Answers for Northern Ireland

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Question: 5.5.1. Do you lend on freehold flats?

Lender Answer
Accord Mortgages Ltd No
Atom Bank plc No
Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd No
Bank of Ireland (UK) plc No.
Bank of Ireland as Bank of Ireland Mortgages No.
Bank of Scotland Beginning A No
Bank of Scotland Beginning O No
Barclays Bank UK PLC Freehold flats and maisonettes are not considered suitable as security for mortgages.
Enfranchised properties are acceptable, where the leaseholders collectively own the freehold of the block/ whole property.
Birmingham Midshires No.
Bradford & Bingley Limited No
Britannia, a trading name of The Co-operative Bank plc No
Chelsea Building Society (a trading name of Yorkshire BS) No.
CHL Mortgages No, nor Freehold Maisonettes
Co-operative Bank plc No.
Coventry Building Society No, except if the property is in South Tyneside and there are mutually enforceable covenants for support and maintenance of the common parts and the deeds of mutual enforceability are placed with the title deeds.
Danske Bank The Bank will not accept freehold flats as security.
DB UK Bank Ltd No
Ecology Building Society No
First Direct Not generally acceptable, however we may be able to lend on freehold flats in the following circumstances:

• There is a leasehold interest in the flat and the reference to freehold relates to a share of the freehold interest in the block;

• The property is a Coach house and is subject to suitable buildings insurance and acceptable lease of garage

Please also refer to 5.5.3 to 5.5.4.2 for other freehold arrangements that would be acceptable
First Trust Bank No
GE Money Home Lending Ltd GE Money Home Lending has withdrawn from the UK mortgage market.
Godiva Mortgages Ltd No, except if the property is in South Tyneside and there are mutually enforceable covenants for support and maintenance of the common parts and the deeds of mutual enforceability are placed with the title deeds.
Halifax No.
Halifax Loans Ltd No.
Hampden & Co. plc  
HSBC UK Bank plc Not generally acceptable, however we may be able to lend on freehold flats in the following circumstances:

• There is a leasehold interest in the flat and the reference to freehold relates to a share of the freehold interest in the block;

• The property is a Coach house and is subject to suitable buildings insurance and acceptable lease of garage

Please also refer to 5.5.3 to 5.5.4.2 for other freehold arrangements that would be acceptable
HSMS As 1.10a
Intelligent Finance No.
ITL Mortgages No, except if the property is in South Tyneside and there are mutually enforceable covenants for support and maintenance of the common parts and the deeds of mutual enforceability are placed with the title deeds.
Kensington Mortgage Company Ltd No.
Landmark Mortgages Limited Not normally acceptable. However, the following circumstance maybe acceptable:-
? where there is a leasehold interest in the flat and the reference to freehold relates to a share of the freehold interest in the block.
Refer to:
New Mortgage Completions
Landmark Mortgages
PO Box 656
Durham
DH1 9LY

Tel - 0330 159 7152
Leeds Building Society No.
Lloyds Bank plc No.
Lloyds TSB Scotland plc No
M&S Bank We will only accept freehold flats where the security will comprise the freehold of the full building within which the flat is contained or where the legal arrangements for freehold flats are satisfactory and accepted in the local market
Mortgage Express No
Mortgage Express (No 2) No
National Westminster Bank plc Yes. Where it is possible to enforce positive covenants (e.g. a written agreement is in place to ensure maintenance, repair and insurance of the building and common parts are shared equitably amongst all residents. The maximum Loan to Value is restricted to 90%.
Nationwide Building Society Generally no
Exceptions-
i)see 5.5.3
ii)coach house flats - where there is one flat in a block built above garages and/or an access way there is no need to report details to us.
If there is an element of flying freehold - the requirements in part 1 paragraphs 5.5.2.2 to 5.5.2.4 must be adhered to.
Insurance - where the purchaser arranges insurance on more than one garage or garages owned/used by other parties, please ensure that the insurance company is aware of the arrangements.
New Street Mortgages No.
NRAM Ltd  
Platform (a trading name of The Co-operative Bank p.l.c.) No
Rooftop Mortgages Ltd No
Sainsbury's Bank Freehold flats are not allowed unless the borrower owns the freehold of the whole building, or freehold reversion/Tyneside arrangements apply and there are no more than four flats in the building.
Santander UK plc No, but we will lend if the flat comes within 5.5.3 of the Lenders' Handbook.
Scottish Widows Bank No.
The Mortgage Business No.
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc Yes, provided the loan is less than 90% of the valuation.
TSB Bank plc No
UCB Home Loans Corporation Ltd No
Ulster Bank Yes, provided the loan is less than 90% of the valuation.
Virgin Money No. However, refer to:
Mortgage Processing
Operations
Virgin Money
Gosforth
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 4PL
Solicitor Helpline: 0845 604 4858
Solicitor Email: postoffer@virginmoney.com

We may consider lending where the other flat(s) in the block are all leasehold.
Yorkshire Building Society No