News in brief - 3 October 2025

Market Harborough Building Society has re-entered the EU market and is now accepting applications from UK expats living in the EU. The society has also streamlined the application process for UK expats living in the US, with less upfront paperwork for brokers. The specialist lender providers expat residential solutions up to £5m, with rates starting from 5.20% fixed and 5.25% variable for tier one cases, and holiday let and buy-to-let solutions at up to £2m, with rates starting from 5.80% fixed and 5.85% variable.

LHV Bank has expanded its UK lending division with the appointment of two lending operations managers, Oliving Carling and Emma Wright, and two lending managers, Dassos Alexandrou and James Murphy. Carling joins the firm from Shawbrook Bank, after more than two years as a completions officer, while Wright brings extensive case management experience from her time at Lloyds Bank. Alexandrou has joined the firm’s London team, after working as a portfolio manager at Reliance Bank and credit administrator at Monument. Murphy, who is based in Manchester, has been appointed to the firm after spending more than eight years at Santander UK, in roles including credit risk and relationship management.

Hampshire Trust Bank (HTB) has completed a £18.2m facility for an existing client, financing a newly refurbished Grade II listed office property on Bedford Row in central London. The facility refinances the original development loan and provides time for the borrower to secure lettings ahead of a future sale or refinance. This is the second deal between HTB and the client, following a £13.3m facility arranged earlier this year to refinance a retirement living scheme in the south of England. The transaction was introduced by Adam Brews of Vandermolen Real Estate and led by Tim Mycock, lending director at HTB, supported by Beth Rungay, relationship manager, and HTB’s development finance team.



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