided by a private bank, usually to high net worth clients, and underwritten on a bespoke basis rather than through standard affordability models. Private banks assess the borrower’s overall wealth, income streams, and asset position, which allows greater flexibility on loan size, interest-only borrowing, and complex ownership structures.

[Private bank mortgage](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions?term=private-bank-mortgage)

Specialist lending

A mortgage provided by a private bank, often assessed alongside the borrower’s wider assets, income and banking relationship.

[Read the full definition of Private bank mortgage](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions?term=private-bank-mortgage)

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[Private Mortgages](https://mortgagelane.com/specialists/private-bank-mortgages)

Related definitions

[Private bank mortgage](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-private-bank-mortgage)

·

[Affordability](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-affordability)

## Private bank mortgages

A private bank mortgage is a mortgage provided by a private bank, usually to high net worth clients, and underwritten on a bespoke basis rather than through standard affordability models. Private banks assess the borrower’s overall wealth, income streams, and asset position, which allows greater flexibility on loan size, interest-only borrowing, and complex ownership structures.

Many private banks link mortgage lending to a wider banking relationship. This can include a requirement to place assets under management (AUM) with the bank, such as investment portfolios, as a condition of lending. In return, borrowers may access preferential pricing, higher loan-to-value tolerance on large loans, or lending against income and asset types that mainstream lenders decline.

Some private banks also offer what is known as dry lending, meaning a private bank mortgage without any AUM requirement. Availability of dry lending varies with market conditions and the strength of the applicant profile, which is why whole-of-market advice is important before committing to a single institution.

Private bank mortgages are commonly used for high-value residential purchases, refinances of unencumbered property, interest-only borrowing into retirement, and lending to expats, foreign nationals, and borrowers using trust or corporate structures.

## Talk it through with an adviser

Speak to a Mortgage Lane adviser about your circumstances and the next steps.

Published: 2026-08-17

Last reviewed: 2026-08-17

Source: https://mortgagelane.com/guides/private-bank-mortgages/private-bank-mortgages