Yes, you can. Being a Turkish citizen does not stop you getting a mortgage in the UK. There is no legal restriction on foreigners buying property or borrowing in the UK. Terms vary from person to person and depend on two questions: whether you will let the property or live in it yourself, and where you live. The deposit and maximum loan figures below come from the capital.works® mortgage compilation; capital.works is registered with the FCA and is a member of the NACFB.
First make this distinction: to let, or to live in
In the UK there are entirely separate products for these two purposes, and the lender looks at entirely different things.
| To let (buy to let) | To live in yourself (residential) | |
|---|---|---|
| What is mainly assessed | The rent the property will earn | Your own income |
| Deposit | En az %25 | Varies with your income and circumstances |
| What sets the loan amount | How well the rent covers the payment | Your borrowing capacity, calculated as a multiple of your income |
| Who can live there | The tenant. On many products you or close family cannot live there | You and your family |
If you are buying to let
On this side the rule is relatively clear: you need a deposit of at least 25%. Depending on the buyer’s profile, the currency of their income and the property value, this can rise to 40%, but the starting point is 25%.
The underlying logic is this: the lender looks first not at your salary but at the rent the property will earn. The rent must comfortably cover the payment even if interest rates rise. So two different properties on the same budget can support two different loan amounts. A flat with strong rent supports a bigger loan.
Even so, income is not ignored. Most lenders look for a minimum income, usually starting around £50,000, and income in foreign currency is accepted.
If you will live in it yourself
Here the picture reverses: what matters is the individual’s income. How much you earn, whether your income is regular and documented, your existing debts and your dependants all count. The loan amount is calculated as a multiple of your income.
So the deposit cannot be tied to a single percentage. For a buyer living in the UK with regular sterling income and settled residence status, the deposit can be much lower. For a buyer living abroad with income in another currency, the deposit rises and the number of options falls.
An important warning: on most products, neither you nor a close family member can live in a home bought with a buy to let mortgage. If you plan to buy a home for your child studying in the UK and have them live in it, you need to choose the right product from the start; with the wrong product the process stalls at the end.
Where you live matters too
Residence matters, not nationality. If you live in the UK (on a work visa, settled status or indefinite leave to remain), most of the market is open to you and terms come close to those for British citizens; your residence status and time spent in the UK are decisive.
If you live in Turkey or another country, products designed for non-resident buyers come into play. These products are built for this profile, so having no UK credit history is not a barrier on its own. On the other hand, every lender has its own country policy: some only accept applicants living in certain countries, others exclude certain countries. That is why getting the application to the right lender matters more than the application itself.
The rent sets the loan amount: the ICR test
On a buy to let mortgage the lender asks one question: will the rent on this flat cover the payment even if rates rise? The test that measures it is called the interest coverage ratio (ICR), and its rules are set by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) at the Bank of England. Two numbers matter:
- The stress rate: a lender cannot assume the rate will be lower than this during the first five years of the mortgage; the floor is 5.5%. This is not the rate you are offered, only the rate used in the test.
- The ICR threshold: the rent must be at least a set multiple of the monthly interest at the stress rate. The PRA describes the industry standard as 125%; for higher rate taxpayers and non-resident profiles lenders usually go up to 145%.
Example: a £200,000 flat with a 25% deposit
The loan is £150,000. The monthly interest at the stress rate is £150,000 x 5.5% / 12 = £688. The minimum rent the lender expects is, at the 125% threshold, £859, and at the 145% threshold, £997. If the flat rents for less, the loan falls and the deposit rises.
From rent to maximum loan
| Monthly rent | Maximum loan at 125% ICR | Maximum loan at 145% ICR |
|---|---|---|
| £800 | £139,600 | £120,400 |
| £1,000 | £174,500 | £150,500 |
| £1,200 | £209,500 | £180,600 |
| £1,500 | £261,800 | £225,700 |
The table is worked at the 5.5% stress rate on an interest only basis; it is indicative and is not an offer. Realistic rent expectations city by city are on our rental yield page page.
The other items that enter the calculation
When setting the ICR threshold the PRA expects lenders to take into account the management and letting fees, council tax, service charge, insurance, repairs, void periods, utilities, gas and electrical certificates, licence fees and ground rent that the buyer pays. The tax attached to the property also enters the calculation, and to keep things simple lenders may treat every borrower as a higher rate taxpayer, which can turn down buyers who would otherwise qualify. Your own tax position is on our our rental income tax page.
One more thing: lenders cannot base affordability on the equity in the property or on an assumption that prices will rise. So the argument that the flat will appreciate does not increase the loan.
Four or more mortgaged properties: portfolio landlord
A borrower with four or more mortgaged buy to let properties in total is, in the PRA’s definition, a portfolio landlord, and the file goes to a specialist team: the cash flow, the debt ratio and the geographic concentration of the whole portfolio are examined. That is why the fourth purchase takes longer.
Why your family cannot live in a home bought with a buy to let mortgage
This is not the lender’s arbitrary preference but a regulatory boundary. A buy to let mortgage taken out on a property the borrower or a close relative will live in counts as a consumer buy to let and falls under FCA regulation; the PRA’s standard for business buy to let does not apply to it. The list of products and lenders changes too. If you are buying for a child studying in England, say so at the first conversation; our student housing page covers this scenario separately.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Turkish citizen get a mortgage in the UK? Yes. Nationality is not a barrier. The terms depend on whether you will let the property or live in it, and where you live.
What is the minimum deposit? At least 25% if you are buying to let. If you will live in it yourself there is no single figure; it depends on your income and residence status.
Do I need to live in the UK? No. There are separate products for people living abroad. If you live in the UK there are more options and the terms are easier.
I have no UK credit history. Is that a problem? Products for non-residents already assume this; it is not a barrier on its own. What matters is documented income and the property’s rent.
Can I live in the home I buy? Not on most products if you bought with a buy to let mortgage. If you are buying for your own use, say so from the start so the right product is chosen.
Is my income in Turkey accepted? Income in foreign currency is accepted. Lenders look for a minimum income and assess it on its sterling equivalent.
What other costs come on top of the price? Stamp duty, legal fees, land registration and a valuation. For non-resident buyers stamp duty includes a surcharge and can be the single biggest cost. More on our buying costs and stamp duty pages.
How is the loan amount calculated? On a buy to let the rent must be at least 125% of the monthly interest at the 5.5% stress rate, and 145% on most profiles. A rent of £1,000 a month corresponds to a loan of about £174,500 at the 125% threshold.
Will I pay 5.5% interest, the stress rate? No. The 5.5% is only the regulatory floor used in the affordability test; the rate you are offered is set separately.
After how many properties does the process get harder? With four or more mortgaged buy to let properties you count as a portfolio landlord; the file goes to a specialist team and the figures for the whole portfolio are requested.
Sources
The stress rate, the definition of the ICR, the cost items that enter the calculation and the definition of a portfolio landlord are based on PRA Supervisory Statement 13/16 (September 2016); the current version published on 20 January 2026 takes effect on 1 January 2027. The definition of a consumer buy to let rests on the Mortgage Credit Directive Order 2015. The worked examples are indicative, are not an offer, and each lender applies its own criteria. Verified on 20 September 2026.
How we help you with this
As capital.works®, the Overseas Property Centre, we represent selected developments in England. Every development live on the site has its price list, floor plans and completion schedule on its own page. We are an FCA authorised credit broker (FRN 1049015) and a member of the NACFB; the purchase, the finance, residency and post completion management are all run by one team.
Legal notice
capital.works® (YATIRIM UK LIMITED) is a credit broker authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, not a lender. You can check our entry on the FCA Register (FRN 1049015). This page is for general information and is not personal financial advice; terms vary by lender and applicant and change over time. Acceptance of your application depends on the lender’s own criteria. Most buy to let mortgages are not regulated by the FCA. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
The next step
Your situation is individual: tell us where you live, how your income is structured and what the home is for, and we will tell you which doors are open and how much deposit you need. Contact us or finance page. If you have not yet chosen a property, our article what you can buy in London for £300,000 and our UK Property Guide page will help. For tax on rental income see our rental income tax page page.
Answers to the most common questions on this topic: Which UK Cities Have the Highest Rental Yields?
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